Vol. 1 Edition 10: July 13, 2025 Live on Purpose. Speak with Intention

If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive. — Audre Lorde

Dear Brilliant Community,

Last week, I shared the launch of The Clarity Lab— it’s where we turn overwhelm into action—using prompts, frameworks, and live sessions to unstick your boldest work. This week, I’ve been living inside that clarity work. Testing my own tools. Asking better questions. Practicing on myself first.  And it’s been… emotional.

This weekend, I chaperoned the 2025 Leadership Development & Citizenship Education Institute (LDCEI) hosted by the Association of NC Alpha Men, a co-ed program for high school students. My daughter, Milani, was in this cohort at Winston-Salem State. And watching her—and these brilliant teens—has me reflecting on the roads we push our kids down and the ones we never walked ourselves — a reminder that whether we’re guiding teens or our own inner critic, we teach what we most need to learn.

I came prepared to lead a session—but the schedule shifted so I didn’t get to deliver the talk I’d planned. So instead, I listened. I responded when asked. I paid attention to what the moment was teaching me.

And these reflections?

They’re what I would have shared.

What I carry into conversations with my children.

What I remind myself when I’m seeking clarity.

And what I believe every person—teen or adult—needs to revisit again and again.

What would your life look like if your voice led?

What would your life look like if your voice led?

Not everything loud is wise. Not everyone around you is headed where you want to go.

I’m reminded how the eagle—the only bird that flies high enough to outpace the crow—faces its critics. The crow dares to peck at it. But the eagle doesn’t fight back. It just soars higher. So high, the crow falls away, gasping for air.

There are voices that don’t belong to you. Fly higher.

And in that quiet space above the noise, ask yourself:

Who am I when no one else’s voice matters?

What’s one habit your future self will thank you for?

You don’t need to overhaul your life. Just shift by 1% a day.

James Clear calls this the secret to behavior change:

“Make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, make it satisfying.” 

Clear’s mantra mirrors how I design Clarity Lab tools: Make the next step not just possible, but irresistible—obvious, attractive, easy, satisfying.

That’s how change sticks. How it multiplies. And how I’m building clarity in real time— asking myself daily: What’s one small thing that moves me closer?"

What’s one phrase or belief you want to live by this year?

Watch how you speak to yourself. For example:

• I’m not stuck → I’m figuring it out.

• I’m not behind → I’m moving at the pace of alignment.

• I’m not confused → I’m getting curious.

  
  

These shifts aren’t word games—they’re rewiring our self-talk. 

Research shows we process negative self-talk 3x faster than praise.

That’s why rewiring matters.

Our self-talk builds scaffolds or tears down foundations.

I choose scaffolds.

Reframing isn’t fake—it’s a discipline.

And it’s one that can change everything. 

Live with Intention

🎥 Pause + Reflect

Before you scroll away, I want to share a short video that lives in the back of my mind. It’s a 5-minute SuperSoul Sunday clip called:  “Everybody Dies, But Not Everybody Lives” by Prince Ea.  I replay this whenever I default to playing small—it guts me every time.

Watch here

A reminder that you are not here to just pay rent and go to work. You are here to live, to lead, and to leave something behind.

❤️ What Stirred in Me

I saw Beyoncé. Oprah. Spielberg.

What struck me wasn’t their fame—

It was their fire.

The discipline.

The drive.

The unrelenting belief this world needs them.

And I thought: I have to keep going.

Not just for me.

For my children.

For the life I know I’m meant to live.

I’m not here to survive. I’m here to live on purpose.

📌 This Week’s Invitation

Pick one question. One habit. One reframe.

Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it lead you.

And when you forget—return to it.

Because clarity isn’t something you stumble on.

It’s something you practice.

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Book a Clarity Call 

📬 Hit reply, or share your story with me. I’m listening. —I’d love to talk. Let’s build something brilliant . . . together.

With you in the field,

Soyini