NP, You’re Doing Great

I screenshot this email two Mondays ago because it was just what I needed. Not in the sense that I didn’t think I was doing well, but because someone who I do not communicate with on a regular basis was able to see the hard work I have put forth, and acknowledged it. It kind of made me reflect on where a lot of my support comes from: Strangers, and sometimes strangers turned friends.

It’s hard to relay your passion to those you care about and have them understand. It should be even harder to do the same with strangers. It’s not. This year, I have met so many people who truly believe in my passions and ideas. People that read my blog posts, quote it, share it and comment. Two months ago, I had someone walk up to you in Panera and state, “Hey! You’re Yetti! I love your new blog,” It was a pretty fucking big deal and of course a tear-jerker.

In March, I had a friend of many years admit to me that they just now understood my passion. It was a little shocking since I tend to talk about what I am passionate about quite often, but I was thankful because she finally did understand and her support meant a tad bit more. But in October of last year, while watching “Black Girls Rock,” I told a stranger turned friend that I would be on that stage one day. She replied very seriously, “Yes. Yes, you will.” No hesitation, just a solid short answer that embodied so much support I didn’t know what to do with myself. Since that moment I’ve tried to make an effort to offer that same support to others I believe in. The kind of support others have shown me. A support that holds no doubts. Why? Because that feeling is probably one of the second best motivators to have. The first is showing those who are not believers that Phenomenal Yetti can make it happen.

I see people everyday declare that they’re fine doing things on their own, that if it’s only them and maybe a few family members that believe in the dream, that they’re fine. Kudos to you, believe in it enough for the rest of us. I’m sometimes one of these people too. As long as I can see the vision, that’s good enough for me to get to work on it. But, I can also admit having a support system for my visions feels so so good and sometimes so overwhelming. I can acknowledge that it wasn’t just my close-knit circle of family and friends that helped sustain this blog and all of my other budding ideas.

It was my little yet oh so dedicated readership consisting of strangers, old classmates who I never really speak to, and their friends and family. It’s the other bloggers that get to know me through my words on my sometimes consistent blog, and then proceed to inspire me EVERY damn day within group chats and IM’s. It’s the random connections I make through twitter (Yani, Vanessa, Nads and so on) that opt to take part in post series, or share my posts like no other on all forms social media [ Jess, B, FAWF ]. It’s the emails (Lydia, Patrice, Anwar, etc) that let me know that people are indeed reading and relating to my words. Or it’s the random shoutout and places I’ve secured on daily read lists (Carly, Dara, Kiara, and more) and drive people from God knows where to my blog.

There are so many of you and you all give my friends and family a run for their money when it comes to support, and I thank each one of you for doing so.