TLDR: I was born today. Check out my lifestyle brand wateryourdreamstoday.com
Today marks 28 years of life. 28. 2-8. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to feel, but just know that it seems like another day here. Another year around the sun, and I’m grateful for it. I’ve got a story to tell so here it goes.
In 2018, I sat at a job where I knew I deserved more. I knew that I wasn’t growing or learning. I shed tears weekly. I spaced out often. I didn’t feel as if I was truly living a meaningful life or one that I can really find pride and inspiration in. One day I started thinking, which led to planning.
I’m a planner. I think. I research, create plans and then work them. Naturally, when feeling stuck, I grab my pens to draw a way out. It’s a mental thing if you will. I grabbed a poster board to plan what and where I want to go. How will I get there? What can I do to get one step closer to a more meaningful life? Read. Write. Execute. In that order.
Mid 2018, I develop a plan. I was going to take on a short term lease in a new apartment. If I didn’t find a new apartment by the end of that leasing period, I would leave the city and return back to my hometown. My get out date and end of my lease agreement was December 1.
By the end of 2018, I had interviews with companies, applied to multiple companies, and two were close to my deadline. I was in my third interview for an amazing branding firm and there’s nothing I wanted more than to hear I got the job. But, my deadline. I wouldn’t know of a yes or no until after my deadline.
November 2018– One day at work, I started drawing on post-it notes. I was clearly not paying attention to work and somehow my focus was fixated on drawing crying faces. Don’t ask me why, but somehow I thrive and create based on feelings of despair, sorrow, and depression. It’s weird and I probably need a therapist. But yes, I drew a series of sad post it notes. This series turned into a page of sketches featuring eyes and tears. I’m not sure how many ways one can draw an eye, but I tried it!
At this time, I had a vendetta, a grievance, whatever you want to call it. I was mad. I was hurt. I was angry. I felt a job that I cared and poured into, didn’t care about me or my coworkers (we were in the middle of lay-offs). Later I learned that business is business and get your money black girl is real. (Thanks Gambino).
I let those post it notes and sketches sit for a few weeks and decided to design a statement shirt. I wanted to use the post it note sketches as the base for it and wear the shirt to my going away party. The design read “I took the tears from my pain to water my dreams”. It felt like a “you lied on my name and character but I’m still here” shirt. Luckily, it didn’t work out.
I went to a series of concerts throughout the beginning of December because what’s funemployment without fun? At these concerts, I found pieces of myself. Music has and will always be a happy space for me and these shows proved that. I found strength and learned of new career opportunities with each show. I developed a sense of community with my fellow concert attendees and wanted it to continue.
I left Detroit and moved back to Memphis in the middle of December. The work began. I spent the next two-three months passively developing the design. I’m not a designer by trade or education. I just happened to spend two and a half amazing years with talented designers of the built environment so it rubbed off on me. I sketched and played in illustrator, teaching myself more and more.
Soon my anger and resentment turned to forgiveness. I stopped caring and stopped feeling like the victim. It happened. Life happened. I made it. I still had me. Through this process of healing, I realized I wanted it to be more than just my healing and maybe a reminder to help others heal.
I took the tears from my pain to water my dreams became Water Your Dreams.
WYD. Water Your Dreams.
It became more for me than to just go after living a life that I feel is successful and impressive. (I’m hard to impress but oh well). It turned into a visual reminder for others to help others. A visual cue to bring a quick flash of happiness into someone’s life. The same way I developed and cultivated a community at the concerts and festivals is exactly what I envisioned.
I want Water Your Dreams to be more than a lifestyle brand and form a network of people helping people. How can apparel and stationery do that? I don’t have all of the answers so I started simple. Let’s set goals and hold each other accountable. Each purchase comes with a goal card where you write your goals. It’s simple. Say that you want to do something. Take steps to doing it. Check in. Ask for help.
As time goes on, I’m sure it’ll grow more and morph into it’s own. But until then…..
Be a nice person
Give to and Help others
Water Your Dreams
Watch them Grow
K byeeeee
Shop online at wateryourdreamstoday.com
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