Subscribe to LT in the City Weekly
Spread the love, forward to a friend!
View this email in your browser
#WednesdayWisdom
"Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." — Toni Morrison
Morning Musings
Last month I quit my job...without another job lined up for the first time in my career. Now I know this may not sound that extraordinary, but for a Type A perfectionist who's always followed The Rules, I guarantee you this is a Big Deal.
In the weeks leading up to my last day, friends and colleagues often asked, "How did you know? Was there a moment when you knew?" And in short, the answer is no. There wasn't just one moment. The decision, much like life itself, was composed of many mini moments, but I can distill them down to three main ones.
First there was my Oprah "aha! moment" back in December 2018 (almost a year after starting my last role) when I realized public relations wasn't exactly for me. I interviewed for an internal communications position, but didn't get it, which led me to the next moment...
In the spring of 2019, I read Christina M. Tapper's piece for Poynter about how to quit your job on your terms. She essentially broke down her decision to take a self-imposed career break into the 3 W's: work, wait, walk.
I'd worked my butt off (as Black women are known to do, shoutout to Stacey Abrams) and clearly communicated my requests (raise, promotion, ya know, the usual). Then I waited, and waited... And while I was waiting, I was preparing to walk -- steadily saving and building my personal brand and freelance portfolio.
Then came the one-two punch of 2019: Beyoncé dropping "SPIRIT," followed by "BIGGER" from The Lion King: The Gift. This album helped me "find my way back" to my true purpose/destiny of being a full-time writer.
And then Toni Morrison died, which gutted me in a way I didn't know was possible. For so much of my journalism career I was fixated on climbing the masthead and someday become editor-in-chief of a teen magazine when all I've ever really wanted to do was write. In a way I can't really explain, Toni gave me permission to do just that.
My friend, big sister, mentor and life coach Myla made me a portrait of Toni with a passage from Beloved in the background. I propped up the portrait on my desk to the right of my laptop so I’d have Toni in plain view at all times.
“Girl, what are you doing? Why aren’t you writing?” she called to me.
“Shh, Toni, not now,” I’d reply in the middle of drafting a press release or another pitch.
"Mmhmm,” she’d say in that way that only Black women of a certain age can.
“Toni,” I’d plea. “It’s not that simple …” And I’d offer a feeble excuse to convince her (well, convince myself) that I couldn't quit.
Then the pandemic hit. I was in the middle of reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren when everything shut down. Suddenly, I was left with a lot of time to sit with my thoughts and feelings.
I also read more devotionals and did more meditations than I'd ever done in years past and they all pointed to the same thing: it was time. It was time to walk fully in my purpose and do the thing I've encouraged others to do so often. It was time to trust my dopeness.
I don't know exactly what this journey holds, but I can already say one month into this new chapter and the creativity, ease and flow I'm feeling are both life-changing and life-giving. Life is good.
Love,
L'Oreal
ICYMI
I had a couple of pieces publish after my last newsletter of 2020, including:
my first post for Reebok featuring my friend (and fellow Enneagram Type 3) Taylor Morrison of Inner Workout
this Q&A with THEE Vanessa Williams for ZORA about my favorite holiday movie of all time, A Diva's Christmas Carol
Upcoming Events
Jan. 15: Unapologetic Reset. I had so much fun participating in my friend Rachel's Unapologetic Retreat last week that I had to join her for part two: Unapologetic Reset. The virtual retreat features more than 30 wellness sessions. Use the promo code LOREAL10 for $10 off your ticket.
Feb. 27: How to Land a Literary Agent. I'm hosting a masterclass for Permission to Write, an online community for Black writers and writers of color, all about the process of finding, vetting and signing with a literary agent.
Links I Love
On the last day of 2020, I shared a roundup of my favorite bylines of the year:
1. Infertility Rates Are Higher Among Black Women -- So Why Do We Feel So Alone? (SELF)
2. Why Black Joy Matters, and Is a Form of Resistance, Too (Well + Good)
3. The Exhausting Balancing Act of Motherhood and Caregiving (ZORA)
My Latest Obsession
I know, I know -- we're all skeptical about planners after the year we just had. But I swear to you, Ink + Volt is not like other planners, it's a cool planner.*
When I decided I was quitting the full-time gig, I knew I had to treat myself to the limited edition champagne color because as the description says "special plans deserve special planners."
I've been in a committed relationship with Ink + Volt for about four years now (more on that here), and I've even added some of their other products to my must-haves, such as the Today Organizer Pad. What can I say? I'm addicted.
*Bonus points to you if you caught the Mean Girls reference.
Now Hiring
Audio Producer for Shine
Production Assistant for How I Built This
Managing Editor for Prism
Head of Community Experience for Somewhere Good
Senior Director of Digital Marketing for OneGoal
Director of Media and Communications for United States of Care
Senior Program Manager for Women Employed
Talent Manager for Girls Write Now
Psst...did a friend forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here so you never miss an issue! Liked what you read? Be sure to follow using the buttons below.