Photo by: Troy Bryan NYC Master Photographer

Beloved friend! Happy Monday! I hope you’re feeling joy and hope! After this post, I KNOW you’ll be fired up to do what it is you need to do this week! So grab a coffee or tea and get your read on!

How do I start? There is so much I want to tell you. The life lessons I learned from my trip to New York Fashion Week are so many I feel like this post has to turn into a book. I am in awe. Just awe of God and his power, unconditional love, grace & mercy and ultimately his faithfulness. Let’s start there because all that I am is thanks to Jesus!

The Nail Teams for essie, Zoya and Paint Box invited me to step into the backstage action of some of the most dynamic shows NYFW 2019 had to offer, like Kate Spade, Ulla Johnson, Veronica Beard, Lily, Xu Zhi, Tommy HilfigerXZendaya, and my most favorite one of all…. Oscar De La Renta! What?!! What?! Am I dreaming? I learned some brilliant life lessons from the top master artists in charge of the creative direction for hair, makeup and nails at each show! And I felt so inspired by the hundreds of people working tirelessly to make these 12-minute-shows happen. No matter the position or title, they had an important piece of the intricate puzzle that is NYFW! I felt so energized and hopeful that even when we think we’re just doing a mundane job like throwing kale and kiwi into a juicer, we’re actually impacting others in a positive way by doing something to give value to a collective goal! There is a place for us all.

LIFE LESSONS I LEARNED FROM THE MASTER ARTISTS

Lesson 1: Be YOU + Fear is a liar.

Be just who you are! We need your talent, history, hopes and dreams. Everything you’ve been through will help others navigate similar journeys! There’s value + worth + a purpose in all of us. And God has not mistaken when delighting you with vision/dreams so big it scares you. Don’t give in to the fear that you’re not good enough for it. No one really is. We are all secretly feeling like impostors if we’re honest. And the best way to start is to go when you’re not ready, or WHEN your work is perfect (nothing is perfect aside from Jesus). So whatever your excuses are to hold yourself back, stop it. We NEED you to be who you were created to be. God will give you the strength and teach you but most of all he will NEVER leave you. Ever. So you can confidently walk in the direction of your dreams (once you submit them to the Lord you can be sure he will guide and keep you)!

Gabriella Zanzani luxury goods designer & creative director for Oscar De La Renta said something that I had to write on my notes as we discussed my fear of not being good enough. When she feels opposition from fear she tells herself, “I’m not going to quit until I no longer need to run!” BOOM. What advice! I got chills. Thank you, Gabriella, for encouraging me at such an important time in my life! Instead of running away from your promise run into it knowing the creator of the Universe will help you and heal you and encourage you no matter what! Fear is a liar do it anyway!

Lesson 2: You have to work.

I don’t believe we can just pray and sit on our bee-hinds and expect God to do all the work of our prayers and dreams for us. He is able to do the supernatural but it will require us to get to work! What frustrated me so much at the beginning of my journey, was not having a clear HOW. What i’ve learned is, if you have a strong WHY that is outside of yourself (meaning you’re wanting to give value to others) then the how will show up as you take tinny steps forward. All progress is made in tinny increments. So if today all you can do is jot down your dreams and goals than do that! But take action. Every day no matter what and no matter how “small” you might think it is. It builds momentum!

Lesson 3: Have a teachable spirit.

No one likes a know-it-all. Not even a, know-it-all. And I can say I used to think I knew it all. Ha! What I’m learning is that no one knows it all. However, having a teachable heart and mind is one of the most beautiful things we can allow ourselves to have, especially as adults when learning proves to feel a little painful. We grow up and think we should already know all we need to know, but the fear of being new at something will rob us of growth in the season when we might be able to learn better! You know sometimes you take for granted what you have? I know as a kid I took for granted the opportunity to be in school! Now I believe I can learn something from every person I meet and I am eager to learn!! I would rather feel the uncomfortable feelings of being new at a skill than go all of my adult life never learning anything new!

Kevin Huges, Moroccan Oil Artistic Director, and celebrity hairstylist shared with me the advice he would give his younger-self “ Educate yourself, even more, you can never get too much education. I’m a true believer in that. So to me, it would be that. Knowledge is power. Your confidence goes up as you learn. “

I loved that because even someone who can be viewed as having all the “hair” answers is saying he would continue to share that education is super special and important! It really shows humility and courage to be bold and keep a student's heart! Thank you, Kevin, for your wisdom!

Lesson 3: Align yourself with the right mindset & atmosphere

Sir John, Celebrity Makeup Artist, gave me hope with the advice he would’ve given his 19-year-old self when he lived in Harlem, “Have faith, be patient and get in alignment for what I want to receive; it could be a cup of coffee or a million-dollar contract, but I am in alignment and believe in myself. That’s what I would say ” Wow! How beautiful.

Interestingly enough, we were backstage IN Harlem at the time of our interview at the Apollo Theatre for the Tommy Hilfiger X Zendaya NYFW SPRING 2020 show! Sir John was in a completely different place than at 19, the lessons he has learned are now inspiring many! Including myself. I loved his makeup tips but most of all it was an honor to talk to an artist with a heart for faith and perseverance. I’m sure it’s taken a lot of courage to be where he is today! Thank you, Sir John for sharing your deepest learnings with me!

Isn’t that the goal of life? To be an inspiration to someone that they can!

God is so amazing to take us back to where we started to show us how much he has grown and molded us! I am so grateful to bring you these lessons that have seriously touched my heart. I hope you feel hope and inspiration to “do the thing” this week and the rest of the year! I love you fiercely and I believe in you! I know the best of you, does too!