Hey! Koko Squad!!
So I’m starting something new with my brand this year. I know It’s a bit late talking about my New Years Goals and aspirations, but it's better late than never right! One thing about me is that I love lists, I love writing things down and keeping notes, but the process can be a bit scattered. Last year, I decided that instead of making a list of resolutions, I would create a visual vision board highlighting all of the dreams and aspirations I had for the year. As an artist taking my thoughts and making them into visual representations is something I love to do. I knew this would be a nice tradition to start for myself and my daughter.
Last year was a crazy year, BLM marches, Covid, starting year two of my brand, new visions of where and what I wanted to do with my life moving forward. This process was a beautiful expression of all of my thoughts and aspirations. Vision 2021 focused on 4 main elements; one of them being Self Love.
I realized that the perfectionist and overachiever in me had helped push me to accomplish so much but also caused me to form an unhealthy pattern of overworking myself. Literally, I could work all day, not take more than a sip of water and barely eat and keep working when I was in my “work mode”. Although I was inspired to make moves in my life I realized that there was another layer to this motivation that was leading me. Let me rewind back to 2010 for a minute. Eleven years ago, I wrote down a list of goals for myself. Goals of what I was going to do and goals of what I was not going to do to keep myself in line. At the time I felt like I had failed and some of those feelings of low self worth and failure pushed me to want to not only do better for myself, but prove to everyone else that I could do it all. My detour was not my destiny! Over time my drive to overcome what I felt was failure at the time, caused me to form some unhealthy patterns in my life. I can look back and say I have accomplished so much and be proud of them now, but looking back in the moment I never gave myself the validation I needed. I sought out validation from others and created a cycle of work, meeting a goal and instead of celebrating the milestone and the moment I would instantly search for the next goal to accomplish. I did not give myself the flowers I deserved. Anyone else feel that??
I also realized that I was chasing accomplishments to make up for what I thought I was lacking or lost rather than celebrating those milestones that I was making for the progress itself. I was always looking for the next thing that I had to “fix” or “do” or “accomplish” and never rested in the moment or pat myself on the back enough. It was never enough. I realized in 2021 that I had more work to do on myself. I no longer felt the hurt and pain of 2010, but there were still pieces of me that I lost that I needed to go back and get. Cue a page out of my latest read, Woman Evolve, by Sarah Jake Roberts.
“Self Love is a Rebellious one.” I found this quote in the “Love Issue '' of CRWN magazine. Which inspired much of my vision board for the last two years. Moving into 2022, I was unsure of where I wanted to go with my Vision. It wasn’t exactly clear. Self Love and Self Care was still at the forefront but my mindset was different and I had a swirl of different emotions and battles I was dealing with from September to December 2021. During those four months I felt I was fighting so many things I could not control, in my career endeavors, refinancing a mortgage and home appraisals while black 😩, home repairs and dealing with insurance companies, and issues with my own health and wellness. I felt like I had to battle everything and everyone but this time my friends and family were the ones to keep me level headed. In the midst of the chaos and the battles i found some beauty. My husband and I received beautiful news in September that we were having a baby.
This was one of the images I placed on my 2021 vision board. I was unsure if the timing was right and all the other things that women worry about (your age, your finances, your time, work life balance), but it was something that has been on my heart. I know a lot of women fight this feeling juggling career and life is hard enough. What I've learned from having a baby at 25 (when I was still finding myself and creating a future) vs having a baby at 35 (when my life is more stable, I’m older, wiser and experience) is that there is never a “right time” you just have to be able to rise to the new changes in your life that come with it and you will! That’s another blog.
The whole point of this blog is to encourage you and to make sure you are moving in your life with intention. Whether you make a list, create a vision board, type up a google doc of goals the most important part is to "Just Do It". When I created my first visual vision board I didn’t know how powerful it was. I hung it up by my nightstand the entire year and didn’t really refer to it until the year ended and realized that everything I envisioned came to fruition. I wanted to inspire you to do the same. Now that my 2022 vision is displayed on my wall I’m ready for everything I have asked for to manifest and grow and more.
Visions 2020 is about leveling up;
New Beginnings
More Love (Baby D will be here in no time, due May 8, 2022)
Self Love
Business Growth,
Family
And Pursing my Dreams
What does Year 2022 look like for you?
Sound off!
To see my vision boards from 2021 and 2021 check my highlights on my instagram and leave me a comment! www.instagram.com/chaotickoko
Upcoming projects to Look forward too
Art prints coming to the site this April
Artsy Baby nook video dropping in April
My Mini prego series drops in May
Baby D is only a few weeks away; May 8th
More Artsy home content on the way this summer
Look out for my new wearable art collections dropping this summer
To stay up to date with my new drops make sure you are subscribed!
<3 Koko