☕ Grab your cafecito, tea, or whatever grounds you. Now let’s take a deep breath — inhale for 4....hold for 4 ....exhale for 4....and exhale loud, mi gente.

I want to talk about alignment for a second.

Alineación. It’s been living rent-free in my spirit lately. Alignment asks for discernment, self-awareness, and having people in your life who act as mirrors — people who expand you, not shrink you.

I’ve been journaling a lot. Meditating more. Making an intentional effort to tune out the noise of the world and tune into my own frequency. My own vibrations. My own channel.

Since doing that, opportunities I’ve only seen in dreams have started unfolding in real life. The same ones I cried over. The ones I thought were too far away while I was quietly holding it all together.

What a gift it is to know..like really know…when something is meant for you and when it’s not. It’s wild what happens when you start paying attention to how your body speaks. When things come up for me, I ask myself “does my nervous system consent to this?” and then I wait patiently. I wait to see what feelings, thoughts, or bodily reactions come up. Then I journal about it.

If I can feel my cells vibrating…if joy creeps up in a way that’s almost scary…if I start to picture it happening and feel that mix of peace, curiosity, and motivation…I lean in.

But if anxiety creeps in...if I spend hoursss to respond...if I start questioning or second guessing things, or if it is going to take up to much space in my mental real estate, if I picture myself accommodating and compromising or sacrificing too much..that tells me everything I need to know. That’s not alignment. That’s a no.

It’s not always clear-cut, though. I mean, we’re human. Sometimes things feel aligned in the moment, and later we realize they’re not. That’s bound to happen. But the more self-aware you become, the sharper your discernment gets.

What’s for you, will find you. And it will not only find you, it will not require you to shrink, suffer, or sacrifice your peace to make it work. Lean into saying no or not right now, more.

I’m getting better at trusting that compass. And as I do, my brand has been growing and flourishing in the most beautiful ways. I’m deeply grateful. But I’ve also realized: with growth comes more people wanting access to you.

And you have to ask: is this really for me?
Not everything that looks like a “yes” on the surface is meant to be a soul yes.

The more intentional and mindful you are with your “yes,” the more aligned opportunities and people will find you that will nourish your passions, interests, and energy. Your “yes” is sacred. Your “yes” is a gift, not a guarantee. Not everyone is ready for the access, energy, or responsibility that comes with your “yes.” Protect it accordingly.

That’s what I’ve been sitting with.

I’ve been through a lot. I carry a deep purpose and I’m dialed in. Alignment, true alignment, is what’s helping me stay grounded in that. It’s what’s led to brand partnerships, national news features, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. And it’s also what’s helped me say no to things that looked shiny in the moment, but dimmed my mission.

And the moment I fully surrendered to that clarity…

I went viral on YouTube.

And it didn’t feel how I expected it to.

Here is the video. Share it with someone you know. If you could consider subscribing to my channel, that would be great. I’m on a mission to get to 1000 subscribers. Por favor y gracias.

Let’s get into it.

I’ve spent the last year building systems that finally feel good:

🔁 LinkedIn is still home base — where I build deep community

📈 Instagram is finally growing — I love that for me

🎯 TikTok was supposed to be my next focus...

But then YouTube said: “Actually, I’m ready for you now.”

Over 234K+ views on a short about my grief story. 100+ new subscribers. More podcast views. Brutal comments tho and surprisingly low amount of likes + dislikes ratio to views. Thought that was interesting!

But overall…super positive and more validation to keep going in the direction that excites + challenges me.

Here are 5 takeaways for any creator or builder navigating multiple platforms:

👉🏽There’s still power in choosing one platform and growing from there.

👉🏽The platform you think will pop off may not be the one that does. Trust me, LinkedIn was the last place I thought I’d be an influencer or creator. Now here we are again.

👉🏽Systems > hustle I finally found a rhythm that works and it’s helped me create without burnout. Hint: it’s repurposing content + tailoring the message to that specific platform.

👉🏽Growth can feel neutral and that’s okay. Virality doesn’t always come with this magic moment or spark. Sometimes it’s just info. Insight. Data to build with.

👉🏽Let the comments reveal who your content is for. If it’s not for everyone, that’s the whole point.

I create for the ones who need it.

You don’t need millions to make impact. You need clarity. Community. And the courage to show up when it’s inconvenient.

🧠 And for the job seekers in the room (because I know not everyone here is a creator):

Sometimes the path forward shows up in a place you weren’t focused on. Be open to unexpected traction…whether it’s a platform, a post, an interaction IRL or a conversation in comments or DMs.

Your next role or opportunity might start where you simply showed up as yourself.

🧡 I’ll be leaning more into YouTube now. More podcasts. More griefy storytelling. My Northstar and internal compass I need to lean into even deeper.

More building the space I always needed. It’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

So tell me, ✨ like actually tell me, feel free to respond to this or message me… What’s something that terrifies you but excites you at the same time?

Where has your intuition been guiding you to lean more into? Let’s goo, vamossss 💃🏾

This is where responses from co-authors and readers will be featured: real stories from people in different industries about how they’re navigating work, creativity, grief, and mental health.

a sala story by Kayla Marrero

During my senior year of high school, I thought it would be the best year ever, but then I learned that my aunt, uncle, and two cousins had passed away. My older cousin and I did everything together, from bowling to discussing our college plans. I didn’t know how to cope, so I threw myself into my academics. Looking back, I wish I had taken more time to grieve instead of burying myself in work. As a minority, there's often pressure to move past trauma quickly. But I knew I wanted to turn my grief into something positive. For my cousin’s 21st birthday, I created the Syeed Memorial Scholarship, using $500 (a lot for a college student) to fund a student’s academic journey. My cousin was unable to cross the stage at his high school graduation, so I wanted to create an opportunity to honor his legacy. The scholarship required applicants to write an essay on gun violence, a topic that deeply impacted my life. Reading the essays made me realize I wasn’t alone in my grief and helped someone who needed it more than I did. This experience inspired me to give back to my community. Now, I volunteer with a nonprofit providing educational scholarships to students affected by violence. I channel my pain into projects bigger than myself. Aside from this, I also create content on LinkedIn about the importance of diverse representation in the media and share my expertise in the public relations industry.

Recommendations and practices that have helped my mental health lately:

1. I am obsessed with “A Different World” on Netflix.

2. Journaling, dedicating time to working out, and taking trips help me take care of my mental health. (Next Stop: Dallas)

3. My photography. Here’s my photography page.

a sala story by Ronni Edwards

One thing I've learned to navigate during grief is the reality of how it truly affects you physically and mentally. How to be vulnerable with strangers because we've all become part of a club we didn't ask for. My loss taught me that support is so important during the grief journey and helped me create a non profit to help others grieving while keeping my story alive. TikTok has helped me greatly during my grief journey by allowing me to be honest about the raw reality of grief. It has also helped me connect with families for my Non-profit www.bricksforb.com that was started after losing my son. We help support grieving families by sending LEGO packages for play therapy. We are always looking for supporters/donors and would love collaborators.

a sala story by Shauntelle Carnegie

One thing I wish more people talked about is that you can’t out-joy your grief. No amount of happiness, success, or achievement can erase the pain of loss. Whether it’s losing a loved one, a career opportunity, or even a version of yourself, grief is a persistent companion in life. And it’s not something that can be bypassed by “choosing joy” or trying to cover it up with positivity.

I’ve learned that grief doesn’t need to be “fixed” or erased. It just needs to be felt. I’ve navigated grief in many forms: the loss of family members, the grief of an absentee father, and the grief of a world forever changed by COVID-19. But in each of these moments, I’ve come to understand that joy doesn’t replace grief; it coexists with it. Joy and grief can walk side by side, teaching us to hold space for both.

This has shaped how I show up in my work and content creation. I create spaces where people can embrace their grief and their joy without judgment. It’s why I’ve built communities like Black Girl Season, a place where Black women can come together, share their grief, celebrate their wins, and honor their losses. By being open about the duality of joy and grief, I hope others feel less alone and more empowered to embrace both in their own lives.

Mental Health recommendations and practices that have helped me: There’s a cover of Angie Stone’s “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You” that’s been haunting me lately, in the best possible way. The original was set to a fast, dance beat, so you didn’t really focus on the lyrics. But this cover slows everything down, allowing you to feel the depth of the regret and grief the woman in the song is experiencing.

It’s the kind of song that reminds me that loss isn’t always just about missing someone. This cover feels like an anthem for anyone who’s ever grieved not just a person, but a part of themselves that they lost in the process. It’s like the song is telling the story of a woman mourning the loss of who she was and who he was, and that kind of grief is hard to put into words. It’s been resonating deeply with me, especially as I reflect on the idea that grief isn’t something we can outgrow or escape. It’s a part of our story, and sometimes, we have to make space for it to shape us in ways we don’t expect.

Manifestation is a daily practice for me, and having a Manifestation Portal I built from scratch on Notion has been key to staying grounded and intentional. It helps me reflect on my goals, track my progress, and see how the Creator of the universe responds when I’m clear on my “what” and “why.” Writing down my dreams and goals every day has worked wonders, not just for what I envision for myself, but for the communities I’m building too.

Call for collaborators: I’m gearing up for my podcast tour, and I’m so excited to bring these meaningful conversations to life. I’ll be diving deep into the themes of grief and joy co-existing, manifestation and the power in establishing a clear what and why, and sisterhood and belonging as resistance. These topics are close to my heart, and I believe they can spark real transformation and connection in the spaces we occupy.

If you’re a podcast host or know someone whose audience would benefit from these raw, real conversations, I’d love to connect! Whether you’re looking to have an open dialogue on grief, manifestation practices, or the power of community, let’s make some magic happen together.

Remember those aligned opportunities I mentioned earlier? Here are some that have happened just this year and in Mental Health Awareness month. I am sharing this as an offer and invitation to normalize being vulnerable, nurturing our mental health in community, and achieving your dreams while doing it.

1. I was featured in the “Let’s Face It” Campaign by Mental Health Connecticut. Which led to being interviewed by Univision and national TV.

2. Got to be a professional yappianna on #CreatorTeaTalk, the brainchild of the one and only Jayde Powell. We got to really talking about mental health, boundaries, and protecting our peace as Creatorpreneurs. Alex Lewis and Shira Lazar. Watch the replay here. It was soooo good!

3. I got to share my story as I was interviewed by NBC and got to honor my 36 angels that watch over me everyday.

4. I am getting to meet my social media friends IRL and I can’t tell you how much it’s soothed my nervous system, validated my journey, and made me realize this is all worth it.

   🎵 "My whole life has changed" Ginuwine voice 🎵 ✨

Salud! gracias for reading!

Please say hola to me on LinkedIn or Instagram - @mgonzz!

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