In today's day and age, social media has increased the number of millennials who are becoming widely recognized.
Instagram has 800 million active users that include poets, activists, entrepreneurs, entertainers, spiritual leaders, and social media personalities, providing content ranging from beautiful lifestyle photos that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye to parody videos and makeup tutorials. The accounts that I personally find myself most drawn to are people who have the qualities of tenacity, humanitarianism, reclamation of self, inner light, and authenticity that I aspire to.
The four rising gems included below are reflections of the vulnerability and inner light, and reminders of the success that can follow when you live your purpose.
Latasha
@callmelatasha
Her Instagram:
@callmelatasha, 9K followers
Her Purpose:
Entertainer
How She Found Her Calling:
"I actually became a hip hop artist by accident! As a young spoken word artist and poet, I found myself at a New York City Cypher that went viral! A few unexpected viral mixtapes later, and I was given opportunities to open up for artists like Kanye West, Ghostface Killah, Q-tip, and Nipsey Hussle.
The beginning of my personal journey begun with getting through body image and bullying issues surrounding what society says a WOC rapper should look like.
After dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide in 2012, I embraced self-acceptance, and committed myself to fulfilling my dreams. Coming from a family of immigrants that had to grind 9 to 5, I had to transform my mindset to surviving by doing what I Iove. Through expressing gratitude to the universe, positive affirmations, and hard work, I'm still working toward living my dream."
What Matters To Her:
"Resonance. It is what keeps my heart feeling full and proud everyday."
Her Advice To Finding Your Purpose:
"Journal. Write out all that is in your head. Clear your energy at the start of your day with affirmations of gratitude. Be present even through the tough days. Trust the process... It's so hard, but it's worth it!"
Nnenna Stella
@nnennastella
Her Instagram:
@nnennastella, 16.3K followers
Her Purpose:
Entrepreneur
How She Found Her Calling:
"I am the founder of, The Wrap Life, a head wrap wear company that features authentic African print wraps that inspire women to be creative through self-expression and self-love. Coming from a place of struggle, where my family had no heat or hot water at times, I never had any intentions of becoming an entrepreneur until I realized my desire to express myself through creativity. I had never worked for myself before and becoming a business owner was a totally new concept. I had to push myself to deliver my absolute best.
As an entrepreneur, I recognized the need to not place mental barriers on my strengths and capabilities.
Through the process of becoming a entrepreneur, I learned the importance of asking for help."
What Matters To Her:
"As far as my personal journey, walking in my truth by aligning my personal values with my brand has become a part of my business structure; realizing that feeling good about what I put out has to match my company's value has awarded me the opportunity to evolve as a human being in service to others. It has also kept me grateful, humble, and sound in mind."
Her Advice To Finding Your Purpose:
"Start with what you have. Be honest with yourself. Silence is golden! Don't get into the habit of talking yourself out of things, and work your ass off!"
Kamil Oshundara
@k6mil
Her Instagram:
@k6mil, 34.9K followers
Her Purpose:
Spiritual Leader
How She Found Her Calling:
"Today, I'm a IYA 'Priestess' of Shango, initiated in the Youruba IFA tradition, but from a young age, I became interested in world religion. I was raised as a Baptist in Georgia and made a conscious decision to get baptized at the age of 8. By the age of 10, I renounced Christ as my savior and wanted to find other modalities of spirituality. I struggled with Christian beliefs, and I felt it denied the power in questioning. As I developed my own understanding of the world around me, I embraced an indigenous spirit, which felt closer to my truth.
I had to work through the stigma of being an African-American queer woman who sought reclamation of African religion, surrounded by people who felt the practice of indigenous traditions were negative, evil, or not belonging to me.
Through my own personal spiritual transformation, I teach ritual and sacred study to people looking to gain a deeper connection to their indigenous roots."
What Matters To Her:
"Abundance and success career-wise should be seen as reciprocity... It's saying I believe you are worthy, and you do that in exchanging energy."
Her Advice To Finding Your Purpose:
"Don't just rest on your DNA test, follow your spirit. Look for tribes or spaces of groups that reflect who you look like. Start with the mirror, start with yourself... Get grounded in yourself and dedicate yourself to transformation."
Aja Monet
@ajamonet
Her Instagram:
@ajamonet, 18.8K followers
Her Purpose:
Spoken Word Poet/Activist
How She Found Her Calling:
"As a child, I knew that I had a purpose. Early on, I recognized my desire to become someone great in this world. I found motivation in wanting my family to be happy and live better lives. I really found an outlet through school, where I gravitated toward writing and English. I was fascinated by how stories were told and found solace in learning to question and challenge the world around me.
I found power in using my voice.
In high school, I found mentorship and political education in a program called Urban World NYC. Through this program, I was given an opportunity to travel and broaden my scope of the world in the midst of 9/11. With the energy of young voices all around me, I learned that I could change the world through the power of poetry, in the same way that Langston Hughes affected people. I found my purpose."
What Matters To Her:
"The most important form of abundance that I receive is in the Arabic term, 'Shukran,' which translates to 'thank you,' and the idea that giving things when you feel most grateful takes humility to be grateful for the smaller things."
Her Advice To Finding Your Purpose:
"Spend time in nature. Nature is powerful. If we can learn the humility in that, that could help us love each other more and stay true to yourself."
Have you found your purpose? Name it, claim it, and share it with us in the comments down below!
- 3 Unexpected Ways to Find Your Life Purpose | HuffPost ›
- 7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose | Mark ... ›
- Five Steps to Finding Your Life Purpose | Psychology Today ›
- Talks to help you find your purpose | TED Talks ›
- How to Find Your Purpose in Life | Greater Good Magazine ›
- Life Purpose: 10 Tips to Learn How to Find Your Passion | Jack ... ›
- You Don't Find Your Purpose — You Build It ›
- How to know your life purpose in 5 minutes | Adam Leipzig ... ›
- Six Ways To Discover Your Life Purpose ›
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
