Happy New Year! Can you believe it? 2016 is officially here, and the new year just brings so much hope and promise. I plan to make 2016 a good year in every area, living a life that is fulfilling, enjoyable, and completely purpose driven.
So, I guess this is the part where I say, "I'm sorry," right? And then I explain why I've taken yet another blog hiatus and promise that I'm back for good. I'll save us both the headache. But, to be completely and 100% real - Life happens, no matter how much we plan and despite some of our best intentions.
What I will do is be completely open and honest about what's been going on lately.
First thing's first.....I'M PREGNANT!!!!! If you follow me on social media, you might have known this already. My husband and I are expecting a baby girl in April, and we couldn't be more excited for this new season in our lives. I am one week shy of seven months pregnant, and I'm feeling excited and anxious now that time is winding down.
Now, on to the more serious stuff.
While part of the reason why I stepped away from Napturally Dany was because of early pregnancy fatigue and just not being functional enough to think and produce meaningful content for the blog, it was also due to feelings of discontent and confusion.
I felt stuck when it came to creating content for this space. I wasn’t sure what my next move was going to be. I wasn't sure what to write about anymore. More than anything, I wasn't sure how my itty bitty blog would stand up to the success of some of the big time bloggers and vloggers out here today.
What I want more than anything is to be able to make a living doing what I love to do. I love to write. I love to create. I love to blog. When I first started blogging, I didn't even know that this could be a career where people can make a sustainable living. Since I am bringing another life into this world, my heart's desire is for me to be able to stay home with my child and just be apart of her growth and development every single day. I want to be the one, with the help of my husband of course, to shape and mold her in the way that she should go - not someone else. And to be quite honest, there's not too many people I'd trust watching my child that would instill in her the values my husband and I hold while they watch her. Being home with my children while also being able to blog full time and pursue other business ideas with my husband is my ultimate goal.
I could have been well on my way to full time entrepreneurship....but fear got in the way.
I could have been well on my way to full time entrepreneurship....but fear got in the way.
Over the summer is when Periscope came out, and you heard nothing but “MONETIZE, MONETIZE, MONETIZE!” While it lights a fire under some people’s behinds to get them moving, it intrigued me…and scared the crap out of me at the same time!
I was too busy comparing myself to others and just thinking way too much! I had not a clue where to start, and I just didn’t have the energy to start either. Truth was, I stopped believing in myself. It's one thing to be inspired by what it is that other people are doing, but it's another thing to let other people's success scare you out of going after what it is you truly want.
I started to doubt EVERYTHING about my blog. The blog's mission, what it is I'd be writing about. I was so focused on comparing myself to others and trying to become like every one else that I began to lose myself in this thing we call blogging. I’ve been getting in my own way of success. Being afraid to take the next step and go at it full force is what’s been holding me back. Fear of the unknown and moving into uncharted territories. Not knowing what’s gonna be on the other side once I jump completely in. Not knowing if this thing will soar and do well or not.
But gosh darnnit it’s about time I start truly believing in myself and the gift that God has given me! While all those things scare me, what scares me even more is to see my potential go to waste in completely giving up something I really love to do. What scares me most is 10 years down the line and I look at my life and I say "I wish I could have done X,Y, and Z."
My husband and I have had plenty of talks about this where I'd say, "Okay, I'm gonna start next week," and it's been five month since I've written anything for my own blog! He's my biggest supporter and motivator when it comes to anything. To be honest, there have been times where he wants it for me than I want it for myself! We just recently had a conversation and he said something that really resonated with me: "I just want fear to die. You have to want it to die too. But the only way to do that is to step out."
Can I say both ouch and Amen? It's about time I start believing in myself. It's time I start seeing my potential, and just do it!
Jesus said to the father,“Why did you say ‘if you can’? All things are possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father shouted, “I do believe. Help me to believe more!”
Mark 9:23-24
Reading this got me thinking to myself, "Girl, where is your faith!" Even with faith, I still had to act on my faith, because I know that faith without works is dead.
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:17
I have ideas. Lots of them. It's time I start acting on those things, and truly believe what Philippians 4:13 says, no matter how scary it seems:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
So what does that mean for Napturally Dany?
Well, when I first started blogging, I wrote about my own experiences with my natural hair and the things I was learning as a means to encourage and inspire others to learn to love and embrace their kinks.
Then I got lost in trying to be a hair authority in the natural hair community…and that’s where the confusion came in.
While I want to continue to motivate and encourage women to stay the course in their natural hair journey and truly accept and embrace their God given beauty, I also want to uplift and encourage women through stories and testimonies like this one.
For my lovely readers, that means you have more to look forward to than just natural hair tips and advice. I want to inspire others through my own story, whether that be about hair, beauty, life, motherhood, etc...
I'm leaving fear and doubt in 2015, and really just going all out for 2016 when it comes to chasing after my dreams. This year, I just want to be completely intentional in everything I do and become closer to the woman I know I could be. This year, I'm really just dedicated to become the best version of myself.
I've been hearing a few buzz words for 2016 that really resonated with me. Mattie James of Mattieologie talked about having audacity in 2016, and Krystal Scott of The Feisty House talked about executing in 2016. 2016 is all about having the audacity to execute, fear and all, success or failure. I'm betting on myself this year. How about you???
For my lovely readers, that means you have more to look forward to than just natural hair tips and advice. I want to inspire others through my own story, whether that be about hair, beauty, life, motherhood, etc...
I'm leaving fear and doubt in 2015, and really just going all out for 2016 when it comes to chasing after my dreams. This year, I just want to be completely intentional in everything I do and become closer to the woman I know I could be. This year, I'm really just dedicated to become the best version of myself.
I've been hearing a few buzz words for 2016 that really resonated with me. Mattie James of Mattieologie talked about having audacity in 2016, and Krystal Scott of The Feisty House talked about executing in 2016. 2016 is all about having the audacity to execute, fear and all, success or failure. I'm betting on myself this year. How about you???
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