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Hi Reader,
I cried Monday morning.
Odd, because when I first awoke and looked into my bathroom mirror, I smiled and gave myself a cheery "Good morning" and high five!
Yet, as I looked into my eyes, they began to fill—and then to overflow—with tears.
I should not have been surprised. I had just laid my aunt—my mom's younger sister—to rest. I spent the past several days traveling with my aging mom. She's 86 now. Feisty and independent, younger-looking than her years, outspoken and stubborn, still trying to care for her “baby”—me—even as she moves more slowly and needs more support herself.
We battle over who's going to do what for whom.
And even as I joke with my students about being “forever 21,” I am not.
That morning, my tears surfaced with an old question:
Is my life making a difference in this world?
If so, how?
When You Forget What’s Already True
I had shared similar feelings with my therapist the week prior. She graciously listened, then gently offered,
“Didn’t you just win a Hall of Fame award last month?”
Well… yes.
I was honored by the California Black Women’s Collective as a Trailblazer Hall of Fame recipient.
“Didn’t you also travel across the world last year to speak on AI and wellbeing?”
Yes, I was flown to Saudi Arabia to speak on mis- and disinformation at the Sync Digital Wellbeing Summit.
She went on to name the brand-new business I built in a matter of months… and the challenges I’ve faced and overcome.
“You’re thriving, Shaunelle.”
And yet… here was the question again. This time, wrapped in the blanket of aging, time speeding up, and the fear of lost opportunities.
The age old question, am I enough, was more specific to me—
Am I creating enough impact with the time that I have?
When the World Is Hurting
When my number is called, will I have done what I came here to do… sufficiently?
Our systems and structures are crumbling.
Are we building the necessary community infrastructure to replace them?
We are watching the agony of ethnic cleansing and the starvation of children in Gaza.
Famine in Sudan.
Our climate unraveling.
Violence online and off.
And I ask myself:
Am I living up to my Aspirational Self—hitting the pavement and beating down doors the way I’d want others to do for my community when we are impacted by institutionalized crimes against humanity?
Likely not.
And I know I’m not alone in these questions.
(If your heart is also moved to support urgent humanitarian efforts, I’ve shared vetted donation links at the bottom of this email.)
What If Small Steps Are Enough… For Now?
I have the blessing/curse of being a Visionary. I see into the future and build businesses and creative initiatives in my mind within seconds—think Christopher Nolan’s Inception.
But what takes seconds to build in the mind can take years—and stellar support—to bring into sustainable form.
Do you think like this, too?
What if my therapist is right—and even small steps forward are enough?
What if a group of dedicated, innovative, hopeful (or hopeful-adjacent) people come together in community—each moving their heart’s work forward?
What if you are a part of that group?
You can be. I am stepping forward to build and facilitate it!
What’s Yours to Do?
Enough about me.
What is it you want to accomplish with your gift of life?
Is there a dream you've carried for years?
A project you've pushed to the side, waiting for a "better" time?
A part of you that’s been quietly whispering, “This matters”?
If you’re ready to listen to that voice—and honor what it’s been trying to tell you—I want to invite you to something meaningful.
✨ Join the BELIEVE! 5-Day Clarity Challenge
🗓️ Starts Monday, August 18th
🔍 Reconnect with your Aspirational Self
🧭 Clarify your next soul-aligned step
💬 Be seen, supported, and guided in community
Whether it becomes a book, a song, an art installation, a product, a movement, a film—or simply a reconnection with your own worth—it matters. You matter.
And it won't undo harm already done…
But it just might bring the spark of hope, the thread of insight, the seed of transformation needed for the road ahead.
🌱 Your dream could be the spark of inspiration that brings future generations the light they need to keep moving forward.
We Need You—Just As You Are
My greatest joy in 30+ years of teaching has been activating the potential of my students and clients—helping them break through and move toward their heart’s callings.
That’s what I do.
I help people find their blocks, speak their truth, and leap into the unknown.
What if we did that together?
What if your project, your purpose, your presence… is exactly what this moment in history is asking for?
Join us.
P.S. We begin August 18. You are more than ready—let’s believe that together.
❤️ Places to Give Support
If you're looking for ways to contribute directly to relief efforts, here are trusted organizations currently working on the ground:
Doctors Without Borders – Gaza Relief
Save the Children – Sudan Emergency Appeal
Support MDR’s Youth-Powered Media Literacy Work »
Every bit of care matters. Thank you for being someone who listens—and acts.
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