Tag: #TuesdayShares

Your Authentic Self

Photo by Valeriia Miller

In 2020, I thought TikTok was an app for children doing dances to go viral. That is until I went mini-viral myself.

Only I wasn’t dancing, singing, or participating in trends.

I was talking about books, poetry, and Black history.

The impact of people tuning in for these topics in a world where people read comments and captions on social media more than they read full-length books is not lost on me and quite humbling.

I posted a video at the end of 2023 showing the books I read that year, and it currently has over 9K views, over 800 likes, and 453 saves…

…and I’m only showing books!

No words. No explanations. Just a showcase of about six books I enjoyed this year and a dope song to go with it.

Photo by Kishan Rahul Jose

If you are a creative in any field and want to advance this year in a certain area, I hope this inspires you to tap into the power of your authentic self.

You don’t have to be on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube if you do not feel drawn to those platforms. The one calling out to you won’t feel forced, and you will never have to act out of character to succeed.

You can discern this is not just about TikTok and social media platforms.

When we open ourselves up to being the most authentic versions of ourselves, no matter where we are, doors open that we don’t even have to knock on. We won’t have to chase opportunities; they come to us.

Here I am, getting viral-like numbers for discussing topics the average young person would typically find boring in a traditional classroom.

And I’m not even posting every day.

It’s spiritual, how things align when we show up as who we are.

Why The Tree Does Not Complain About Losing Its Leaves

Photo by Chris F

I love the beauty of nature and how paying attention to it helps me to understand life better. I mean, we are of the earth, after all. It amazes me how we can come from the dirt and assume no connection to it.

So, anywho, as I sat here reminiscing about everyone I’ve lost over the years, a thought struck me: You will never hear a tree complaining about losing its leaves.

Trees lose their leaves for various reasons, except for the evergreen, which retains its green foliage all year. Otherwise, deciduous trees (from a Latin word meaning “that which falls down”) drop their leaves primarily to conserve energy in preparation for upcoming harsh weather conditions by using less energy.

Losing its leaves also conserves moisture within the trunk and keeps it from drying out. The tree can now focus its energy on root growth.

Losing leaves allows wind to blow through the branches, reducing strain on the tree, which is especially important during winter storms.

Losing leaves also gives room for new leaves to grow in its place.

Although the tree appears inactive and desolate without leaves, it is still active, utilizing its energy and resources to develop its root system. A healthy root system will help the tree thrive in the spring.

Much like a tree that must shed its leaves for continual growth, so we must shed some things, too. It helps us to be better equipped to thrive in the conditions the next level requires.

Lessons from Grace Part Two

Photo by GEORGE DESIPRIS

These are the lessons I am learning thus far on my journey to give myself more grace.

Take the Pressure Off

Story A.

I was never under any pressure to share the same stuff on all of my social media channels. I have never automated my posts to ensure that what I write to one also appears on the other, for this reason. Early on, I recognized that each medium had a slightly different audience. And I rarely received the same reaction when I attempted to post the same thing. At times, it works, but it’s not something I do often. Each platform, to me, is its own. Therefore, what I post to TikTok won’t necessarily make it to Instagram, and what I post to Instagram won’t necessarily make it to Facebook. (Hardly anything makes it to Facebook. It is my least favorite platform.)

Story B.

This weekend, I am excited to attend my family’s annual BBQ. That’s right. My Chi-town homies are coming down for us to meet in Augusta, GA, for some family time.

We were all to stay at the same hotel until my cousin called and said a group of them would stay at an Airbnb.

“Okay cool. Imma cancel our room then and find a cheaper hotel.”

I’m not staying at an overpriced hotel that everyone else is suddenly not staying at. (Cause how ya’ll just gonna leave.)

Nope. Imma find something else. (And I did at a little over $100 cheaper with the same quality.)

What’s my point of these two stories?

  • Take the pressure off yourself to do what everyone else is doing, appear polished and put together, or post eighty-six times a day.
  • Take the pressure off yourself to show up in spaces you are not comfortable with to make other people comfortable. This includes spending money you don’t want to spend.
  • Take the pressure off yourself to respond immediately to emails, text messages, and comments.
  • Take the pressure off yourself to agree with everything, overextend yourself, or do more work than is necessary.
  • Take the pressure off yourself to always go the extra mile, even when no one is going the extra mile for you.

Give yourself more grace by taking the pressure off.

Rest well this weekend guys!

New: Book Review Directory

Photo by George Milton

I have created a page on the blog listing all the books reviewed so far to make it easier for you to access them.

Browse the directory and meet your next favorite author!

These are the authors whose books received a score of 3* or more. Support the author by purchasing the book if it resonates with you.

If I’ve reviewed your book in the past or will in the future, your review can be found on this list!

Wanna get in?

Apply for a review today by clicking on this link to get started.

But hurry! The 2023 registry is only open for a limited time.

Reading is the Easiest Way to Study Writing

Photo by Christina Morillo

I can tell right away when a book is self-published by a writer who does not read (or does not do it often enough).

No shade to audiobooks, but when I say reading is how we study how to write, I mean reading physical books.

And when I say study, I mean don’t just read the book, but also:

  • Take notes as you read.
  • Highlight important facts or things that catch your attention.
  • Look up the definitions of words you don’t know.
  • Notice the structure of the paragraph, line breaks, and dialogue.

Consider picking up a copy of a physical book at least once a month and reading it through till the end. It will help you to become a better writer.

And if you don’t have time to read at least one book a month, you have no business writing books in the first place.

And don’t try and fake it because your writing will give you away!

If reading is how we study how to write, our writing also displays how much or little we read.

The Power of Reading

Photo by Rahul Sha

I believe reading to be so powerful that it has the capacity to make one wise regardless of whose institution of higher learning the person has or has not attended. In the world of books, it makes no difference whether they completed grade school, high school, or learned to read later in life. That is the capability of the human mind. It is reprogrammable for excellence. The person who spends more time reading than engaging in frivolous activities can become a person of intellect of the highest degree despite their circumstances. Of this, I am sure.

My experience with reading is that it has an unparalleled ability to jolt the mind into action, turning readers into superheroes capable of phonemic awareness, visual and auditory processes, comprehension, and fluency. Nothing would make me happier for this generation than for them to sit down with a book and taste the deliciousness of its knowledge on their tongues. Magic exists in the world of expanded vocabularies, the ability to think critically, analyze, and solve problems. With just one flavorful novel, they, too, can be hooked on the limitless potential of being a well-read person.

Let No One Censor You

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Your written content
your voice
copy
blog posts
texts, captions
the way you capture feeling on the page
contextualize thought
empower us through emotion
breathe life into the human experience
remind us what it feels like to live
to remember
minister to our memory
and most sacred truths
the way you poet
your words, spoken or written is, power.

A historical document your grandchildren
will one day cherish
resist the urge to withhold words
hold them like you once held your babies
precious and true
their bodies snug in the crook of your arm
and the warmth of your chest
Wrap your arms around this text:
Your intellectual scholarship has merit.

Let it be a legacy for the next generation
Gift them this birthright.
So we may have a right to a better future.
Let no one censor you into silence.

Not even yourself.

Listen to this poem (and others) on TikTok @yecheilyah.