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#WednesdayWisdom
"May I never settle on just anything. Whether it's my goals, dreams & relationships. I want to reach my full potential. I want God's very best." — Sopha Rush
Morning Musings
To say it's been a whirlwind year for the Payton household would be a vast understatement. Shortly after learning we were pregnant, we made the decision to move to Ohio. Within a few short months of that decision, Jeff received a job offer based in Columbus. And within a week or two of that news, I signed my first book deal.
It's easy to look form the outside in and think 2021 has been "our year." And it has. But what may not be immediately apparent are the years of hard work, prayer and determination that went into it. After all, there's no such thing as an overnight success.
So when friends and followers began commenting, "you manifested all of this," I felt a little awkward. Yes and no, I thought. Sure, I built vision boards with the best of them. I distinctly remember saving space on my 2020 vision board for the ultrasound of our future baby — an ultrasound that wouldn't come that year as we underwent four failed IVF cycles (and that was after a year of trying to conceive naturally).
I remember querying agents in the summer of 2018 and receiving so many rejections I felt like giving up. And I definitely recalled the false starts when I did sign with an agent — two to be exact before signing with my current one.
There were defeats and struggles and so many points where I wanted to quit. And it was at those moments I prayed like my life depended on it because I felt like it did.
Even though I was raised Christian and attended Catholic school my entire educational career, I grew a bit wary about sharing my faith after moving to a very politically-correct Chicago. At two employers, I worked with people who were so adamantly atheist (which is absolutely their right) that I worried incessantly about offending them if I brought up God or faith.
In fact, when I learned that one of my coworkers at a previous organization proudly identified as Christian, I immediately messaged her to ask if we could be friends. And she helped give me the confidence to become more outspoken about my faith as well.
So while yes, I am successful and my dreams are coming true (seemingly all at once), I can't take all the credit. Yes, I manifested, but more than that, I prayed. I prayed and I did the work. And it was hard, but I kept going because my faith fuels me (along with my family and close friends).
In the words of Big Sean, wayyyy up, I feel blessed.
Love,
L'Oreal
Upcoming Events
Sept. 15 (TONIGHT): LT in the City Fall Book Club. Don't miss our convo with Elayne Fluker, author of Get Over "I Got It." And yes, it's okay if you haven't finished (or started) the book yet. You can still sit with us.
Links I Love
1. Gabrielle Union: The Hard Truth About My Surrogacy Journey. I've always admired my Birthday Twin's candor and vulnerability, and she does not hold back in this essay about her journey to becoming a mom. (TIME)
2. A Super-Inside Look at the Life of Venus Williams, aka the Icon We All Need Right Now. More cover stories about Black celebrities written by Black women, please. (Cosmopolitan)
3. Regina King in Her Element. What I said above. (Vanity Fair)
My Latest Obsession
Like many Black girls of a certain age, I grew up idolizing Aaliyah. I wanted the long straight hair, the swoopy bang and the Tommy Hilfiger outfit. I spent hours listening to her music and studying the choreography in her videos. Now that her music is (finally) available on streaming platforms, I've been putting her on repeat every chance I get.
Now Hiring
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Deputy Senior Advisor of Communications to the Vice President for Color Change
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