Hey Dolls,
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve shared an update on my life here in New York City. At first glance the last few years have been difficult for me, both personally and professionally…
In 2020, New York City went into lockdown. I announced that theCURVYcon is on hiatus. My dear Aunt Furaha passed away, which was a great loss for my family.
In 2021 my modeling contract with LOFT ended because the company decided to stop selling plus sizes.
Between putting theCURVYcon on hiatus and losing my LOFT contract, I felt like someone had ripped my career from my hands and run off with it. But looking back now I can see how much growth occurred, thank God…
My passion for serving women and sharing my message of “Don’t wait on your weight” still burns inside of me.. I’ve spent the last year asking God to guide me towards my next right step.
The word I keep hearing is “service”.
I’ve been asked to sit on the board of a national non-profit that I’m passionate about. My board interviews are happening now and if all goes well and my seat is confirmed, I will share more with you about their mission and my non-profit work.
I’ve also been thinking about how I can serve you better in this time of transition and the new (ab)normal.
I was happy to learn recently that My Tedx talk “How to Build Self Confidence” is *this close* to reaching one million views. Many of you have been watching “How to Build Self Confidence” and sending me private emails/DM’s asking for additional guidance and insight.
So, starting today, I will send you a monthly recipe, ritual or routine that I practice in my own journey towards self confidence.
Are you ready for this month’s Ritual?
Let’s Begin…
Our ritual for this month is something I do when I feel overwhelmed by my dreams or desires. My ritual when I feel this way is to take a deep breath and I say to myself “This time won’t be like last time”.
I have a friend who moved to New York City ten years ago by driving herself in a Uhaul truck from Houston, TX to Brooklyn. She had no friends in New York, so she moved into an apartment with five roommates she had never met before.
When we sat down to catch up over brunch, she shared with me that she had a desire to move to Los Angeles. She groaned, put her head in her hands and said “I just keep thinking about that awful drive across the country, starting in a new city all alone with no friends and how hard it was!”
I took a sip of my prosecco + st. germain, set my glass down, took her hand and said, “Doll, think of all the progress you’ve made in the last ten years. Think of all of the success you’ve had in the last ten years. I find it hard to believe that God would bring you this far only to put you back in a Uhaul truck and send you to Los Angeles to live with five strangers and have no friends! You’re on a new level and this time won’t be like last time. ”
“I know that’s right!” She replied and we laughed and clinked our glasses together.
18 months later, movers came to transport her things across the country and she hopped on a first-class flight to start her new life in Los Angeles.
Perhaps you’re looking for a change in your career, health, or relationships. You know things won’t be easy and you’re willing to do the work, but you can’t help thinking about the challenges you had to navigate in the past.
Yes, there will be challenges as you work towards your new dreams and goals, but there will be a lot more ease this time as well. You’ve learned so much as you got to this point. You have everything you need to take the next right step.
So, this month when you feel anxious, fearful or want to throw in the towel take a page out of my ritual book, take a deep breath and repeat “This time won’t be like last time…”
It will be better.
Thank you for reading my monthly self-confidence letter. Feel free to hit the reply button. Your email will go straight to me and I’d love to hear from you.
All my love,
CeCe
P.S. If you’re curious about how to find the next right step, I made a 1 minute video for you here.
