As You Are
This stamp is pretty honest, as they all are, lol. But this one is as transparent as can be. I was talking to a friend yesterday and we were discussing life, love, friendships and my favorite conversation topic, growth.
Where I am right now…I’m shifting.
I had a Pastor confirm some things in my life a few weeks ago and man..i’m still basking in that Word from him.
But growth – I love talking about growth because it’s uncomfortable and we don’t really “wanna” grow because to be honest it hurts. You gotta make moves that you don’t wanna make. You gotta let people go that you prob really like and you have to get up.
Literally.
I wake up now at 6-30, I’m out of bed on most days by 7 and I’m working.
I’m working intentionally because I have goals.
And I need those goals to be achieved.
You know we go through such dark times, we go through rough patches ,we go through seasons where we are weary, uncertain, lost, confused, hopeless, helpless, down and out.
But rest assured that we don’t stay in those places forever.
And for those that are…that do feel as if they’ve been stuck forever. Its you.
I’m sorry but it’s you.
Me and my mama was talking the other day and I was like you know some people ain’t moved. They haven’t done nothing and she says, “oh that’s them”
So if you’re lazy and uninspired this stamp is not for you today.
As YOU Are.
Notice the YOU is capitalized and that’s because I wrote this stamp for you, to be as you are.
Unapologetically you.
Where I am right now, it’s peace.
It’s unknown, it’s unfamiliar, but it feels so right.
I haven’t been challenged by myself in a long time.
I had grew comfortable in my career, in my life, with friends, and family and sadly my relationship with God as well.
For the month of February I received back to back confirmations from God through church, podcast, people, signs, wonders…prayers were answered for me.
As YOU are.
That term basically means in my opinion, to do you. Always.
I think it was about two months ago – and let me say this I’m learning.
You know no one is perfect and with me being a relatively new business owner I’m making a lot of mistakes and when I say a lot.
A lot.
We place responsibility in people’s hands, expecting them to follow through.
We trust people with our opinions.
We trust them with our purpose.
We trust them with our brand.
And most importantly, our money.
I had someone that I’ll say was close to me, to watch everyone around me.
And it bothered me.
It bothered me because I was honestly lost. Lol.
It bothered me because I love, and I nurture, and I encourage, and I care.
More than anything, I care.
I genuinely care.
I love hard.
I love too hard, I’m nice, I don’t like confusion, I don’t like conflict, I don’t like problems, I don’t like negativity.
So I tend to bite my tongue a lot to keep from going there with people.
I don’t go off, throw shade, or let somebody know what’s really good, instead ill just bow out gracefully.
You’ll stop hearing from me and eventually things will fade and all it will be is a birthday text that comes once a year.
I’m one of those people.
But I said all of that to say I am still learning how to deal with situations that arise, the ones that you can’t understand, or don’t know where to point the finger so you point it on yourself.
So after that ordeal, I stepped back.
As you are.
I told myself that it was timefor me to go back into my bubble although I had been told by prophetic people that you know my voice, my words, my testimony will be used for the land.
And with that one situation I honestly stepped back and I said I’ll just write.
I had nothing to say to anyone and right now even on this day I’m still mentally like is this what I will be going through as I build my empire.
I went to church with my mama and the Pastor ...a man that didn’t know me at all. Didn’t know my name.
He asked me to come to the front and he told me to raise my left hand.
Okay, so I’m left handed.
I lifted my left hand.
And let me say this, I don’t share prophecies because I don’t like people mouths on me but I’m sharing this to connect to the stamp.
Okay so I raised my hand and he said, hmmm…
I see you signing a contract with your left hand.
So I’m like okay pastor. Amen say that!
And he tells me that he sees me signing multiple contracts and he told me that God told Him – I hadn’t seen anything YET.
That I hadn’t seen HIM show up in my life….YET.
Okay so quick lil bit about me.
I’m 23 years old and for the last 2 going on 3 years I have made 6 figures over.
Okay successful I guess you can say.
My biggest fear for 2017 – if I’m allowed to be honest ,was that because I stepped out on faith and decided to self publish I would never make the money I made again.
Okay so let me say this – I was making about 10-25k a month signed with a company.
But I wanted creative control, I wanted to write freely.
I wanted to own my work.
I wanted to produce, create, write, plan, market my books how I wanted too.
I didn’t wanna feel like I owed anybody anything. You know I wanted to do this how I wanted too.
People don’t always work as hard as you do and you can’t expect people to match your work ethic.
I started a publishing company and now I don’t want it because people don’t match my hustle
I writeevery day
I grind every day
I want people on my team that go as hard as I do
So whathave I been doing? Unsigning folks, and asking them how hard do you hustle.
AS YOU ARE.
The Pastor told me that he didn’t even see me here.
Atlanta.
He told me that he saw me everywhere.
Let me show you how God works – the logo for nakoexpo has an earth at the end of the logo because since I was a little girl, I’ve told my mother I wanted to change the world.
Its my goal to live across the world.
Nakoexpo will be a global billion dollar company.
So instantly, I looked at the pastor with tears in my eyes wondering –well not wondering because I know that God is real.
But I was like how does he know I’ve prayed about that thing.
I’ve prayed that God kept my vision, keep my brand, protect my purpose.
I didn’t want to feel like I couldn’t be successful on my own.
You know I was scared to step out on faith but I did it and it was because I knew that I had the potential to do this.
And the pastor confirmed that for me.
But then……
AS YOU ARE
He told me that I’m being shifted up.
Not down.
Follow me please.
AS YOU ARE.
All I could think about was that girl telling me to watch folks and you know I don’t like to feel as if I have to ‘watch’ anybody.
I rather just be alone.
So where I have been since then?
In the house.
Alone.
Limited conversation.
Making moves,
Minding my business.
I went from encouraging soooooo many people and then I stopped.
You know how many texted me to check on me? Lol.
Ill let yall figure it out.
AS YOU ARE.
As you are…I named this stamp as you are because we have to become intentional.
I hope that this reaches you wherever you are.
I was talking to one of my friends last night and something that someone said bothered her. It bothered her so bad that she was about to get off social media and I said girl, “as you are”
I told her that you have to ignore some people.
And protect your peace.
I’m grown.
Okay the majority of you reading this are grown.
As you are.
You have to learn how to do what’s for you and don’t worry about explaining yourself.
You have to shift when needed and don’t worry about who it affects.
You have to begin to grow because you know that you ain’t got shit going on.
As you are.
That pastor blessed me that Sunday.
I haven’t cried that hard in a service since leaving my church in Jackson, where I lived.
His prophecy reached me because that was a clear sign from God.
I don’t like switching up. The friends I do have I’ve had for a while but every now and then I’ll open up and let new people in my life.
But the pastor telling me that I was about to shift confirmed so much for me because I felt myself growing apart from things, and habits, people, ways…everything.
I was really cool with this girl and you know we was talking every day, hanging out every day. I hate getting close to people and then they just do something that rubs me the wrong way because I have a hard problem bouncing back. Like you know how most girls can talk about it and move on…yeah that aint really me. I just rather not deal with you anymore.
I thought she was one of the closest people to me.
My birthday came around and she sort of let me down.
My feelings were soooo hurt I couldn’t react because I had so many people around me that loved me, people flew into town just to celebrate my born day so I couldn’t be selfish and think about one person.
In all honesty, that friendship taught me so much in such a very short period of time.
As you are.
What I had to learn was to not expect people to treat me how I treat them.
Because that’s when you’re disappointed.
And in life, in 2017 especially I’m becoming a woman that is going places, I’m becoming a woman that’s intentional and I only want people around me that I can trust, love, celebrate, nurture and in return it’s reciprocated.
As you are.
For the month of march I seriously challenge you to be you.
As you are means making strides toward living the best life that you can live.
I told cierra Sunday that I feel on fire.
I feel more challenged than I’ve felt in so long.
I told her that we gotta stay on it
You know we get soo lazy ,we get complacent, we get comfortable.
And no, 2017 is still the year of alignment.
As you are.
I encourage you to be honest.
I’m learning to be honest with myself.
My goal for this month is to write 2 more books and go to church twice a week.
Simple and realistic goals.
2 important things to me is my relationship with God and my money.
I need God to do miraculous works in my life.
And it starts with me.
As you are.
Make your conversation be about something.
As you are.
I’m so limited with my conversation these days and It’s because I only want good things to fall from my lips.
I texted cierra last night and she responded this morning – I started to send her a long long long long message back but I said nah it’s a new day. We gon let that go and move forward.
Positive vibes only.
God Bless You
As you are.
As you are.
As you are.
As you are.
xoxoNAKO