Strong Is My Beautiful:  Past.  Present.  Future.

Strong Is My Beautiful™ was born out of what could have been a negative experience for me.  If you have time, I’ll take you back to my first post in 2017 where I talk about it.  Click here to read.

To catch you up on the past, it was in that moment that I decided to flip it around to say “strength is beauty” – period!  Furthermore, if where I feel most beautiful [in the squared circle]  doesn’t make sense to anyone, that’s ok.  I found my place and I hope everyone else will find theirs too.  Physical and/or emotional strength, courage, bravery and vulnerability are all beautiful traits.  Together they make up the collective of the vessel holding it all together.  YOU!

Strong Is My Beautiful™ is a mindset.  I have claimed it proudly and want to bring as many as I can on this powerful journey.  Those who have joined me, share that same belief.  We live and breathe positivity, strength and empowerment.  We are original and authentic in our approach and unapologetic about the space we occupy!

That concept of duality [strength & beauty] resonated with me all my life.  I didn’t know the words to articulate it until I was an adult, and it wasn’t until I first walked into a boxing gym that I started to physically feel this emerge or grow inside of me.  By day I’d sit in boardrooms and build marketing programs counting down the hours to go boxing and I’ll tell you, for years after, the number of times I heard “but you don’t look like a boxer” was the most surprising and would leave me in awe of some people.  Pardon me?  There’s a look??

Embracing that duality has allowed me pass this along to help others realize and accept this is 100% ok.  The words translate differently for everyone, but it has the same deep meaning.  At the end of the day, be who you are even if it’s sparring in a ring in the AM and in heels, a cocktail dress with a full face of make up in the PM.

The marriage of these personas is expressed in the logo and the agency I worked with to create it, they absolutely understood the assignment.  Cosmic Design was briefed, we chatted and chatted some more and this logo spoke to me.  It addressed everything I wanted to express.

Designed by Cosmic Design

The boxing glove being a visual symbol of physical strength and the flower symbolizing that softer/feminine side.  They exist in harmony and together the personas are stronger which is why we’re not to be underestimated!

The raised glove shows us taking a stand in solidarity, claiming that Strong Is My Beautiful™ mindset holding a flower (a gladiolus) which symbolizes both strength of character, integrity and solidarity.

So, as a marketer by profession (and passion) I probably could have or should have followed a certain timeline or blueprint when I rolled out my blog, e-stores and brand but, I chose not to.  I want to tell my story my way and on my own terms.

Why?

My entire life I followed the rules – other people’s rules.  I was always a good employee and a loyal one, everywhere I went.  I worked hard, played hard and I brought others up with me.  The part that really got to me most in my corporate days is the thing I strived to never do and that is taking credit for other people’s work. It’s happened to me on multiple occasions and even when presented with such an opportunity, I couldn’t.

Fact is, I’m process driven and still follow rules especially when it comes to the lines between right and wrong.  I’m that person who will always do the right thing even if doing the right thing doesn’t benefit me.  I want my story to be told in my words/actions and while it may not follow societal rules, it’s my set of steps that I want to pave a way with.  Feel me?

One question I get asked a lot is “what’s the biggest learning to date” and THE biggest is a tough one but it’s true.  Not everyone will support you or follow your journey but remember, you need to believe in yourself and your journey every step of the way.  The good days and even more on what I call “character building days”.  That’s all that matters.  All the right things will flow from there.

I want to be proof that we can make our own lanes, build our own tables AND invite others along on that journey.  Whether they are advisors, collaborators and/or partners there is room for us all.  Last year, a childhood friend reached out to hear about what I was doing and we ended up building my e-store together.  It was always my plan for the future but listening to some of his ideas and how passionate he was about my vision, I just said let’s get to work!  So with him in South Africa and a 7 hour time difference we did it.  Check it out here – and to my friend Rashaad, can’t wait to do more!

Supporting and celebrating others and their achievements is not a hard task.  I want to do that while I’m here and want the legacy to continue long after I am gone.