You’re exactly Who You Think You Are

Last week one of my friends, Harri, from middle school DM’ed me, letting me know that he and his dad were recently talking about a play we did back then called “Almost, Grease”. It was our school’s interpretations (and PG version!) of the iconic film. Which happens to be one of my absolute favorite movies.

His dad recorded the whole thing and Harri was so sweet enough to share it with me for a little nostalgia.

Now, I want to let you know that 6th grade Aisha isn’t what you may expect. I didn’t have contact lenses yet, I was shy, insecure, often the butt of jokes in my friend group, short! (this was before my growth spurt, ha!) Coupled with a pretty tumultuous home/family life I dealt with privately that took a toll on my self-esteem and anxiety.

Despite it, I’d still push myself to do things that scared me. I’ve always had that in me. And although I was extremely nervous, I auditioned for a few school plays. I never got a speaking role, and was generally in the ensemble cast, but I did it anyway.

In this particular play, I was one of the school cheerleaders and we opened the show with a song a light dance number.

Watching it back, I got so excited at first to see a glimpse of myself in motion from that age, but quickly that excitement turned to sadness. As I watched my 11 year-old self shyly sing with my head down almost the entire time. I was visibly nervous and although I remember this about myself, seeing it was a little hard.

Until I thought back to the countless journal entries, poetry, short stories I’d write, and daydreams I had about who I wanted to be and knew I would be in the future. And guess what? I ended up being That girl.

I blossomed into every single thing I said I would be, despite it all. I may not have been the most confident cheerleader in “Almost, Grease.” But in life? I’ve always cheered myself on, even in the darkest of times. And it’s paid off in a major way. It’s a beautiful thing to see that who I am now exactly who I believed myself to be—and then some.

xo, Aisha Beau

Choosing YOU is a winning Game

It’s the first Monday in May so that means the MET Gala is upon us!

If you didn’t already know, prior to becoming an entrepreneur I was a fashion publicist, so major fashion events like this one are still very near and dear to my heart. Especially, now that I can enjoy simply being a spectator, ha!

This year, the theme of the MET Gala is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, which makes it even more exciting. Black opulence, creativity and beauty will be on full display. With one of my absolute favorite aficionados, Law Roach, leading the charge.

Yesterday as I took a deep dive into all of the weekend’s pre-MET Gala festivities and saw just how heavy of a hand he has in the execution of a lot of what we’ll see tonight, I started to think about his journey and how one major decision he made altered the course of his life.

As a stylist, Law Roach is often at the mercy of his clients, their teams, the designers he’s pulling from and is always expected to make magic despite it all. And two years ago, this came to a head when he experienced a level of disrespect that had him pause and redirect.

It was seemingly the “height” of his career and despite that Law chose to retire from styling and instead, choose himself.

There were mixed reviews online. Many rolled their eyes, not fully understanding what this would even mean—or thinking this signified his time in the limelight was over. Others, like myself, admired him for not allowing people to play in his face any longer and choosing to forge a new path that made him the star.

It felt similar to my journey in 2018, when I decided to chuck the deuces to executing everyone else’s vision as a publicist and chose to instead become my own personal brand. Which has, over the years, opened so many more doors than if I’d stayed tucked away in the background overworking myself to propel the dreams of others.

Since Law’s retirement, his career has taken off at a much more rapid pace. His accolades and notoriety have grown exponentially and he’s reclaimed ownership of his joy.

He styled VOGUE’s editorial spread for this year’s MET Gala and will be working with a slew of A-listers who’ll be gracing the carpet. Not to mention, he will be on the carpet as a guest, and not just for dressing someone else.

Choosing YOU opens doors, but also cracks your mind, body, and soul wide open to allow your greatest potential to come flooding out. It gives you the space to dream bigger, aim higher, and run faster. Unapologetically. It signals to God that you’re ready to receive. Ready to take those steps he’s ordered for you right into your purpose. It aligns the stars and rolls out the red carpet to a bountiful life.

xo, Aisha Beau

You’re the boss, don’t let life hold you hostage

Last week I wrote about being planted, not buried and it’s been on my mind since hearing the quote because literally day after day, it feels like something else is being shoveled on.

So, I’ve been steadfast in reminding myself that this isn’t a burial, it’s a rebirth. And furthermore, I’m the boss, okay?!

I’m an entrepreneur in not only my job, but my life as a whole and I have to remind myself that I call the shots.

The way I want to live, feel, and respond—is up to me. And I’ve gootttt to stop allowing myself to feel so helpless at times. Especially now with the damn tiredness.

I literally don’t sleep anymore and feel captive to being exhausted mentally and physically. But the thing is I *can* choose to rest. I *can* slow down a little. I may not be able to get a solid stretch of sleep at night, but I have the power to find rest in other ways.

I’ve also been stepping into being my life’s boss by choosing how I want my days to go, and filling my cup in ways that help me to feel more at ease. I spent my Sunday yesterday doing things around the house that have been on my mind constantly. And for someone like me, organization does bring a sense of calm. I felt accomplished and proud, because I spent the day in a way that filled me up.

And today? I’m taking a half day. So, once I hit send on this newsletter, I’ll be out enjoying the great weather and the company of one of my closest friends. Life isn’t just short, it’s full—overflowing, with possibility and opportunity to make change. And with this new week, I’m granting myself yet another fresh start.

Why? Because (and let’s say it together), I’m the damn boss!!

xo, Aisha Beau

You are planted

The other night David and I were watching a very, very corny movie lol! It was a hot mess, but it was a Saturday night and we were entertained so we stuck with it until the end.

And at the end the psychiatrist (Taye Diggs, LOL) said something that actually stuck with me. So much so I had to write it down.

He said, “You are not buried, you’re planted. Choose to grow.”

It stopped me in my tracks and I almost forgot about the chaotic movie we just witnessed. It made me think a lot about my life currently and how it’s changed so much. A lot of the time, I have felt buried: learning to be a mom, pushing through each day despite being exhausted, maintaining my career as a solopreneur, managing finances, prioritizing my marriage, being a present friend, and there for my mom.

On top of wanting to get back into my fitness journey and prioritizing my self-care rituals. It’s been a lot, to say the least.

But this phrase let me know that all of these things aren’t here to bury or overwhelm me. They are to help me grow in this new season.

I’m being pushed to find a new way of maneuvering through my day to day that looks a lot different than it has before. It feels like being buried at first, but what’s happening is I’m being forced to breathe new life into how I show up. So, I have to seize the opportunity.

If you’re feeling buried right now, hit pause and take a step back. Challenge yourself to see if this is actually you being planted. Are you instead being forced to grow?

xo, Aisha Beau

The rules are fake

A reoccurring conversation David and I have is about how we’re unlearning a lot of what was instilled in us when we were younger regarding success.

We’re both the oldest children and were basically taught that sticking to a consistent, straight and narrow path, working our way up, being humble, always giving 110%, being a team player, etc, etc, etc. would get us far in life.

And to an extent, this absolutely has. We’ve both done very well for ourselves and made pretty great strides in our careers. But right now, what we’re both aiming for is that *next* level. The level of success and financial security that has made all these years worth it.

Within that, we’ve realized that the rules we once received and the “straight and narrow” path drilled into us, don’t really matter. This next wave of building will rely heavily on being completely OWT of our comfort zones and going against what we once thought was most important.

For David, and his career in finance. He’ll need to shed himself of the laid back, “keep your head down and do the work,” mentality that relies mainly on his merit and skills. He’s by far much more intelligent, savvy, and experienced than some folks in the positions he’s eyeing. But, in order to get there, he’ll have tap into charisma, relationships, being much more outspoken, and truly put himself out there.

For me, I have to abandon the perfectionism, become more unfiltered, and less curated. I have to embrace a less is more mentality and practice working smarter, not harder, which has been veeerrry tough for me to wrap my type-A mind around.

But what I’ve come to realize, is that’s what reaching your goals in life is often about. Letting go of what we once knew to be true. Forgetting the rules and putting ourselves out there in ways we never could have imagined. Walking in faith and giving ourselves permission to be fearless.

xo, Aisha Beau

Don’t Let This Time Pass You By

Last week Friday was our 4 month pediatrician check-up for Shai, and it was ah-mazing.

A world of a difference compared to our appointments during those early days. In more ways than one. Shai didn’t go in there screaming, his measurements were great, and despite being sleep deprived I felt really good as well.

I mentioned in a previous newsletter that postpartum depression hit me hard. And over the past few months, I’ve fought back against it by finding ways to clear the fog. But my biggest motivator was the fact that I would never, ever get these early days back.

Shai will never again be as small as he is. We won’t be first time parents again. And I didn’t want to finally wake up from this a year or more from now feeling like I wasn’t actually present. So, I did the work.

I started therapy again, I also checked back in with my psychiatrist for medication, I opened up to everyone around me and became transparent about how I was feeling. I became more proactive about my wellbeing and doing little things that made me feel more like me, to help boost my morale.  I took (and still take) steps daily to tend to me.

I didn’t sit idly by and wait or hope that some day I’d be out of this funk. I clawed myself out—tooth and nail.

And that’s what I want you to do too. Fight back. Press forward and do all you can to help yourself to feel better and do better. You deserve to experience life right now. You deserve to savor every beautiful moment of your life. because without today there is no tomorrow. Which makes right now the most important part of your journey.

xo, Aisha Beau

Are you a safe space?

Last week, while straightening up the kitchen, David and I got into a minor tiff.

I saw a red spot on Shai’s nose, mentioned it and David said he didn’t see it. I said (in what he explained was “a tone”) “you don’t see it?!” as I went over to show him.

To which he yelled out something along the lines of “I’m trying to see it, give me a second, damn!”

I gasped, and yelled back “you don’t need to yell at me!” and he said “Well you didn’t need to say that with an attitude!” I huffed and went on to washing the dishes in silence.

Very silly, very minor, but it rattled me.

I was so upset he’d raise his voice at me, especially over something so simple. And kept thinking to myself, doesn’t he know that I’m going through a lot right now? How could he be so mean?!

Now, the thing is—David isn’t one to have outbursts like that. Especially over petty ish. So him raising his voice at me is very out of character, which is why I was caught off guard. And it got me thinking about something I shared last month on Threads.

I wrote, “are you a safe space for your partner? I think about this a lot when I notice myself nitpicking or being overly critical. What’s worth bringing up and calling out? The world outside of our relationship is hard enough, so I want to be a soft spot for my husband to land.”

This was one of those moments where I had to step outside of myself and think with compassion. Although it’s not okay to raise your voice at your spouse (either of us!) this outburst reminded me that I’m not the only one going through it right now. Life is hard. David has a lot on his plate and sometimes that stress can bubble over into annoyance.

We both apologized to each other later on that evening and I expressed to him that I understand how it feels to have someone hovering. Constantly critiquing your every move, decision, and speaking to you with judgement—or a tone. Especially now as parents. It’s like we’re always under a microscope.

And because of this shared experience, we have to be eachothers’ safe space.

Whether you’re in a romantic relationship, or a platonic relationship with a friend/family member it’s important to hold space for their emotions, and be compassionate. There’s a time and a place for critique, feedback—and nitpicking just isn’t worth it—even if you say things in a joking manner.

We’re all going through enough. So let’s just be a bit more thoughtful.

xo, Aisha Beau

faith is an action verb

I have a tendency to tell myself that I have “faith” in this or “faith” in that working out. And then in the same breath, share reasons why that thing may not come to fruition. Or talk myself out of believing in it because I don’t want to be let down.

Which is extremely counterintuitive.

But I’m human, and I’m working on it. I’ve been let down a lot in the past and tend to take things really hard, so this flip flop mentality has helped me to feel a false sense of protection. And keep me in my comfort zone.

And well, you know from my past newsletters that I’m done playing it safe.

Faith isn’t just an empty word I want to throw around anymore. Its an action verb. Which means, if I say I have faith in something, that means, I need to now go and put some work in to make it happen.

When we put action behind our ideas, goals, and ambitions it gives us more confidence. Therefore, strengthening our faith. And it signals to God that we’re willing to see through on the gifts he plans to bestow upon us.

Faith is a muscle. And it’s time for me to get in the gym.

xo, Aisha Beau

what’s your mantra?

I love so many things about my therapist.

One of them being that she’s specifically a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, because in the past, I saw a general Talk Therapist. And the difference between the two, is that CBT helps you to identify negative or distorted thoughts and from there assess how to counter them in tangible ways.

Whereas in Talk therapy, I’d just ramble on about the woes in my life without receiving any actionable tips or practices to work through them.

So, last week, we went through a series of exercises to help in strengthening my sense of gratitude and optimism. And at the end, she gave me some homework to come up with my own mantra.

As you know, I’m big on affirmations, but a mantra is something a little different. It’s one phrase that I’ll repeat to myself over, and over to reinforce a certain mindset.

Since I’m someone who’s always worrying or stressed about the future, what’s to come, how I’ll do, I knew I needed one that’d help keep me grounded in the moment.

Over maternity leave I started watching “Shrinking” on Apple+ (a must-watch if you’re into feel good shows with dry humor!) and one of the main characters actually has a mantra. It annoys his friends, but I find it cute and endearing. He says simply, “Everything goes my way.”

So, I decided that’ll be mine too!

It’s an instant reminder that despite not being able to see the road ahead it will be okay, because things have been okay in the past. Maybe not exactly as I’ve envisioned it, but some iteration of how it should be, will.

Now, I ask you my friend. What is your mantra?

What are the words you’d like to live by in order to breathe new life into your mindset?

xo, Aisha Beau

A good cry is all you need.

I’ve always judged people who recorded themselves crying and shared it online for everyone to see. Unless I was mid sentence and the emotions overcame me, and I HAPPENED to shed tears during a YouTube video or something, then I’d let it stay. But never, would I ever think to turn on the camera mid cry. That is, until last week.

Yes, I became that person.

I was having a conversation with my mom about work and all of a sudden I became overwhelmed with emotion. It was a rough week for me sleep-wise and that coupled with some growing anxiety about the direction of my business caused me to just break down.

I cried with her for a bit and then when she took Shai upstairs, I continued to cry. I allowed myself to just let it all out and while doing so, I looked up at my phone which was propped up and pointed right at me on my desk. And I did something crazy. I opened it up and hit record.

2-minutes worth of tears, sniffling, lip quivers, and sobs. And when I was done, I took a deep breath, gathered myself for a bit and decided I was going to share this very vulnerable moment on my platform.

I was terrified, but something deep inside told me it was the right thing to do. And I did.

I cut the video down to just a few seconds—expressed how I felt in the caption and hit post. And what happened next helped to shift something inside of me.

I’m always racking my brain trying to think of ways I can show up for my community. How can I serve these people who’ve trusted me enough to hit Follow or Subscribe. And this was a moment where the roles reversed.

This community that I’ve built over the years showed up and out for me.

I was flooded with comments of not only encouragement, understanding, and praise for my courage to share—but also, I received prayers in my DMs. Literal written out prayers from women I didn’t even know. I was sent resources. Young, new, and older mothers—women who were not yet mothers all let me know how relatable it was to just need that release.

And this, is how connection is made.

Now, I won’t be recording myself crying online like that again anytime soon. But it did reaffirm the importance of vulnerability and its power when it comes to deepening bonds.

In a moment of self-doubt, I was reminded about the strong community I’ve built over the years. And it gave me the confidence to rest in knowing that I *am* doing something right. My journey may not be as quick as others, but it has damn sure been meaningful.

xo, Aisha Beau

Embrace Your Quiet

My favorite moments as a new mom are those 3am nursing sessions with Shai.

In the beginning, I dreaded the constant late night wake ups. And I’ll be very honest, it’s tiring af not getting a straight run of sleep anymore. But, I’ve somehow been able to find the beauty in the stillness.

While the rest of the world is asleep. He and I navigate our way in the darkness to find a moment for bonding and peace.

No longer inundated by the opinions of others, a persistent and negative news cycle, or worries about what’s next with work.

We can just be.

I look down at his tiny silhouette, wild head of hair, and truly find myself living in the moment. Something we *all* need.

It’s so important we all take a moment to enjoy the quiet. And it doesn’t have to be at 3am.

Step away from the noise.

Often times we’re afraid of the quiet because it may awaken the thoughts, feelings, and desires we’ve worked so hard to suppress or distract ourselves from. It can be revealing, but if we allow ourselves to embrace it, quiet can also be transformative.

Today, this week, this month…this year, I want you to lean into the stillness.

Give your mind and heart a much needed detox from the noise.

xo, Aisha Beau

Here’s Your sign to surrender

I missed you. Truly. I hope this year has been good to you so far? And despite the world around us, you’ve been able to find some peace.  

Maternity leave is over and your girl is back in the saddle!

For the first time in my adult life, I hit pause on my career for an extended period of time and, yeah, it was much needed. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

My dreams are big and this list of goals I’ve got? Long, af. So, taking a break for me often comes with a lot of guilt. But this was one of those situations where I literally had no choice but to surrender. I was giving birth to an actual child, after all, LOL.

These past 3 months have felt like a lifetime. Motherhood and postpartum depression swept in and scooped me up. I cried more tears (both happy and sad) than I have in a while and found myself cracked wide open in a way that let’s me know I’ll never be the same again.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this next iteration of me and the life I plan on leading.

One things for certain though, that word surrender has my life in a chokehold right now. I’ve been told to sit down and rest—mentally and physically, at every turn. So, I’m finally taking heed.

During our last session, my therapist shared a hilarious but very real quote with me, something along the lines of, “if you have one foot in tomorrow, and another in the past—then you’re just peeing all over today.” And that couldn’t be more real. Life is for living in the here and now.

So, here I am. Making my 2025 debut and doing so from a space of surrender.

The thing about surrendering is, it’s not giving up. It’s giving your best and then leaving space for what comes next. Telling doubt, fear, and worry that they can back the hell up, because you got this. And even if you don’t, resting in the fact that you will be okay.

xo, Aisha Beau

You have the tools

“You have the tools,” is the first thing my therapist told me when I told her I was pregnant back in March.

After sharing with her my excitement, I got real about my mental health concerns through the process. As someone diagnosed with anxiety disorder and PTSD, staying on top of how I feel and respond to things on a day-to-day basis is so important in my journey.

Especially, since I weened off of my medication close to a year prior to getting pregnant. I did so to create less of a risk of my unborn baby, but that also meant more work for me on the self-care front to maintain a sense of peace and keep that fog lifted.

I took her words to heart and for the most part throughout this pregnancy I’ve done really well. But, as we get closer (one month ‘til my due date to be exact), it’s gotten a lot harder to stay afloat.

The conversations about various complications, the increase in scans and testing, new (and not always favorable) developments that can change the course of my birth plan. On top of money quite literally flying out the window in preparation, and so much more—my head is spinning.

And these pregnancy hormones that have me in tears almost every day, aren’t helping.

But I’ve had to remind myself on various occasions that I *do* have the tools to get through this.

Often times, when we’re bombarded with one thing after another coping can feel impossible. We can feel overwhelmed, overcome with so much that there seems to be no way out, yet there always is. It just depends on our outlook and what we’re willing to shift or prioritize in order to make it.

For me, it looks like an increase in deep breathing, meditation, slowing all the way down and becoming more present. It’s also about talking back to myself, often, and countering negativity with facts, instead of catastrophizing.

It’s also about doing a lot less, and giving myself permission to pivot, instead of piling more and more on my to-do list. Not everything I want to get done can or will get done, and I just have to give myself the grace to be okay with it.

Lastly, for me, it’s opening up to those closest to me. The plight of being a high-functioning person with anxiety and depression is that most of the time, people forget. And you hold it together so well that even when you remind them, they may not take it as seriously as intended.

But I promised to myself that it’s time for me to get vulnerable. When someone asks how I am not just saying “good, taking it a day at a time,” and instead giving the real. And letting those who can help advocate for me, do so.

These are my tools, and I want you to ask yourself what yours are. You have the power to clear the fog, to get your head above water and create room for peace in your mind and life.

xo, Aisha Beau

You deserve the support

My mom moved in with us a month and a half ago and I’ve loved it so far.

I’ve been sharing how we’ve been out an about, putting together the nursery, the food she’s been making for David and I—yet sometimes, I do have some pause about it.

I’m 35-years-old and my mom is here making me lunch, helping us with laundry, groceries, and some home maintenance. Is this immature? Do people now think I’m not self-sufficient?

As the eldest daughter, I’ve always had an unspoken responsibility to take care of things myself. To be hyper-independent, an overachiever, and when I left home at 17 for college, I basically never looked back.

Thrusted myself into adulthood, hard work, grinding, making a name for myself and up until meeting David, didn’t allow myself to rely on the help of anyone else.

Fast-forward 18 years, and in that time I’ve climbed my way up the corporate ladder, pivoted to entrepreneurship, fought my way out of debt, navigated depression and breaking generational curses, married a man who genuinely loves and supports me, bought our first home together.

And now, as I sit here ready to embark on the next chapter, having a baby—hell yes I want my mom *physically* back in my day to day life. Yes, I need her support, love, affection, and expertise. And no, this doesn’t minimize all I’ve accomplished or who I’ve grown to be.

Not to mention, this is a luxury not a lot of people have—parents who are truly supportive, live nearby, or alive, to be with them during times like this. So, the gratitude I have runs deep.

I think those of us who are hyper-independent, eldest daughters, and have had to rely on ourselves for most of our lives have *such* a hard time softening because of just how hard we’ve had to become to get here.

We worry that all we’ve done before this will be in vain. When bay-bee…getting help, genuine support, love, and tender care is what we deserve.

So, don’t fight it. When someone’s willing to be there for you welcome it with open arms. Embrace this part of your journey too. It’s just as important.

xo, Aisha Beau

Your change of season is here

So, before I get into my thoughts and feelings for this week (lol), I want to share that David and I did our very first parenting brand campaign with Huggies! We debuted part 1 today, and I couldn’t be more excited—click here to watch!

This new journey means new forms of content and you know what, I’m open to it. As long as I stay true to myself in the process.

I’ve been thinking a lot about change these days as we get closer to our due date. And the intense shift that’s about to happen in our lives.

Despite my efforts to say ‘it’s not close yet, it’s still SO far away”—that sh*t is getting close, lmao. And it’s crunch time.

We’ve barely had any free weekends all summer or so far this fall, but somehow I need to fit in some time to get this nursery together, purchase other necessary items to keep a child alive, plan how my business is going to function while I’m on maternity leave and mentally prepare.

I also need to bake in time to simply SLOW down. My body is feeling it these days and that’s adding to my anxiety around the entire prep process.

As much of a planner as I am, and as much as I do enjoy rewriting my narrative/reinvention—big, HUGE changes do still worry me. And sometimes that anxiety causes me to freeze or procrastinate. Which I’m trying my hardest not to allow take over.

It’s hard. But I’m choosing to breath deeply, speak kindly to myself, and take things one day at a time.

Change is good. It can sometimes bring out the best in us. Allow us to see other parts of ourselves that we didn’t know we had. It can also bring us closer to ourselves and our greater purpose. Or the life we’ve always envisioned. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be scary.

Nevertheless, choosing to walk with that fear instead of allowing it to cripple you, can make way for so much more. And perhaps, you’ll never look back.  

xo, Aisha Beau

How are you gunna bounce back?

Did you miss me?!

I definitely missed you over these past few weeks, but chiiiile, I needed the break. And let me tell you, a break was taken, lol!

David and I went to Aruba for my birthday (September 1st!) and used the opportunity to also celebrate a “baby moon” and just take the time to slow down and connect with each other. It’s been an eventful summer to say the least so it was nice to literally hit pause.

Everyday we slept in, showered, hit the beach, ate, read, napped, went back to the room, showered, went out for dinner, and made it back to our hotel room and knocked out.

I haven’t felt so at ease in a while. We all need those types of vacations—that are truly VAY-CAY-SHUNS.

Last week, I got back into the swing of my normal routine and began filming again, and while putting together the latest episode of my YouTube series, Life Re-Imagined, something devastating happened.

My camera literally stopped recording halfway through, but I didn’t realize.

This was probably my most fluid episode yet, I was really in my groove. So, imagine how sad I was to see when I went to stop the recording, that the camera already decided to do that for me.

I had two options in that moment, to panic, get pissed off, start crying, completely undo the floral arrangements I worked so hard to make and start over. OR take a beat, get creative, figure out how I could pivot, and bounce back.

And I’ma be honest, I didn’t jump to the second option right away. I was annoyed af. Like, why would this happen? Why would this happen NOW? Am I just meant to always struggle?! Yes, my thoughts got dramatic, quick lol, so I had to redirect.

I took a breath and a moment.

I remembered that I also happened to be recording the video at a different angle for IG on my iPhone—which held me down and never stopped recording. So, I could use that footage to supplement it.

Also, the point of Life Re-Imagined isn’t to *just* showcase lifestyle tips and tutorials, but for me to share nuggets and inspiration along the way.

So, I hit record on my camera, got in front and decided to be transparent. I let the viewers know that my camera cut off in the middle of my tutorial. And that although I was disappointed, this was a lesson in giving myself grace.

My negative thoughts, worries, and anxiety did come up, but I didn’t stay in that place for long. I chose to bounce back. To redirect and move forward.

I spoke about this, dropped in some of the tutorial content from my phone, and re-shot the ending. And you know what? The response was great! People still watched ‘til the end. They commented on how beautiful the arrangements were. And how the video and theme inspired them as well.

So, how are *you* gunna bounce back? Whether your camera shuts off, there’s a big change of plans, you don’t get the opportunity you set out for, or receive some feedback you don’t love. It’s about how we move forward, how we choose to respond—not react, to the situation that truly dictates the outcome.

xo, Aisha Beau

You have to stop being so hard on yourself.

I kicked off last week crying to my manager about how frustrated and stuck I’ve been feeling lately.

And I ended the week with being so overwhelmed with joy at the fact that all of the early bird discount spots for my retreat were booked.

Somewhere in between that, I took on the very tedious project of putting up wallpaper in our baby’s nursery. Which required *a lot* of patience.

I experienced so many different emotions in just a 7 day period.

All of which pointed back to the fact that I seriously need to stop being so hard on myself all the damn time.

9 times out of 10, I’m doing a much better job than I give myself credit for. But that’s how life is.

We hyper fixate on the negative. What’s gone wrong. Where we need to improve. Why things still aren’t going the way we want.

Instead of taking a beat and not just acknowledging, but truly basking in what is going well.

What we did get right. How far we’ve come. And what we’re being blessed with currently.

It’s hard though, especially for those of us who are high achievers, and have big aspirations. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve, grow, and succeed. Which isn’t a bad thing, at all. But there are times when enough, should be enough.

So, this is my message to you, and me—to just chill.

You’re doing so much better than you lead yourself to believe. And you *must* give yourself permission to see it that way.

I blame it on the fact that I haven’t been keeping up with my gratitude journal lately, LOL. I wrote in it later on in the week and it felt so good to just focus on the positive.

I urge you to do the same.

Starting today, take 2 minutes to write out 3 things you’re grateful for. Big or small, in any area of your life.

Keep that up for the next few weeks and see how it feels. Sometimes it’s not enough to just say we’re going to try looking on the bright side, we must practice it. Train our minds to default to optimism and see just how much of an impact it makes. In not just our mood, but our outlook on the world around us.

xo, Aisha Beau

You have it in you to keep going

I have a lot on my plate and mind right now.

And there’s been this constant battle between feeling overwhelmed/defeated versus sticking to the plan and remaining disciplined. I’d be lying if I said that doing my best to achieve the latter hasn’t been *so* hard these days. I’ve talked a lot about my slooowwww growth over the years and recently it’s been bothering me again.

I’m working hard, remaining consistent, being intentional, stepping out of my comfort zone, pouring my heart into everything I’m doing and still—things are moving at a snails pace. But, I have to keep reminding myself—through gritted teeth, that in life and entrepreneurship, this is how it goes.

A while ago I wrote out a quote that addresses these feelings really well, and have had it hung up on my office ever since. It reads:

“Discipline is remembering what you want most, not what you want right now”

And chiiiiile, whether I like it or not—this is the truth.

Too often we grind it out for a few weeks, a few months or even a year and expect to see the results of our efforts right away. But it takes so much more than that. We have to put in the work long-term, and maintain the mindset that what we’re doing isn’t in vain. We just have to keep going.

Lord knows, I wanted about 40,000 more IG and YouTube followers, all of my retreat spots BOOKED, several high paying brand deals and speaking engagements on the pipeline, and for my engagement to quadruple, like yesterday.

But this all takes time.

The seeds I’m planting. The foundation I’m laying. The lessons I’m learning along the way—are all setting me up for not just these small things I’ve listed, but so, so much more.

If you’re feeling frustrated, tired, impatient, and overwhelmed by the work you’re putting in—and as if you’re seeing little in return. Just know you aren’t alone. And that your time is coming. Despite how it may feel right now.

Stay disciplined. Practice keeping the faith. Remember your “why”. Believe that what you’re working towards will be yours in due time. And it may be even bigger than what you could have ever imagined.

You deserve it, so it will happen.

Your husband doesn’t need to be boring, just content

While aimlessly scrolling over the weekend I came across a Tweet that said something along the lines of, boring men make the best husbands. And chile, I rolled my eyes so hard because I absolutely hate this.

The idea that men (or our partners) can only be thoughtful, trustworthy, devoted if they’re “boring” makes absolutely no sense. Who wants to spend the rest of their life with someone who isn’t interesting?

In my opinion, what you really want in a partner is someone who’s content. And by definition, content (not content like social media LOL) means “in a state of peaceful happiness.”

When you and your partner are content with one another, your relationship, and marriage—there are no boring days.

You feel joy in each other’s company and don’t need to look outside of that for fulfillment.

Right before meeting my husband, I was dating a man for two years who wasn’t content. His boys were who he’d prefer to be with and if they all happened to be busy, then, we’d have our time together. Dates were few and far between, because he always had other plans—or was busy looking for something else to do instead of being with me. He prioritized traveling with his guy friends and in that time span we never once took a trip together.

He’s someone most people wouldn’t call “boring” because he was always out and in the mix. And I found myself chasing him from day party to day party every weekend. Trying to keep up and get in where I could fit in on his schedule.

He was in search of something outside of us—whether it was gratification, excitement, or probably a different girlfriend.

And let me tell you—there’s nothing more boring than a person who can’t just sit still. They’re never satisfied. Always looking for the next place to be, scrolling in search of that dopamine fix, and can’t hold a conversation for more than a minute.

When I met David, that was when I realized it wasn’t “boring” or “straight-laced” I was looking for. It was a man who was content with me and us.

There’s never a dull moment in our household. Whether we’re sitting on the couch bingeing our favorite shows, traveling to new places together, trying new restaurants or going out to the movies for date night—being in each other’s company and presence is more than enough.

We don’t constantly need to do “group” trips, or “group” dates to fill the void. We prioritize quality time over being out, just to say we did something.

We’re content.

As someone who dated A LOT, before I met my husband, and who opened myself up to meeting maaaannnyy different people during that time. I will say to you that nothing beats the relationship in which you’re both in a state of peaceful happiness with one another. Don’t stop searching until *that* is what you find. Everything else will fall into place.