20 Something Entrepreneur: Isis Smalls

This post is part of a series: Slow Cooking, 20-something Entrepreneurs, which I created to shed light on what it's like to start your own business in your 20s. Meet the other beauties here. 

Happy Monday, friends!

It's an especially exciting day around here because our amazing 20-Something Entrepreneur, Isis Smalls, is launching her very first book. The e-book launches today, in fact! Ah! am so proud of her and honored to share it with you. Her book, Beauty in the Making: Learning to Radiate from the Inside Out, is targeted toward helping young women learn to experience the Lord, establish a walk with Him and lean on that relationship during hard challenging times. 

She resigned from her job as a sixth grade teacher last spring to pursue writing the book and public speaking. She's also an amazing singer, All-American volleyball player and was Miss Houston 2014. She rocks :) 

What is your morning routine? How do you get the day going?

My morning routine begins with a warm cup of coffee and my daily devotional time. The first thing I do before talking to anyone or turning on my phone is read the Bible. It puts me in a good mood and relieves any anxiety I have for what is ahead that day. I always say, “You don’t want to talk to me unless I’ve talked to Jesus first.”  

Mr. Snooze Button is my best friend and worst enemy. Unfortunately we’ve been dating too long, but in this new season where I am working for myself, we’ve had to take a break. I have to get up early if I want to have a fruitful day, so it’s my daily goal to be in the 5 a.m. Club. Early bird gets the worm they say, right?

You resigned from your job to pursue your dreams. It seems like you have it all together when it comes to knowing what you want to do with your life. Has it always been that way?

This question makes me laugh hysterically because on a yearly basis and sometimes even daily, I am always redefining myself and asking what in the world I want to do with my life. As I continue to grow, I am learning to release the need for official titles and traditional roles, and pursue the passion instead.

So, regardless of whether I am teaching, singing, or speaking, the mission is to inspire, encourage, and motivate people to become all God created them to be. What form that takes is something I am learning to be flexible with and leave it up to Him.

Now that you're in the latter half of your 20s, if you could, what would you tell yourself at 22?

What do you wish you'd known? I would tell my 22-year old self to trust your instincts and know that God will never lead you astray. Since graduating from college I have had incredible opportunities, but I have not always enjoyed them to the fullest because I allowed worry, anxiety, or fear to steal my joy. I am learning to release the outcome to God and that I don’t have to hold my breath out of fear of making mistakes. I can trust that I will do my best and He is making my crooked places straight.

What was the most influential book you read in your 20s?

Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World by Lisa Bevere was by far the most influential book for me. It’s about the power found in a woman’s strength, passion, and beauty. This book gave me the courage to pursue the title of Miss Houston. It was my very first pageant ever and being completely introverted and shy, I lacked the confidence to believe I could actually win. By the time I got done with this book, I was sprinting towards the stage with a stronger sense of purpose, self-esteem, and direction.

What’s the biggest misconception people may have about you from watching you on social media?

Judging from social media, people might assume that I have always been a “glam girl” who competed in pageants. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Before I competed for Miss Houston, I was a proud jock. I was an All-American volleyball player who did not know how to do her hair, make-up, or walk in heels. The closest I ever got to caring about fashion was picking out the color of my headband for the next game. Needless to say, the transition to pageantry was rough, but because of it I have learned that presentation is important.

For so many of us, our 20s can be one big comparison trap. How do you keep yourself from constant comparison? The internet makes it so hard!

Oh my goodness, comparison is the slickest of evils! I have to constantly remind myself to run my race. Some days I am better at it than others. I am learning to trust that what God has for me is for me and that His stage is big enough for all of us to shine. If I am really struggling with jealousy or insecurity one day, I pray my way through it. I ask God for wisdom to help me see that person and myself through eyes of love instead of intimidation.

What do you consider play? And! What are your creative outlets?

When I speak to youth, that is play for me! Kids are so receptive and it’s an honor to pour wisdom into them. I enjoy that I can be extra fun and crazy while presenting to kids because they don’t judge you! They just love on you, smile, and laugh while they are taking in nuggets that could change the trajectory of their life. That makes my day!

Other than that, I really value quality time with friends and family. I am always on the go so any time we can steal to go to dinner, grab coffee, or just catch up over dessert refreshes me. In terms of creative outlets:  sweating keeps me sane! Few things are better than turning my music all the way up and getting a nice, hard workout in. This is where I get rejuvenated with clarity and fresh perspective to keep going. I absolutely love it!

Can't get enough of her? I get it.

You can check out her Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up with her.

It's Not Too Late to Start Over

We are always one thought away from a big idea. 

I scribbled those words down as quickly as I could and clung to them like a security blanket.

It had been a frustrating 48 hours. I'd ended the Friday before with bad news followed by discouraging news for The Letter Project. I went into the weekend feeling like the week had been a waste, which is the tricky thing about getting this kind of news on a Friday. It can leave you feeling like the entire week was a failure, instead of just a few things went wrong. Bad news on a Tuesday? You've got three days to regroup and begin again. But bad news on a Friday? I worried all weekend. I felt like I hadn't earned my Saturday relaxation (a lie.). I entered Monday hesitant and a little uneasy. 

I read blogs that morning, which is never the right way to start my week. I didn't just read them, though. I used them as evidence: See! I told myself. You'll never be this good or successful. I was spiraling. 

I felt frustrated with myself. I felt frustrated with God. I felt like He'd led me one direction - turning corners, taking leaps and crossing bridges. And then, just when I wasn't sure where we were anymore, I felt like I'd been left alone in the wilderness. I thought this was where we were going and now I don't know how to get back to where I was before! I perseverated as I tried to figure out what the heck I was supposed to do now. 

And then, just as quickly as the darkness had overcome me and I'd felt lost and uncertain, I had an idea. An idea that seemed like it might work. A little bit of hope. I felt that familiar new-idea energy buzz through me and, as I started working on it, I realized: 

We are always one step away from a new beginning. 

Whenever I coach women who are in painful relationships, the question that always arises is: How did I get here? How did I end up in this place? This isn't me, they tell me. I was never this girl.

They tell me this between tears and in moments of frustration. They say it after their boyfriend has been mean to them. Or after a eye-opening experience made them realize - oh my gosh, I thought I loved him and I don't anymore. And, whenever they ask that question, I can hear them wondering, quietly:

Is it too late to begin again? Am I in too deep? 

For any of you out there who are in the thick of it - who are wondering if it's too late to get out of a bad relationship, change career directions, move cities or begin again, I just want to tell you: it's not too late. It's never too late to begin again. 

You have so much life ahead of you. Fight for the life you want. Fight for the relationship you want. Don't settle because you feel old (you're not) or because it feels like it's too late (it's not). 

The dark parts - when it's like a maze and you're hurting and confused - that's when the grit has to kick in. It's OK to be mad, yes. It's OK to feel frustrated and sad, too. But, remember, you're always one step away from something new.

Keep going. Keep breathing. Keep trusting. Just take one step at a time.

Thoughts & Feelings from Kenya!

Hi, friends! We're still in Kenya but have a bit of computer access today. I thought I'd check in and say hello. So, hello :)

Also! I tried many times to add photos to this post, but the wifi isn't strong enough to support it. So forgive me for the lack of photos. Feel free to check out our insta feed for a visual!

The truth - the kind of truth that doesn't come through when you're posting cute babies and delicious mangos - is that this trip has been hard. Harder that we expected, for sure. The highs and lows have been extreme and have come like waves in the ocean - one after another, so close together that we've struggled to get our footing. We've had moments of abundant joy, when we never want to leave and feel like our hearts could explode. And we've had moments of absolute heartbreak, when we've seen things we can never unsee. Things that will continue to break our hearts long after we're gone.

We knew it would be hard to be in the thick of rural poverty, but I don't think we expected just how painful it would feel, since both of us have been to similar places before. We've both had nights where we've been haunted by the question: but why, why, why does this happen? As we replayed the cries of a sick baby in our minds and envisioned her hollow, sad eyes, praying, praying that she'd make it through the night.  

I guess I'm telling you all of this just to say thank you. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We've needed them every day. Your prayers have carried us and we couldn't have done it without you. You've helped us take it one day at a time, embracing the highs and breathing deeply into the lows. Thank you.

And, of course, the trip hasn't just been hard. As I've said, we've experienced some of the highest highs here, too. I've never felt so close to Chris and find myself yearning to stay in this moment in our marriage. I'm basically feeling totally obsessed with him :) It's amazing what happens when you really need each other. Not need like normal Atlanta day-to-day need, but need like: I cannot do this without you. Remind me to breathe, OK?

We've met amazing, generous people. And have rocked babies until they were snoring and sweating in our arms. We have learned so much about gardening. Have seen the most beautiful stars and sunsets and foliage. We've learned to ration peanut butter and oats, stretching one day's supply into three. We've learned the joy of a fresh mango. And, at the same time, we've learned the value of food for survival, not just pleasure.  

We've gotten to be so much lower maintenance, which happens naturally when the toilet is a hole in the ground and the shower is a bucket of water. I haven't worn makeup once, which, at first when I'd see photos of myself, I'd think dannng I look tired. But now when I see them I think Oh that's my face! Nice.

We have horrific Teva and t-shirt tan lines. We are sweating constantly - whether we're gardening or sitting in a hot office need not matter. We smell like sunscreen and bug spray. We've learned that attraction is so much less about how you look and more about how connected you feel and how open you are with one another.

We leave today for our safari, which, of course, is bittersweet in every sense of the word. We're sad to be leaving our village, but beyond excited for the vacation. We're also feeling guilty about going to an indulgent resort after what we've seen during the last two weeks. But, we knew that would be part of the transition.

We'll be on the safari in Masai Mara from Monday to Thursday, then we'll fly to Nairobi for one night. From there, we'll fly to Istanbul, then to Atlanta. We'll be back on Friday. I can hardly believe we're in our last week!

Thank you again for your prayers! Have the best week.