Susan Kelechi Watson Learned This Important Lesson On The Pursuit Of Her Dreams
Recently, Susan Kelechi Watson sat down with OprahMag.com to give us a deeper look into her journey as an actress and as a faithful dream chaser on the pursuit of her purpose. Many of us adore her role as Beth on the hit show This Is Us, but she's also been a familiar face from playing roles in popular shows like Law & Order and NCIS. However, what some may not know is that Susan's origin story is no walk in the park.
Born in Brooklyn to Jamaican immigrants, Susan would later earn degrees from Howard University and NYU, studying fine arts. She also studied Shakespeare at Oxford University on a scholarship funded by Phylicia Rashad and Denzel Washington, an opportunity one would think would put her on the elevator of success. But with all her knowledge and accolades, she still faced the reality of being a struggling artist, working her desk job during the day in order to manifest her desired reality during her scarce free time like many of us:
"I worked at the front desk at a gym. And here's the thing about when you're a struggling artist: You're not eating, you're not buying fresh clothes, your hair's not on point, so I was probably the worst person to welcome people into a gym when I just wanted to crawl under my desk."
Her hard work paid off when she was cast in the comedy series Louie. However, this victory was not as fulfilling as she had expected it to be. Her next big opportunity would come in the form of an audition for This Is Us, which was totally on a whim; a surprise, if you will. It was one that she didn't attach an outcome to, as she was more focused on the role that she thought was bigger and better. To her surprise, the project she auditioned for that wasn't the highest on her priority list ended up being her big break:
"What a life lesson that was: Go where the love is. Because at the time I was so focused on the one door closing that I wasn't even looking for the one opening. Finally, the universe had to be like, 'Hello, this door is wide open!' Clearly, in the end, I'm where I'm supposed to be."
Susan never gave up or gave in, and now she is able to provide diversity and representation to the screens of many just as Phylicia Rashad has done in her role as Claire Huxtable. She does not take her role in This Is Us lightly and takes every chance she gets to display layers and multidimensions of Black women, starting with her style:
"I went natural myself in 2012, and I had my own hair journey. So I know that for Beth to be authentic, her hair is always going to be changing because as Black women, hair is such a big part of our lifestyle. That's also why I make sure each style looks like something she could have done herself as a working mom and wife."
"Beth is [an] every woman. She's extraordinary in her own right, yet everybody can see themselves in her, because she's just a mom in New Jersey. But she's also proud of being Black, and proud of rocking her natural hair."
When it comes to putting your power into your purpose, Susan suggests you hone in on your naturally given talents and recognize that though they may seem familiar to you, they are gifts to be shared with the world:
"Everyone has a gift—like yours is writing, someone else's might be care taking; mine, I've known from a young age, is acting. But gifts are meant to be given away. If you never have the opportunity to give it away, it saddens you; you don't feel whole. So the fact that I'm able to share my gift on such a large platform is the bee's knees. It's everything."
Susan Kelechi Watson's journey is a true testament to the power of persistence, alignment, and positive energy. When it comes to dream chasing, no one said it would be easy or quick and, it takes a lot of hard work.
But, if you trust yourself and the process while going through the motions it takes to get to your desired destination, know that your time is coming too, Queen! It won't be as long as it's been.
To read the rest of Susan's interview with OprahMag.com, click here.
Featured image by Getty Images
New Jersey native creating a life that she loves while living in gratitude. She loves using beauty, and fashion to create a balanced lifestyle while prioritizing wellness. A devoted fur mom, and a full-time lover of laughter. She is out for revenge against the darkness by being light, taking her own advice, traveling the world, and letting you know that you are so lit! Connect with her via IG @iamzaniah and please visit Zaniahsworld.com
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Another season of Love Is Blind has come to a close, and almost two months later we’re still unpacking the drama that is Clay and AD. The finale, reunion, and post-interviews with Clay and AD after season six of Love Is Blind left millions of people wondering - why couldn’t AD see the signs? Clay told her he had a fear of marriage, his parents experienced infidelity, and he seemed to have many doubts about saying, "I do."
After changing his mind at the altar and hearing AD question why she feels like she’s never enough, I was finished watching. I didn’t need to hear anything else because, at that moment, I realized this wasn’t about Clay; this was about AD feeling inadequate before she ever met Clay.
If I’m honest, I don’t watch much dating television. TikTok keeps me updated with the clips that I need to see in order to be kept in the loop, but it’s difficult for me to watch an entire season of dating TV because seeing Black women settle for less and questioning their beauty is a trigger for me. In many ways, there were points in my life where I was AD, settling and ignoring red flags because I wanted to be loved.
Now, on the other side, it doesn’t feel good to see Black women lower their standards on national television. There have been many hot takes on this couple and who was in the wrong. Did Clay play in AD’s face or did she not listen to the truth of what he told her from day one? Was his reason for joining the show to promote his business and not to find the one?
We’ll never know the truth, but what we can do is learn tactics to better our self-worth. Founder and CEO of The Self Love Organization Denise Francis shared her expertise with xoNecole on what tangible steps to take to improve feelings of worthiness. “Self-love blooms in a garden where self-worth is planted, nourished, and whole. However, when your self-worth is challenged, displaced, or broken, it could be difficult to rebuild," Denise explains.
How To Rebuild Self-Worth
During her self-love coaching sessions, Denise likes to walk her clients through the cornerstones of rebuilding self-worth: grace and self-compassion. To her, self-worth is never lost, it's only displaced, so practicing self-compassion and giving yourself grace is a must. "We tend to place our self-worth in entities and people of ourselves such as relationship status, physical appearance, material possessions, social media followings, what others think of us, and more. Self-worth is not something to be measured by anyone or anything outside of ourselves because we all innately hold value and worth.
"Self-worth is not something to be measured by anyone or anything outside of ourselves because we all innately hold value and worth."
"When we place our value into people or things, we tend to feel that we are not enough, worth it, special, or important when relationship status, job titles, friendships, and physical appearances are lost or changed. We then tend to feel lost within ourselves because we’ve placed our value outside of ourselves. Using grace and compassion, you can rebuild your self-worth by returning home to who you are at your core," she concludes.
How To Return Home To Yourself
Denise advises taking a step back and using self-reflection through journaling by answering the following journaling prompts:
First, ask yourself, "What do you tend to attach your self-worth to and why?"
Is it your relationships, your job title, your finances, your appearance, etc.? Why do you think you place so much emphasis on external status? How does it make you feel when you are defining yourself through these entities and/or people outside of yourself?
Then, ask yourself, "Without these things, who am I?"
Once you have your answers, show yourself kindness, remove the shame, and, as Denise says, "Redefine yourself by detaching your value from the things and people you have no control over and no longer serve you. Challenge yourself to define yourself outside of titles and societal values."
"By returning home to your core, you find value in who you are as a person. You begin to find value in the way you love instead of your relationship status, your compassion instead of your popularity, your drive instead of your income/job title, and your heart instead of your physical appearance," she adds.
"By returning home to your core, you find value in who you are as a person."
"Be intentional with healing your self-worth by leaning into the people and things that nourish your core values. Surround yourself with the people who love and cherish you, they will always remind you just how valuable you truly are."
It all goes back to self-compassion and grace. As Denise explains, leading with those two things as you heal and rebuild your self-worth allows you to reduce negative self-talk that might come up for you. "This weakens thoughts like, 'I am not enough... why am I never enough?'" she shares, "And 'I don't deserve this while strengthening thoughts like 'I deserve better,' 'I am enough,' and 'I am worth it.'"
Denise continues, "Once you return home and remember the irreplaceable person you are, you can rebuild your self-worth by placing it back where it belongs. It belongs to you."
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Featured image by LaylaBird/Getty Images
