I went back and forth about sharing my personal thoughts. I have read that company blogs should not be too personal. I have always been one to go against the grain if I think it is coming from a true place of authenticity. So, I decided to share my personal thoughts and I hope it will bless those that read it.
The Christmas season was too crazy business-wise. I was anxious about how many people we were reaching, website traffic, product promotion, etc. I became overwhelmed and I lost sight of the true essence of why we started True Sentiments. Our ultimate goal is to advocate self-exploration, create conversations, and inspire others. We just launched our business in October. I was setting unrealistic expectations on myself and on our business. Our goal is to connect with customers organically which requires nurturing and patience. Long story short, my husband and I decided to step away and regroup. We went off the grid for a while and I think it was a wise decision.
During my time away, I thought about the “why” again. I am doing well working a full-time corporate job. Why did I feel the need to start a company? I guess it all began when I decided to expand my daily prayer life by writing in my journal, practicing yoga, and meditation. At the time, I felt the need to do more. Think outside the box. I believed that I was not completely tapping into all that life had to offer. I was scared to express all of myself to the world because of the fear of rejection. Only a select few really saw the real me. I was living two lives. A funny, sassy, intelligent, creative, black woman and a quiet, intelligent, subdued black woman that wanted to fly under the radar especially in social situations. I lived these two lives for decades until I decided that my thoughts were holding me back from a life that was waiting for me if I opened my eyes wide enough to see it and completely embrace who I am.
Through my self-exploration, I began to question my purpose. Why am I here? Am I doing all that I can to live out God’s purpose for my life? Am I using all of my gifts? Am I living a life of authenticity? I think that we all encounter these questions many times during our life when it is time to make a shift from our norm. It can be a scary thing because it requires change. With change comes growth and with growth comes pain. My spiritual mentor shared with me that purpose is birthed through our pain. Our medicine for that pain is closely linked to our purpose. Purpose is where pain and passion intersect. We all ultimately want to live a life of purpose. We try to find it in various ways and usually fall short because we don’t know where to begin. I have learned that the way to finding purpose takes time, courage, and the ability to be open to experiencing something new. I am discovering that my pain and passion intersect when I experience deep meaningful conversations. The type of conversation that says “I see you.” That is why True Sentiments was created. I wanted a platform that creates opportunities for deep conversations. We want to inspire others to live their best life by creating planners/journals, apparel that sparks conversations, and “MyGrati” product line that creates a space for gratitude and self-reflection.
There are so many more ideas that we want to explore. In time, I hope opportunities will arise that will allow us to use our gifts to help others see the best version of themselves as we move through this wonderful thing called life. January has passed and we are moving quickly into February. This is the time of new beginnings. It is not too late to set our intentions, create vision boards, and embrace change. True Sentiments decided to dedicate this year to finding purpose. We plan to provide products, tools, and resources that we hope will create a space that will encourage you to explore your purpose. One of my daily affirmations is “My truth is a compass to my purpose.” Each day we should strive to live with authenticity, love, and gratitude. I hope you will join me on this journey.
Live well, Love well, Be well!