Whether it be by playing dress up with her family or the bright and bold colors used in her newly released Ivy Park collection, Beyonce is letting it be known that internal happiness is the new bag. This realization comes with a cost to us fanatics who have grown accustomed to our worlds coming to a pause when she releases a whole album with visuals out of thin air. Or that guilt-free and quick transfer from our savings to our checkings when she releases new world tour dates. This scale-back is with good reason as she explains:

"I truly cherish this time with my family, and my new goal is to slow down and shed stressful things from my life. I came into the music industry at 15 years old and grew up with the world watching, and I have put out projects non-stop. I released 'Lemonade' during the Formation World Tour, gave birth to twins, performed at Coachella, directed 'Homecoming', went on another world tour with Jay, then 'Black Is King', all back to back. It's been heavy and hectic.

"I've spent a lot of time focusing on building my legacy and representing my culture the best way I know-how. Now, I've decided to give myself permission to focus on my joy."

One of the biggest thieves of joy is comparison, and for an artist like Beyonce who has continued to reinvent herself decade after decade comes the pressure to top her last release commercially. However, this idea does not take into account the growth an artist has made personally, especially when choosing to make an impact over popularity.

Beyonce is deciding to unsubscribe from the limiting belief system fed to us and define her own version of success. To her, success looks like:

"Owning my films, clothing lines, and masters is important to me. Your songs, your image and the way you conduct business do not have to be created from a commercial point of view, or a male point of view. You can decide what success looks like for yourself. Being number one does not mean better quality. And commercial success certainly doesn't equate to being impactful. Cultural currency is invaluable."

One may look at Beyonce's decision and be able to see that as a woman, a wife, a mother, and a mogul, there is a shift in the consciousness of what it means to be a female version of a hustler. There is a knowing that success and happiness from a male point of view may differ entirely from what is most beneficial to a woman's overall well-being and quality of life.

This inspiration provides us with an opportunity to examine areas of our lives where we are using phrases like "I should feel joy about..." and instead ask ourselves, "What really brings me joy?" In response to that, we must have the courage to make radical changes in our lives, no matter the sacrifice.

"Soul not for sale." Beyonce said it best.

Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!