Be careful! You don't want to jinx it!

On January 22, 2020, at my business launch party, I stood in front of a room full of people and declared that I was going to write a book. I didn’t know how it would happen or when it would come together—I just knew it was true.

Fifteen months later, my book was in the world.

So many of us grow up absorbing the idea that we shouldn’t speak our dreams out loud. 

“Be careful!” they say. “You don’t want to jinx it”.

Over time, silence can start to feel like protection. After all, if we haven't told anyone, no one will know if we don't follow through. 

But silence doesn’t protect dreams, it suffocates them.

When I decided to write The Joy of Thriving While Black, I talked about it. A lot! And because I did, doors opened. I was connected to an author accelerator program, and five months later I had a full draft. Beta readers helped shape the manuscript. 

I launched a presale campaign—supported by 171 people—that raised nearly $10,000 and carried me through moments of doubt and fatigue. I even invited that community into the creative process itself, asking for input on the title, the cover, and the launch. It took a lot of vulnerability to share parts of the book before it was fully baked, but so worth it. 

The entire process reminded me of this truth: community doesn’t just witness dreams, it helps bring them into being.

Last week, as we celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I found myself reflecting again on the power of a spoken vision. Imagine if he had kept his dream to himself. Imagine if he had waited for guarantees before naming it. History changed because a dream was spoken, shared, and repeated out loud, with courage and conviction.

If you’ve been holding a vision quietly, waiting for the “right” time or more certainty, consider this your gentle invitation to speak it, share it, and allow yourself to be supported. 

And if you want a powerful program and community to help make your dreams a reality, click HERE to learn more about Everyday Yellow Leadership and join the waitlist.

Your dreams deserve to be seen. And they deserve community.

Join us for a special Everyday Yellow Book Talk inspired by Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance. The book is a vibrant portrait of A’Lelia Walker, daughter of Madam CJ Walker, a cultural steward who nurtured Black art, creativity, and brilliance during the Harlem Renaissance. 

This gathering is more than a book discussion. Together, we’ll explore joy as a practice, creativity and pleasure as leadership, and what A’Lelia Walker’s life offers modern-day leaders, creatives, and change-makers.

All are welcome.

Full details and registration at the link below.