I’M GRATEFUL…

It’s taken me a minute to determine how I am going to talk about/celebrate/mention Thanksgiving. It seems many of the traditions that I grew up with and believed have been challenged, overturned or debated. For those of you who know me, I talk a lot and then I don’t. I can be very silent publicly on many things but that does not mean my heart doesn’t ache or I am not deeply moved or troubled. I feel deeply and oftentimes I am hit so hard, I can’t even speak on what's in my heart. The pain is too great and the losses are too big.??

My husband shared a text message he received from a close friend that simply said, “Happy Family Day, Brother”. Those words touched me and I immediately started using that to share with friends and family. I honestly didn’t know what else to say… someone had already commented to me in disbelief that I was using Happy Thanksgiving while others said it happily on every call I was on. The beauty of this season regardless of what you use is our ability to pause and celebrate life in abundance, to be grateful for the blessings and gifts that we have and for it to be celebrated in our own way.?

I have lots of conversations with my 8 year old about being who you are, maintaining your belief system and being kind even when others aren’t kind to you or say mean things. We are all meant to be different, we are all uniquely designed.? What I do believe more than anything right now is that regardless of what you are celebrating and what traditions you maintain, the fundamental values of respect, gratefulness, and kindness are fundamental to humanity.?

I’ve maintained Carpe Diem as my personal mantra and my belief to seize these moments of gratefulness, of peace, of stillness. We have these days like “Thanksgiving Day” that allows us collectively to take a moment in their own way to give back, to be at peace and take time to help others, to feed others, to focus on something greater than themselves. To me that is what we are celebrating. How can we make the most of the present moment to be greater, kinder and more present for ourselves and others?

I think back to 2015 and launching BrainTrust Agency to get back to my roots in brand building, brand strategy, brand development, we’ve had our wins and losses and in a season where I am grateful we are still standing and moving toward growth.? In 2020, launching my podcast, Business of the Beat as a way to give a voice to BIPOC intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs that were not represented in seats of leadership . And in 2021, launching BrainTrust Founders Studio as a way to bring my personal pillars - community, mentorship, education and capital -to life. Those pillars continue to serve me across everything that I do. I'm grateful for these moments where I seized the day, didn’t look back and forged ahead to create spaces to give back, knowing that all of this is greater to me and I am a vessel of service.? My heart wants to give so much and with time I stay in faith that it will all come to pass. This holiday and every day, I'm just sitting in awe of the life that God has blessed me with and I’ll focus there. I’ll use Happy Family Day going forward and continue to learn and be open to all the many perspectives and views that make us a diverse community.?

As we move into this next season, let us remember our purpose. Let us remember the love that we have for each other. Let us be kind and keep humanity at the center of everything that we do. I'll continue to reflect on my personal mantra - Carpe Diem. How will you seize the day by giving to others - being kind to your fellow human and walking in gratefulness. What’s your personal mantra??

Carpe Diem.?