I once read, "A creative life is a healthy life."
It's an interesting statement. How can so many lives be classified into one generalization? It has been said that we all are born with creativity, but many of us lose sight of this as we get old older. For some, being a creative and truly living life as such comes naturally. For others, it is something that comes with practice, belief, and hard work. On the outside looking in, a creative life may seem to be more chaotic than healthy, but to each his own.
As a creative, I don't necessarily feel as though I'm always living my best creative life, but I'm constantly working on it. Sure, I'm creative when it comes to certain things pertaining to art, music, or writing but I feel like I'm lacking when it comes to truly letting my creativity flow freely. For now, I'll stick with my ability to express myself through clever wordplay, lighting a few candles, and vibing to Erykah Badu. (She's as creative as creative gets, and she speaks to my soul.)
Those self-care practices are amazing ways to fuel the spirit and alleviate any mental blocks, but undoubtedly the most effective way to free your mind is through reading. As creative, you cannot create if you do not read. Not only is reading fundamental and therapeutic, it takes your mind to unparalleled heights.
Whether you're a creative or simply in need of a good read, below are six books that promise to challenge you, aid in increased productivity, as well as overall personal development.
1.'Twenties Unscripted' by Tyece Wilkins
This book is a collection of short essays in which the author, Tyece Wilkins, digs deep and brings accountability to the forefront. This is a clever and witty look into the author's journey from being a woman to finding her voice as a writer, and everything in between. It proves to be a refreshing read and evokes deep thinking.
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"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
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When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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