This one's for my purpose-driven women of color stalling to own their purpose, take the leap, and put their vision (big or small) out in the world.

While inspiration is important, we sometimes need to generate our own momentum, independent of outside influence. I call this stewarding your orbit.

Before I get into that, let's get one thing straight: Owning your orbit does not not mean hustle hard and journey alone until you become the perfect version of yourself. 

You don't have to become a martyr for your purpose.

I've learned the hard way that it takes a village to sustain purpose. I wish someone didn't just tell me early on that I don't have to do it all, I wish I actually saw the behind-the-scenes of not doing it all. Most of us project hyper-independence online, but here's the thing: your orbit naturally grows when you are fully vested in and living from a place of attracting support and community, not striving for solo perfection. 

When I first started my purpose journey with Purposerosa in college, I was all stamina and grit, striving to survive another year. I was growing in NY up alongside friends who were creating ground-breaking start-ups, becoming entertainment icons, Grammy award-winning musicians, and much more. I watched several colleagues ascend to fame only to fall into crippling depression or overwhelm. I've been the friend (and been in the trenches with friends) who struggle behind the scenes and thinks we'll figure it out all alone. As women of color we live in a society that believes we must do more to prove ourselves. We don't hear enough about the opposite action - the process of being your purpose rather than doing/striving for it. Our authority hits different when we come from a place of owning our purpose power.

Instead of searching for your purpose, steward your orbit.

I'm speaking to you - the one who already knows your life is your purpose but you're still waiting for someone else to show you how to live it. No one is coming to teach you purpose, love. That's an inside job. Knowing your purpose isn't enough to sustain a purpose-driven life. You actually gotta show up to do the work of unlearning the limiting patterns that keep you chained to misalignment. And then commit to a lifetime of building new patterns that support your purpose.

These days I'm focused on building momentum and maintaining success by building a strong support system and community. I'm reflecting those who move quietly but generate consistent opportunities because they stay hungry - not thirsty. These people understand that sometimes the work isn't about doing, it's about being. 

The most influential thought and creative leaders of our time are deeply dialed into their practice of living their purpose. They share projects that inspire and feed their soul which in turn, feeds others. If you need help aligning your vision intentions with your actions, keep reading. 

Your orbit is the happy medium between being and attracting.

This iconic Jyoti DJ set and this video of Juls are the epitome of what I mean by owning your orbit. Their eyes are literally lit up with joy. You can practically feel the energy oozing out of the screen - they're each in their respective creative flow (orbit) and conducting the vibe around them. Their orbit is strengthened in the act of becoming their purpose. The most influential people make the most impact not by staying stagnant in their zone of genius ...  but by evolving. Albeit messy, they show up in their craft and choose not to let the hard times permanently halt their journey. Most importantly, they share their vision, put their purpose to the test and eventually grow influence by being. 

If you're thinking, "Ok, that sounds cool but like - how do I even start to do this?" don't worry. Keep reading for five ways to own your orbit.

5 ways to own your orbit:

🔌 1. Get real about what you need

You’re breathing so of course you have purpose, but we both know that what’s more important now is how you defining living your purpose. Write your ideal vision of how you want to live your purpose in your vision journal. Then write a list of all the things you think you'll need to support this vision. 

🔌 2. Ask for what you need 

You won't have all the answers - you will need support at every level. Stewarding your orbit means you're also responsible for attracting or seeking what you need and discerning when to walk away from what doesn’t serve what God has created you for. Ask for help. When you don't know what you need, verbalize that. It's ok to be a work in progress.

🔌 3. Speak as if

This matters most when you feel like crap, when your spirit is defeated, when the thing that's been keeping you stuck seems to be winning. Speak to your soul then, pray then. Make time to feel the feels and then decide to speak life.

🔌 4. Act as if

Living your purpose is a fine balance between being present, taking action and walking in bold faith. What's one action you can take in the next hour to be one step closer to walking in alignment with your values and purpose? Take it. 

🔌 5. Nourish yourself

You need people, hype men, creative breaks to feed your spirit, you need fun and replenishment. Tending to your orbit implies that you are in communion with others and recognize that you are always influencing and being influenced. Choose what you feed yourself/spirit wisely. 

Only you know what you need to be your best self- and if you're not sure what that looks like yet get curious about it and try some new activities and practices. For me, traveling and spending time collaborating with and working alongside other powerful creatives and entrepreneurs nourishes me. Treat yourself to a new reality, you'll only grow from the experience. 

These steps are helpful only if you apply them and adapt them to your lifestyle. Need help integrating these lessons? I created a self-paced vision and purpose accountability workbook to help you manage your vision intentions and actions each quarter/ season. Grab it here.

Want a more hands-on teaching? Join Activate Your Vision, my free masterclass on June 8th at 3pm EST. Register here!