The Invisible Black Woman

Most times your only cheerleader is staring you in the mirror.

Walking in your purpose, especially in the early stages, can feel like an uphill climb. You’re putting in the work, laying the foundation, doing everything right, and yet, sometimes the results don’t come fast or as expected. It’s disheartening to pour your energy into something you’re passionate about, only to be met with slow growth or challenges that seem insurmountable. I felt that way a lot when I first started The Invisible Black Woman. I knew I had something to say, and I knew my voice was important, but seeing the vision manifest in real time was a different kind of battle.

When you’re walking in your purpose, you know deep down that the rewards will come, but those rewards don’t always show up when you want them to. There are moments when the valleys seem longer than the peaks, and it feels like you’re putting in more effort than you’re seeing in return. That’s the reality of the journey for so many creatives, especially those of us trying to make a living through our passion. It’s not for the faint of heart. There’s this idea that when you step into your purpose, everything just clicks into place—that doors open, opportunities flow, and success follows. But the truth? There are often more valleys than mountaintop experiences.

In the early days of TIBW, I found myself in a constant back-and-forth with self-doubt. Was I really doing the right thing? Was I foolish for thinking that this message would resonate with others? I was working hard, putting in the hours, the late nights, the sacrifices, but the growth was slow. It’s hard to keep going when the results don’t reflect the effort you’re putting in. But here’s the thing about purpose: it doesn’t operate on your timeline. Purpose works on its own terms, and sometimes the journey through those valleys is what strengthens you for when the peaks finally arrive.

I had to learn to be my own cheerleader during those times. That’s what today’s BlueNote is really about. There are so many days when no one else will clap for you, when no one else will understand the grind or the sleepless nights. In those moments, you’ve got to be the one looking in the mirror and reminding yourself why you started. You’ve got to be the one giving yourself that pep talk and saying, “You’ve come too far to quit now.” Because let me tell you, there will be times when quitting seems like the easier option. But purpose? It doesn’t let you quit. It pulls you, even when you’re tired. It pushes you, even when you can’t see the finish line.

When you’re walking in your purpose, especially as a Black woman, the challenges can feel even more pronounced. The spaces you’re trying to step into might not always welcome you, the opportunities you seek might not always be readily available, and the support you need might not always be there. But that doesn’t mean you stop. That doesn’t mean you give up on what you know you were meant to do. If I had stopped every time I felt discouraged, every time I hit a roadblock, TIBW wouldn’t be where it is today.

The valleys teach you things that the peaks never could. They teach you grit. They teach you how to keep going when the applause stops, how to find joy in the process rather than the outcome, and how to keep your eyes on the long-term vision even when the short-term feels like failure. Walking in your purpose means trusting that the seeds you’re planting today will grow, even if you don’t see the fruit immediately.

Let me be real with you: there are days when I questioned everything, days when I felt like I was speaking into a void, unsure if anyone was even listening. But then there are those moments, those glimpses, when someone reaches out, when a message lands, when the right door opens—and it reminds me why I started. It’s in those small victories that we find the strength to keep pushing, to keep walking, to keep building.

Being a creative—whether you’re a writer, an artist, an entrepreneur, whatever your craft—is one of the most rewarding yet challenging paths you can take. The highs are incredible, but the lows can be gut-wrenching. And if you’re not careful, those lows can make you forget why you started in the first place. That’s where being your own cheerleader comes in. You’ve got to remind yourself of your “why” every single day. You’ve got to celebrate every win, no matter how small, and you’ve got to hold onto your vision with everything you’ve got.

I had to learn that the valleys were part of the process. They weren’t signs that I was on the wrong path; they were shaping me, preparing me for what was to come. And I’m not going to lie, some valleys were longer than others. Some valleys felt like they were never going to end. But the thing about purpose? It doesn’t give up on you. Even when you want to throw in the towel, your purpose has a way of pulling you back in, reminding you that you’ve got more to do.

And trust me, those mountaintop moments? They are so much sweeter when you’ve walked through the valleys to get there. When you’ve been your own cheerleader through the tough times, when you’ve pushed yourself to keep going when no one else was around to see your struggle, those victories are yours to own. Because you earned them. You didn’t get there because it was handed to you; you got there because you fought for it. And that’s the real reward of walking in your purpose—not the accolades, not the recognition, but knowing that you stayed the course, even when it was hard.

So, if you’re in one of those valleys right now, if you’re feeling like the results aren’t coming fast enough, or like no one is clapping for you, let me remind you of this: you are your biggest supporter. You are the one who knows your journey better than anyone else. And the person staring back at you in the mirror? They’ve got everything they need to keep going. You don’t need the world’s approval to validate your purpose. You already know what you were called to do. And yes, the road might be long, but the destination is worth it.

Until next time, I wish you nothing but sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns, which are no less fictitious than the beautiful, determined, resilient force that you are. Keep walking in your purpose—you’ve got this.