Growth spurts

Read time: 3 min 24 sec

Whatup Reader!

Wow, what a week it’s been since last we spoke.

I’m gonna go ahead and address the elephant in the room and use this email to talk about the election. If you want to stop reading right now that’s 100% your choice. If you want to unsubscribe after you read this email, also 100% your choice.

I’m fully aware that as soon as one talks politics, there’s a chance it affects their business.

It’s a chance I’m willing to take.

I’m not here to shame anyone into doing anything but and I’ll be the first to say that I hate when folks try to manipulate others by saying that they have a responsibility to act a certain way or use their platform in a certain way. Bullshit.

If you have a platform, hell, if you have a voice, I believe you have an opportunity to use it; not an obligation, not a responsibility.

And so with this opportunity I’d like to say that my Threads feed has been absolutely lit since Sunday afternoon, and I watched in real time as doom scrolling very quickly gave way to hope scrolling, and I’m so fucking here for it.

One of my favorite accounts to follow over there is 4X NYTimes bestselling author, Luvvie. She dropped this post on Sunday, and it basically made me stand up and clap:

Before I dive into my favorite part of what she said, let me say that I don’t love talking about politics. I really don’t. But my mere existence is political. I’m female, I’m Black, I’m Puerto Rican, and I’m gay. Like, big big gay.

My literal existence is political AF.

So, while I’d love to just ignore politics and write emails about online business and using Instagram and pretend that the outcome of the political happenings in this country won’t affect me, that would be like walking into the road with my eyes closed. (Honestly, if you’re anyone but an able-bodied, cis, heterosexual white man, you do not have the privilege of ignoring politics. We’re walking into oncoming traffic, friends.)

Mama didn’t raise no fool.

There’s more to my life than Instagram an online business, and these emails will always reflect that.

Today we're talking politics. We'll see what next week brings.

When Biden announced that he would no longer be seeking re-election and that that the Democratic nominee would likely be a Black woman, I was far from elated.

I know how this country treats people who look like me. I’ve seen how this country treats anyone who isn’t an able-bodied, cis, heterosexual white male.

So, when I read the news on Instagram (don’t you be judging my breaking-news sources) my immediate thought was, “I don’t know if this country is ready.”

A few hours later I read that quote from Luvvie that I shared earlier in this email, and for the eleventy billionth time in my life, I was so damn grateful for the internet.

“Growth spurts don’t come with the consent of who it’s happening to.”

Gotdamn that is good. And so freakin true.

The beach volleyball player in me would absolutely consent to a height growth spurt right now, but I digress.

I believe that many of you reading this want something different, and I’m not just talking about politics. Perhaps it’s in your personal life, your professional life, or perhaps it is on a bigger scale that relates to this country and how it’s run. But it’s my guess that if you’re on this email list there’s a good chance you want something different in life, and there’s an equally good chance that either you, or those around you, aren’t ready.

“Growth spurts don’t come with the consent of who it’s happening to.”

Do it before you’re ready.

Do it before other people are ready.

Do it and don’t be surprised when you learn that lots of other people are in fact ready. (I’m telling you, my Threads feed is LIT. Also, Gen Z and the cat ladies are out there doing their thing.)

Do it because now is absolutely the right time and growth spurts don’t come with the consent of who it’s happening to.

Again, I’m not here to force anyone’s hand or shame you into taking action.

If you have a voice, you have an opportunity, and I hope that you take it.

Cheers to growth spurts. #Harris2024

Maestro out.

Do the thing.