

Feeling A "God Disconnect"? This Can Get You Back On Track.
Something that I think I can say for just about everyone who grew up "religious" yet decided to embark upon their own spiritual journey at some point in their adult life, it's that you start to see your relationship with God in a way that is similar to human beings in the sense that—sometimes things are really great, other times things are super challenging, and then there are moments when all you've got is your commitment and faith to stand on. It's during those "category C" seasons when, no matter how much you love the Lord, you can still find yourself feeling somewhat…disconnected.
2020 tried us in every way, including when it came to the growth and even stability of our spiritual lives. And so, if you love God with all that you are and yet, something seems a little "off" right now, I want to share with you 10 practical things that can help you feel closer and more connected to Him again.
1. Meditate. In the Morning.
If you want to become more self-aware, meditate. If you want to be less stressed out, meditate. If you want to be more creative, learn how to live in the moment and be a more positive individual, meditate. If you want to learn how to become a more patient and tolerant individual, meditate. Y'all, it's wonder why King David once advised us to, "Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still." (Psalm 4:4—NKJV) Taking time out to get quiet, breathe deeply and reflect on your life, yourself and your spirit are all things that can help you to focus on the day ahead with great insight and clarity. That's why, I personally think it's a great idea to devote 10-20 minutes, each and every morning, to do a little meditating. When's the last time you put it on your "take care of me and my spirit" to-do list?
2. Do Some Prayer Journaling
Prayer has different approaches. One approach that I've enjoyed participating in over the years is a practice that I call prayer journaling. I have a few journals where I write what I think or feel in black or blue ink and then, after I complete my thoughts (or feelings), I sit and wait to see if anything comes into my spiritual psyche. Whether it's a Scripture or something that I believe my conscience is advising me to do, I will write that down in red ink. I make sure that all entries include the date and time and every week (or a couple of weeks), I will look back on the entries to see what patterns have brought me inner peace or the answers that I was looking for. I also check to see how similar or different the black/blue ink is vs. the red (more times than not, they aren't similar at all which is a good sign because that means that "my flesh" isn't trying to manipulate the Spirit).
For me, prayer journaling has been one of the best forms of spiritual communication that I have ever come across. And when you stop and think about the fact that journaling helps us organize our thoughts, plan and achieve goals, improve our moods, process traumatic events, and reduce tension and also since prayer is a form of communication with the Most High—doesn't it make complete and total sense that prayer journaling would be a beneficial spiritual practice?
3. Take a Hike
One of my favorite books of all time isThe Celestine Prophecy. It's way too layered to break down all of the reasons why here. However, the reason why I'm bringing it up for this particular piece is that there's a part of it that says spending time in nature can help to give you messages that you're looking for. Hmph. That actually makes a lot of sense when you reflect on the fact that our first biblical introduction to the world was the creation of a garden (the Garden of Eden—Genesis 1-2). Anyway, it's one thing to take a stroll around your neighborhood. It's another matter entirely different to go on a hike. When you're surrounded by nothing but the sun, trees, and terrain, it can mentally calm you, physically strengthen you and spiritually revive you. And since I'm a firm believer that we're our own trinity—mind, body, and spirit—and our trinity thrives when all parts of it are in sync, making the time to get off of the grid and connect with God's other creation (nature) can be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Him on levels you didn't even know that you needed, until you put on your sneakers and tried it.
4. Bless Someone. Anonymously.
The Good Book tells us that it's more blessed to give than it is to receive (Acts 20:35). A fun fact here is the Hebrew word for bless is "barak" (yes, similar to Barack Obama); it actually means to bless or to kneel. Yet in the context of Acts 20:35, the more appropriate Hebrew word would probably be "ashar" which means "happy" in Hebrew. Put all of this together and it means that we tend to be happier when we give to others rather than seek for ways to get things from them. I can certainly attest to that because there is something that is very…shoot, exciting about surprising someone with a gift or being a vessel who is able to help someone in need.
There are a lot of miserable people out here in the world. Many of them are selfish and greedy which isn't good because the Bible also says that love isn't selfish (I Corinthians 13:5) and greediness takes away the life of those who live that way (Proverbs 1:19). Not only that but the Good Book tends to be extremely practical too. I John 3:17(NKJV) says, "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" If lately, you haven't been feeling as close to God as you would like, try giving to another person. As the Scripture that I shared just said, it's a great way to abide in God's love and since abide means "remain" and "stay"—it makes perfect sense that giving (anonymously, so that you don't make it be about you—Matthew 6:1-2) would help us to feel closer to the Lord.
(By the way, the reason why the Hebrew wording for things is so relevant when it comes to Scripture is because the Bible was originally written in that language.)
5. Take Your Purpose Up a Notch
I was just telling someone not too long ago that it would probably trip a lot of people out if they knew that one definition of entertainment is to "distract". Lawd, a lot of us are straight-up distracted by entertainment (and entertainers) too. So much, in fact, that we spend (or is it waste?) more time, effort, and energy on what they are doing/not doing, that we're not nurturing our own gifts, talents, and purpose.
As more and more time goes by, "purpose" has really come to be one of my all-time favorite words. It's because it's literally "the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc."; not only that but it's "an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal".
All of us have a limited and designated amount of time on this planet—time to live out why God decided to make us, along with time to set goals and then reach them. Believe you me when I say that one of the best ways to feel closer to God than you ever have is when you put everything aside to make sure that you're living in your individual purpose. Shoot, not just that you are living it but that you are making the kinds of choices to illustrate that you are striving to thrive in your purpose as well. Because how can you not feel intimacy with the Creator when you're honoring him by doing just what you were put on this earth to do in the first place?
6. Go on a Detox
Remember how I said I believe that we're all our own trinity? Remember how I also said that if one part of us is out of wack, it tends to throw the other parts off-kilter too? This is one of the reasons why I also think it's a good idea to detox your system, at least a couple of times a year. And just what are some of the signs that you need to detox your body? If you're always feeling tired or drained. If you can never seem to get over a cold. If you have frequent headaches or skin breakouts. If your moods are all over the place or your digestive system is irregular (or if you've been eating a lot of fast food).
Fasting is biblical. Matthew 17:14-21 tells us that some things only come that way. From a biblical standpoint, fasting from food is a way to yes, detox your body while also controlling your appetite for food as you focus more on your spiritual health and well-being. Yet even if you choose to not go such an extreme route, detoxing from sugar, meat, or junk, or doing some sort of cleanse can help to "reset" your body so that you can think with a clearer perspective.
While we're here, it can also be a good idea to "detox" from something that has nothing to do with your diet. It could be fasting from a relationship, a time-waster, or a bad habit. When it comes to the nature of God, one of my favorite Scripture is, "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6—NKJV) Something that is pure is something that isn't contaminated, something that is very clear and—I really like this—something that is straightforward (God is not the author of confusion; His character and His words and quite straightforward—I Corinthians 14:33). And so, if something in your life seems muddied, super complicated, or outright baffling, taking some time away to clear your mind can help to get your spirit back into a place where you feel "purified" again. You can hear more clearly what God wants you to do and not be confused about how to go about doing it.
7. Write Down Something That You Fear. Then Do It.
2020 came with a lot of words that were used in excess. One of them is "doom-scrolling". You know, sitting on social media all day and just looking for negativity to take in for hours on end. Not only can that train your mind to see things from a "life totally sucks" perspective but, if you're not careful, it can make you quite fear-filled as well. That's not good because the Bible also tells us that "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (I John 4:18—NKJV) Did you peep that first part? According to this Scripture, the opposite of love isn't hate (one definition of hate is to be unwilling); it is fear.
And how do we overcome fear? More times than not, it's by facing it. So, take out some time to really think about what you're afraid of. Is it to set some boundaries? Is it to end a toxic friendship? Is it to leave a dead-end job? Is it to try something new? I really do wish more sermons were spoken on the fact that if you want to grow in love, removing fear makes that happen. That said, do yourself a really big favor and attempt something that you fear, just as soon as you possibly can. The farther away you move from fear, the closer you will get to love—and only spiritual greatness and abundance can come from that, sis.
8. Read I Corinthians 13. Apply It to Yourself First.
People who know me know that it irks me to absolutely no end, whenever someone says something like "love hurts" or "love sucks". The Bible tells us that "God is Love" (I John 4:8&16) and I choose to not see Him and His intentions for me from a negative space or in a toxic fashion. That said, if you don't feel the most loved at the moment, it can never hurt to (re)visit the Love Chapter in the Bible. I'm going to share the Message Version of it today.
"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies."—I Corinthians 13:4-8(Message)
Any time when I want to see if I'm growing in love—which is essentially growing in God—I look at this list. I kid you not, pretty much every time, I see a line that has me like, "whoa". For instance, right through here, I'm focusing on "love doesn't want what it doesn't have". This doesn't mean that love doesn't have desires (Psalm 37:4) so much as love learns to be in a state of contentment (I Timothy 6:6) in whatever season that it's in. It's similar to the part where it says that "love puts up with anything". That isn't a cosign to tolerate abuse so much as it means that you extend to others the kind of mercy, grace and compassion that you want to receive. If you want people to take a lot of your stuff…well, exactly.
It's hard to not feel closer to someone when you learn more about them. The more I study love and then try and live out what I learn about it, the closer I feel to God, automatically so. Funny how that works, huh?
9. Forgive. Also, Apologize.
I doubt that you will ever see me write on spiritual health and well-being and not reference the importance of forgiveness. From a biblical standpoint, we are clearly told that God doesn't forgive us unless we forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15). Yet even beyond that, learning to release people and the painful feelings towards them that we may harbor can provide a level of healing that is truly incomparable.
Know what else is healthy? Freakin' apologizing. I don't mean deflecting. I don't mean justifying or excusing. I don't mean trying to find manipulative ways to place the blame on others. Spiritually and emotionally mature people know how to humble themselves enough to take full accountability and responsibility for their actions, address them, and—this is also key—seek out a way to make things right.
Proverbs 22:4(NKJV) says, "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life." It requires humility to know that others are worthy of forgiveness because we also need it (from God and other people). At the same token, it requires humility to apologize because ego maniacs and narcissists are the kind of folks who feel as if they are never wrong. And you know what? The more you humble yourself, the more God is pleased with you. The more pleased He is, the more He can trust you with things like riches and honor. I'm not making that up. That Bible says so.
Forgiving and apologizing aren't always easy. Humility never is. Yet when you think about all of the freedom and blessings that come from doing it—why not at least give both actions a shot?
10. Make God a Vow. Commit to Keeping It.
It's a trip, and not in a good way, how comfortable human beings are with making a promise or vow and then breaking it—not just to one another but to God too. If you read the New King James Version of Ecclesiastes 5, the title of it is "Fear God, Keep Your Vows". In other words, if you respect God, when you make a commitment to Him, keep it.
Just think what our spiritual lives would be like if God was as fickle and unreliable with His word as we are when it comes to interacting with Him—and with others. I'm telling you, when I was in my 20s, I was quite "meh" about honoring people's time, fully following through with what I said I would do, or keeping my commitments. Yet one of the greatest compliments I've received in my 40s is folks telling me that they feel like I am reliable; that my word can be trusted.
Something that has come from that is, that the more trustworthy I am, the more self-confidence that builds, and the more I feel like I'm becoming like my Creator. And yes—that makes me feel more connected to Him because, when you're similar to someone in any way, closeness tends to manifest.
Everything that I mentioned here today? None of these suggestions are necessarily easy. However, if you want to reconnect with God, they are all things that can help that to happen. Maybe not immediately, but definitely sooner than you think.
In the meantime, know that by merely wanting to get closer to God, you're already more intimate with Him than you are giving yourself credit for. Unfortunately, a lot of His children are out here, not even thinking about Him in this way. The longing alone has set you on the right path. Now all you need to do…is walk it. The speed doesn't matter. One step at a time, one day at a time is progress.
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After being a regular contributor for about four years and being (eh hem) MIA in 2022, Shellie is back penning for the platform (did you miss her? LOL).
In some ways, nothing has changed and in others, everything has. For now, she'll just say that she's working on the 20th anniversary edition of her first book, she's in school to take life coaching to another level and she's putting together a platform that supports and encourages Black men because she loves them from head to toe.
Other than that, she still works with couples, she's still a doula, she's still not on social media and her email contact (missnosipho@gmail.com) still hasn't changed (neither has her request to contact her ONLY for personal reasons; pitch to the platform if you have story ideas).
Life is a funny thing but if you stay calm, moments can come full circle and this is one of them. No doubt about it.
Amber Riley has the type of laugh that sticks with you long after the raspy, rhythmic sounds have ceased. It punctuates her sentences sometimes, whether she’s giving a chuckle to denote the serious nature of something she just said or throwing her head back in rip-roarious laughter after a joke. She laughs as if she understands the fragility of each minute. She chooses laughter often with the understanding that future joy is not guaranteed.
Credit: Ally Green
The sound of her laughter is rivaled only by her singing voice, an emblem of the past and the future resilience of Black women stretched over a few octaves. On Fox’s Glee, her character Mercedes Jones was portrayed, perhaps unfairly, as the vocal duel to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), offering rough, full-throated belts behind her co-star’s smooth, pristine vocals. Riley’s always been more than the singer who could deliver a finishing note, though.
Portraying Effie White, she displayed the dynamic emotions of a song such as “And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going” in Dreamgirls on London’s West End without buckling under the historic weight of her predecessors. With her instrument, John Mayer’s “Gravity” became a religious experience, a belted hymnal full of growls and churchy riffs. In her voice, Nicole Scherzinger once said she heard “the power of God.”
Credit: Ally Green
Riley’s voice has been a staple throughout pop culture for nearly 15 years now. Her tone has become so distinguishable that most viewers of Fox’s The Masked Singer recognized the multihyphenate even before it was revealed that she was Harp, the competition-winning, gold-masked figure with an actual harp strapped to her back.
Still, it wasn’t until recently that Riley began to feel like she’d found her voice. This sounds unbelievable. But she’s not referring to the one she uses on stage. She’s referencing the voice that speaks to who she is at her core. “Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind,” the 37-year-old says. “It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women. I got so comfortable in [doing so], and I really want other people, especially Black women, to get more comfortable in that space.”
“Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind. It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women."
If you ask Riley’s manager, Myisha Brooks, she’ll tell you the foundation of who the multihyphenate is hasn’t changed much since she was a kid growing up in Compton. “She is who she is from when I met her back when she was singing in the front of the church to back when she landed major roles in film and TV,” Brooks says. Time has allowed Riley to grow more comfortable, giving fans a more intimate glimpse into her life, including her mental health journey and the ins and outs of show business.
The actress/singer has been in therapy since 2019, although she suffered from depression and anxiety way before that. In a recent interview with Jason Lee, she recalls having suicidal ideation as a kid. By the time she started seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants in her thirties, her body had become jittery, a physical reminder of the trauma stacked high inside her. “I was shaking in [my therapist’s] office,” she tells xoNecole. “My fight or flight was on such a high level. I was constantly in survival mode. My heart was beating fast all the time. All I did was sweat.”
There wasn’t just childhood trauma to account for. After auditioning for American Idol and being turned away by producers, Riley began working for Ikea and nearly missed her Glee audition because her car broke down on the highway while en route. Thankfully, Riley had been cast to play Mercedes Jones. American Idol had temporarily convinced her she wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry, but this was validation that she was right where she belonged. Glee launched in 2009 with the promise of becoming Riley’s big break.
In some ways, it was. The show introduced Riley to millions of fans and catapulted her into major Hollywood circles. But in other ways, it became a reminder of the types of roles Black women, especially those who are plus-sized, are relegated to. Behind the scenes, Riley says she fought for her character "to have a voice" but eventually realized her efforts were useless. "It finally got to a point where I was like, this is not my moment. I'm not who they're choosing, and this is just going to have to be a job for me for now," she says. "And, that's okay because it pays my bills, I still get to be on television, I'm doing more than any other Black plus-sized women that I'm seeing right now on screen."
The actress can recognize now that she was navigating issues associated with trauma and low self-esteem at the time. She now knows that she's long had anxiety and depression and can recognize the ways in which she was triggered by how the cult-like following of the show conflicted with her individual, isolated experiences behind the scenes. But she was in her early '20s back then. She didn't yet have the language or the tools to process how she was feeling.
Riley says she eventually sought out medical intervention. "When you're in Hollywood, and you go to a doctor, they give you pills," she says, sharing a part of her story that she'd never revealed publicly before now. "[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that's not fixing my problem. If anything, it's making it worse."
“[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that’s not fixing my problem. If anything it’s making it worse.”
Credit: Ally Green
At one point, while in her dressing room on set, she rested her arm on a curling iron without realizing it. It wasn't until her makeup artist alerted her that she even realized her skin was burning. Once she noticed, she says she was "so zonked out on pills" that she barely reacted. Speaking today, she holds up her arm and motions towards a scar that remains from the incident. She sought help for her reliance on the pills, but it would still be years before she finally attended therapy.
This stress was only compounded by the trauma of growing up in poverty and the realities of being a "contract worker." "Imagine going from literally one week having to borrow a car to get to set to the next week being on a private jet to New York City," she says. After Glee ended, so did the rides on private planes. The fury of opportunities she expected to follow her appearance on the show failed to materialize. She wasn't even 30 yet, and she was already forced to consider if she'd hit her career peak.
. . .
We’re only four minutes into our Zoom call before Riley delivers her new adage to me. “My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway,” she says.
On this Thursday afternoon in April, the LA-based entertainer is seated inside her closet/dressing room wearing a cerulean blue tank top with matching shorts and eating hot wings. This current phase of healing hinges on balance. It’s about having discipline and consistency, but not at the risk of inflexibility. She was planning to head to the gym, for instance, but she’s still tired from the “exhausting” day before. Instead, she’s spent her day receiving a massage, eating some chicken wings, and planning to spend quality time with friends. “I’m not going to beat myself up for it. I’m not going to talk down to myself. I’m going to eat my chicken wings, and then tomorrow I’m [back] in the gym,” she says.
“My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway."
This is the balance with which she's been approaching much of her life these days. It's why she's worried less about whether or not people see her as someone who is humble. She'd rather be respected. "I think you should be a person that's easy to work with, but in the moments where I have to ruffle feathers and make waves, I'm not shying away from that anymore. You can do it in love, you don't have to be nasty about it, but I had to finally be comfortable with the fact that setting boundaries around my life – in whatever aspect, whether that's personal or business – people are not going to like it. Some people are not going to have nice things to say about you, and you gotta be okay with it," she says.
When Amber talks about the constant humbling of Black women in Hollywood, I think of the entertainers before her who have suffered from this. The brilliant, consistent, overqualified Black women who have spoken of having to fight for opportunities and fair pay. Aretha Franklin. Viola Davis. Tracee Ellis Ross. There's a long list of stars whose success hasn't mirrored their experiences behind the scenes.
Credit: Ally Green
If Black women outside of Hollywood are struggling to decrease the pay gap, so, too, are their wealthier, more famous peers.
Riley says there’s been progress in recent years, but only in small ways and for a limited group of people. “This business is exhausting. The goalpost is constantly moving, and sometimes it’s unfair,” she says. But, I have to say it’s the love that keeps you going.”
“There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman,” she continues. “We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
"There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman. We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
Last year, Riley starred alongside Raven Goodwin in the Lifetime thriller Single Black Female (a modern, diversified take on 1992’s Single White Female). It was more than a leading role for the actress, it also served as proof that someone who looks like her can front a successful project without it hinging on her identity. It showcased that the characters she portrays don’t “have to be about being a big girl. It can just be a regular story.”
Riley sees her work in music as an extension of her efforts to push past the rigid stereotypes in entertainment. Take her appearance on The Masked Singer, for instance. Riley said she decided to perform Mayer’s “Gravity” after being told she couldn’t sing it years earlier. “I wanted to do ‘Gravity’ on Glee. [I] was told no, because that’s not a song that Mercedes would do,” she says. “That was a full circle moment for me, doing that on that show and to hear what it is they had to say.”
As Scherzinger praised the “anointed” performance, a masked Riley began to cry, her chest heaving as she stood on stage, her eyes shielded from view. “You have to understand, I have really big names – casting directors, producers, show creators – that constantly tell me ‘I’m such a big fan. Your talent is unmatched.’ Hire me, then,” she says, reflecting on the moment.
Recently, she’s been in the studio working on original music, the follow-up to her independently-released debut EP, 2020’s Riley. The sequel to songs such as the anthemic “Big Girl Energy” and the reflective ballad “A Moment” on Riley, this new project hones in on the singer’s R&B roots with sensual grooves such as the tentatively titled “All Night.” “You said I wasn’t shit, turns out that I’m the shit. Then you called me a bitch, turns out that I’m that bitch. You said no one would want me, well you should call your homies,” she sings on the tentatively titled “Lately,” a cut about reflecting on a past relationship. From the forthcoming project, xoNecole received five potential tracks. Fans likely already know the strengths and contours of Riley’s vocals, but these new songs are her strongest, most confident offerings as an artist.
“I am so much more comfortable as a writer, and I know who I am as an artist now. I’m evolving as a human being, in general, so I’m way more vulnerable in my music. I’m way more willing to talk about whatever is on my mind. I don’t stop myself from saying what it is I want to say,” she says.
Credit: Ally Green
“Every era and alliteration of Amber, the baseline is ‘Big Girl Energy.’ That’s the name of her company,” her manager Brooks says, referencing the imprint through which Riley releases her music after getting out of a label deal several years ago. “It’s just what she stands for. She’s not just talking about size, it’s in all things. Whether it’s putting your big girl pants on and having to face a boardroom full of executives or sell yourself in front of a casting agent. It’s her trying to achieve the things she wants to do in life.”
Riley says she has big dreams beyond releasing this new music, too. She’d love to star in a rom-com with Winston Duke. She hasn't starred in a biopic yet, but she’d revel in the opportunity to portray Rosetta Tharpe on screen. She’s determined that her previous setbacks won’t stop her from dreaming big.
“I think one of my superpowers is resilience because, at the end of the day, I’m going to kick, scream, cry, cuss, be mad and disappointed, but I’m going to get up and risk having to deal with it all again. It’s worth it for the happy moments,” she says.
If Riley seems more comfortable and confident professionally, it’s because of the work she’s been doing in her personal life.
She’d previously spoken to xoNecole about becoming engaged to a man she discovered in a post on the site, but she called things off last year. For Valentine’s Day, she revealed her new boyfriend publicly. “I decided to post him on Valentine’s Day, partially because I was in the dog house. I got in trouble with him,” she says, half-joking before turning serious. “The breakup was never going to stop me from finding love. Or at least trying. I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness, and you enjoy it and work through it.”
Credit: Ally Green
"I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness and you enjoy it and work through it.”
With her ex, Riley was pretty outspoken about her relationship, even appearing in content for Netflix with him. This time around is different. She’s not hiding her boyfriend of eight months, but she’s more protective of him, especially because he’s a father and isn’t interested in becoming a public figure.
She’s traveling more, too. It’s a deliberate effort on her part to enjoy her money and reject the trauma she’s developed after experiencing poverty in her childhood. “I live in constant fear of being broke. I don’t think you ever don’t remember that trauma or move past that. Now I travel and I’m like, listen, if it goes, it goes. I’m not saying [to] be reckless, but I deserve to enjoy my hard work.”
After everything she’s been through, she certainly deserves to finally let loose a bit. “I have to have a life to live,” she says. “I’ve got to have a life worth fighting for.”
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Queen Latifah On Her Journey To Self-Acceptance: 'I've Been Trying To Maintain My Freedom To Be Me'
Actress and rapper Dana "Queen Latifah" Owens is defying societal standards by refusing to be confined in a box regarding her personal and professional life.
Owens, who has been a part of the entertainment industry for over three decades, is widely recognized for her empowering songs and the variety of acting roles she has obtained throughout her career, among other things. The list includes Living Single, Set It Off, Chicago --with which she earned an Oscar nomination-- Just Wright, Girls Trip, and most recently, The Equalizer series on CBS.
Owens is also very tight-lipped about her personal life. However, in 2021, The Last Holiday actress showed appreciation to Eboni Nichols, who is reportedly her partner, and their son Rebel after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Since then, Owens has revealed why she doesn't want to be defined as anything but herself and how she maintains her sense of freedom. In a resurfaced video from theGrio Awards, Owens opened up about those topics when she accepted the Television Icon Award for her past contributionsIn a clip uploaded on theGrio's Instagram account last week, Owens explained that she often had to fight to be herself because "the world" kept trying to put her in a box based on what society thought a woman should be.
"My whole life, I feel like I've been trying to maintain my freedom to be me. And the world is trying to put these things on me to stop me from being who I am," she said.
Further into the speech, Owens explained that although many would have their own opinion about her from what the media spews out, she would continue to be herself by wearing "beautiful gowns and dresses," playing in the dirt, participating in basketball games with men and loving who she loves because that's what makes her happy.
The Beauty Shop star also added that despite her celebrity status, she would continue to show respect for others because that's who she is as a person and how she was raised.
"So I wear these beautiful gowns and dresses because I want to because that's part of me. I play in the dirt. I play basketball with the boys because that's me,” she stated. "I love who I love because that's me. I love all of you who have supported me. I give you your respect. I don't have to be above you because that's me. I know me."
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Feature image by Mike Marsland/WireImage