IKONI Collective

She was waiting for me, over on Fifth Avenue, inside of H.Stern, the luxury jeweler. The look on her face, when I arrived, was telling. I had been working from dawn to sometimes close to midnight on the task of finding new revenue opportunities for the television division of, Reuters, the international news agency. I could see the unrelenting pace of Manhattan life from my office window, in Rockefeller Center overlooking the ice-skating rink. Often too busy on the phone or in meetings to venture out, my secretary would usually bring me lunch. Occasionally, I would walk through the art deco building, midday, and feel the rush of being at the epicenter of everything New York. Messengers, office workers, dealmakers, tourists, celebrities, shoppers, the SNL cast were all part of the blend of humanity in this beautiful location. Completely focused, I did not always notice. I didn't even realize the change of seasons. Then, I saw the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree go up. How could this be? It was just warm weather. No, it was not warm weather anymore. I had worked through several seasons and yes, Christmas was coming. I needed to quickly find a gift, for my wife-to-be. Surrounded by luxury retailers, I remembered the H. Stern store, which I passed frequently. Down the elevator I went, making my way through the crowds at the Passport Office, the Christmas shoppers, and across the street into H. Stern. A lovely salesperson greeted me, and asked if she could help. I quickly scanned the jewelry case, and spotted something I thought my fiancée would love. The salesperson carefully removed the piece from the display case and began describing the design, and quality of the stones. I sensed she would like to have that diamond necklace for herself. In less than 15 minutes, I made my decision. I pulled out my credit card. The salesperson looked stunned. So fast? It was a sizable purchase. As she wrote up the order, she gazed at me and said, “You are so successful.” Truthfully, I felt more relieved than successful at that moment. I had solved a problem. However, the algorithm of life delivered to me, someone who would affirm what I had desired, and at times questioned in the chaos of corporate life. It turns out, the algorithm delivered me, as well, to the salesperson. As I left the store with my, beautifully wrapped gift, in an exquisite bag, I said, “Thank you so much.” The visibly, joyful salesperson, said “We thank you.” “And I thank you.” Then, she whispered, “This sale makes this a great month for me. I’m so happy.” A perfect match. Something you offer? Something you want? Wondering when it will happen? Continue your work. Continue being your best. Continue in the mindset of success. The algorithm of life will deliver your perfect match. #andretaylor #andretaylorluxury #andretaylorleadership #andretaylorentrepreneurship #andretaylorpremierliving #andretaylorprosperity

Are you a RESOURCE or a SISTER or... BOFFUM? ?? What do you WANT to be and to WHOM? Video ?? Credit: Dr. Thema Bryant and Oprah on Instagram

The Body Always Wants to Express Itself. Say it with me: “The body wants to express itself—always.” If you find yourself in fawning (people-pleasing) or freeze (overwhelm, procrastination, ‘lazy’ mode), your body is turning inward, trying to disappear posturally. Suppression feels like the safest option. But here’s the thing—these states were meant for short bursts of survival, not a lifelong default. This isn’t your fault. It’s a trauma response. At some point, something was too overwhelming to process, and your nervous system learned suppression as protection. Maybe as a child, someone required you to stay small, agreeable, or silent to maintain attachment. But without resolution, your body never unlearned that response. What was once a survival strategy became a pattern. The good news? Neural pathways can be rewired. In this video, I talk about what happens when boundary violations are unavoidable. Because let’s be real—sometimes you have to work 9AM to 8PM to get paid. Sometimes you have to attend a meeting at an inconvenient time. The key? Giving your body choice when you can— and creating space for recovery when you can’t. The body needs an outlet to express what it had to suppress. ?? Watch the video and let me know your thoughts. ?? Nervous system regulation, trauma response, people-pleasing, stress recovery, freeze response, fawning, emotional resilience ??? ALT Text: A light-skinned Black woman with long dark brown hair sitting on a leather sofa with a chambray shirt and leather jeans. Her background is a wall with plants on shelves. #nervoussystemregulation#somatichealing #anxiety #anxietyrelief #healingjourney #somatichealing #somatics #nervoussystem

Confidence isn't about having all the answers. Too often we panic when we don’t have an answer. But here’s the thing… Real confidence isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about how you handle what you don’t know. In this video, I’m sharing simple yet powerful ways to say “I don’t know”—without looking insecure. ?? Which one was your favorite? Let me know in the comments! ???? Share if you found this video helpful! ?? Follow Jen Ngozi for more tips on communicating with confidence! #Communicationskills #ConfidenceCommunication #CareerConfidence #Leadershipskills #Speakwithconfidence