It Isn't Perfect, But It Might Be

Happy Sunday,

It feels like I have to listen to Olivia Dean’s album The Art of Loving once a day lately. It’s become a ritual—putting on good music, settling into a feeling. There’s something special about spring, too, the warmth soothing our bodies as we leave the cold behind. I always think it’s funny that I’m a winter baby because I love, love, being warm. Winter is nice to look at, but I’d rather be somewhere on a beach, mostly because I appreciate a good breeze and a frozen drink.

I appreciate the art of loving. The art of relaxing. Another reminder that another season is on the way.

This is our in-between. Like the flowers blooming, we are stepping into a kind of rebirth. I love this life of mine. I love that our days are getting warmer, lighter, softer. And I find myself smiling at the things I hold onto, and the things that hold onto me.

I live a bountiful life, and I will always be full of love, opportunity, peace, and joy.

I am so grateful for this new day. I’m grateful for dreams. I’m grateful for positive environments. I’m grateful for the process, the mindset it takes to keep moving forward.

Even though I enjoy what I do, there’s still that quiet fear sometimes, like maybe AI or something could replace the entertainment industry I love the most—being creative, being around art. But then I think about the people I work with, the ones who truly enjoy what they do. They always encourage you to keep going. Some people have worked behind the scenes for 30 years, and you only recognize their work because you remember a line they wrote, a spaceship they built, or you heard about a new film or show they worked on.

When I was younger, I was always inspired by the credits. We would wait, and I would think, “One day, I’ll be there.” My love for process started with acting at a very young age—I’ve always loved rehearsals, reading, watching everything come together before it’s even shared.

There are days I don’t want to go to work. I’d rather stay home. But I know it takes baby steps. And I remember Ryan Coogler had to take steps too. That’s why he so inspires me, because he didn’t just go alone; he brought people with him.

Sometimes I practice my award speeches because I really admire myself. And then I remember, the people I look up to once stood exactly where I stand now.

I’m inspired by people like Issa Rae, Mara Brock Akil, Spike Lee, Michael B. Jordan, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Will Smith, and so many others. I’m inspired by people you may never meet, who stay rooted in their purpose despite everything.

This is why I show up. To work events like the American Black Film Festival Honors, which I had the pleasure of working at in February. This is why I love showing up for my friends, for being able to see as many people as I can when I visit LA. It’s just a reminder of how rich I am—rich in love, rich that I can go to all of these other places and see people, rich because I am recognized and appreciated wherever I land.

It’s so important to be in rooms with people who inspire you. I’m so grateful for the people who put me in these rooms, but also for the gift that led me there and will continue to give. I get chills thinking about the places my dreams are taking me.

Which is why, if you are looking for me, you will find me in the stillness.

You will find me where I am loved and appreciated. You will find me seeking God, not the ways of the world.

On Friday, we had a screening of the first episode of Lioness Season 3 and celebrated after.

Saturday, I sat by the pool all day, and my mom joined me in the jacuzzi that evening.

These moments remind me: this is enough.

All I have is enough.

Lately, there’s been so much talk about boundaries, cutting things off, but what if we just let things go? And if they find us again, we handle it then. I think about how God meets us where we are. So why not carry joy with us every day?

We deserve to be silly. We deserve to be smiling for no reason.

I want to be so happy this year that it makes the enemy uncomfortable, but I want it to be genuine. Rooted in appreciating where I am, in being present.

I hope you remember, it’s your world. One day, you will win that Oscar. You will win the battle of the mind. You don’t have to do it alone. You don’t have to do it just by networking or always letting the world know you are here and ready. You can do it from your own bubble—the world you created—and love it there.

I am so grateful for how I spend my time on this earth, and who I spend it with.

And I am so, so grateful.

Did I say I was grateful? Because I will say it again when I wake up tomorrow, or next Sunday when I write to you again.