Mar 24

Mar 24 Plan B Is For The Morning After —Not Your Life

I remember being interviewed by my hometown after being Crowned Miss WSSU about my plans after I graduated college. I gave them a description of what I wanted to accomplish. I remember feeling hot and red, like I had just told an embarrassing story. I had just spoken my vision out loud and felt embarrassed by the look I received. I was looked at like my dream was not unrealistic. I would have preferred they look at me like it was a joke rather than utopian.

Before I could clear the knot in my throat from feeling like what I wanted was impossible, I was presented with the following question: “What is your Plan B?” I replied that I didn’t want one. We moved to the next series of questions about my family and hobbies, and the conversation concluded.

I recently held a workshop for Creative Entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of following their “Plan A.” I was expected to shrink myself and my vision to fit into a brutal economic cycle of capitalism and fulfillment.

While developing the content for this workshop, I thought back to my interview for that newspaper and thought if they looked at me like it was a joke— I could have at least used that for “I’ll show you” fuel. I thought back to that look. The very look that made me question if I was dreaming too big. The look that made me question if I was capable of having my own vision.

Let’s Get Into The Workshop

NC Always, The Black Creative Conference was held in Charlotte, N.C., this year, and I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of the conference presenters.

The POWERHOUSE woman who leads the charge in orchestrating the conference is the INCOMPARABLE Chanel Nestor. Chanel has been a champion for creators of color for years and has the business know-how to make things happen.

To be completely transparent, I hesitated to pitch my idea for the conference.

Over the years, I have hosted over a dozen mental health workshops, affirmation seminars, and creative entrepreneur and artist showcases. Even though I have been operating in this space, something in me did not feel worthy to be a conference presenter. I felt like it was too big. I was immediately transported to that bright-eyed 21-year-old who was told to have a Plan B. As quickly as I had that moment, God came down with the “aht, aht” and said no, ma’am, this is your Plan A.

And just like that, The Plan A Workshop was born.

I was able to hold the workshop at The Jugo Bar, the best fresh-pressed juice this side of North Carolina! (Trust me.)

As I spent time formulating what I wanted attendees to take away from the event, I came up with the following:

Disbanding Plan A vs Plan B myths
Goal setting and success strategies for their creative career
Mapping out their visions
Breaking through creative blocks and taking their creative business to the next level

Ya’ll —when I tell you how blessed I felt as I looked around and didn’t see any empty seats. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I plan to take The Plan A Workshop across the nation.

No one deserves to feel like their vision is only a dream. Your dream is your vision. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Before my revelation, I did end up doubting my capability of living my vision. It took some time and a lot of therapy, and now I choose not to doubt myself anymore.

Let’s truly live our best lives. Let’s run away from fear and into the arms of fulfillment.

I believe in you. Now it’s your turn to believe in yourself.