I’m excited.
And a bit nervous.
Everyone knows me as Doctor Venus, the Millionaire Mentor. And if you’ve been following my blog, you know I’ve been struggling with what to call myself, ever since the emergency hysterectomy turned my world upside down.
I’m starting fresh. I’m starting new. I’m starting from a whole different place.
I’m starting over.
I have a new brand—a new direction. An evolved direction. Dr. Venus Opal Reese. I had thought I was going to go with just VenusOpal, but I want my new brand to encompass ALL of me.
The “Dr.” represents Stanford—Nanna chided me for wanting to leave it out. She questioned why I was so committed to honoring the street in me but so willing to eradicate my 13 years of education represented in my Ph.D. from Stanford. #mouthonfloor I had no words. So, “Dr.” stays.
“Reese” is my birth mother’s maiden name. Momma named me “Venus Opal” after my zodiac sign, Libra. In astrology, Venus is a planet that rules our love style. Opal is the birthstone. It’s taken decades to grow into the fullness and beauty of my name. I was named after a brilliant, bright star in the sky. My middle name is a precious jewel. Maybe Momma knew all along that I had a destiny that wanted me … #iloveyoumomma.
I think my daddy would have liked me. I also think he would have loved my name … Momma named me while there was still love present between them. At least, that’s what my heart says. So my full name includes all of me: the streets and the Stanford; the pain and the protection; the hurt and the hope. #iammyfathersdaughter
God is faithful. I feel in my heart that He is moving me into marketplace ministry. Not that I’m a minister—I talk too much shit for that! But just like the civil rights movement was a ministry, my work ministers. It has everything to do with speaking your truth … breathing your fire.
It has everything to do with healing. Healing your self-hate wound. Healing the mama wound, the daddy wound. Once you deal with your wounds, you can manifest. And when you create the sufficient conditions to manifest, what arises is your destiny.
And I trust that THIS is what I’m supposed to do. (If it wasn’t, all the pieces wouldn’t have landed where they have.) I trust and know that everything is working in my favor for my greatest good in the most magnificent way beyond anything I could ever ask for. I get to just trust that.
What I’m being with is sharing that process. Not just with my Facebook family, not just with my tribe … but with the masses.
So why am I nervous? Well, because everyone knows me for millions, not manifesting.
Yes, I might be a LITTLE bit of a punka$s here!
Because I’m shifting, y’all.
This is going from business development to personal development to spiritual growth. Or maybe it’s always been all three and the order is just shifting. Be that as it may, I’m doing God’s work now. I’ve come out of the spiritual closet as a subversive Christian. And it makes me a little emotional!
This is my first time going into the industry, living out loud. I’m being my FULL self—not my “perfected” self.
I’m rebuilding, here. And it’s going to take some time. Nothing is immediate, and I don’t expect anything overnight. I don’t have anything ready. I don’t have an offer yet (although I’m working on something SO HOT, SO POWERFUL, I can’t wait to share it with you!).
But you have to start with people. And that’s what I’m doing—making business friends with the heavy hitters in this industry.
And even though it is a little nerve-wracking, I’m reminding myself of all the reasons I have to be proud of me.
I’m proud of me for getting back up. For trusting. For healing. For going to yoga. For reading a piece I wrote at a Spoken Word event. For being an artist. (I AM an artist.)
I’m setting my intention:
I’m walking into love. I’m walking into acceptance. I’m walking into appreciation. I’m walking into joy. I’m walking into friendships. I’m walking into family.
I’m growing and evolving, and it is all in perfect time.
Most of all, I’m thanking God for my magnificent life as I give myself permission to be my WHOLE self. Nothing hidden. No shame. Really walking in the audacity of authenticity.
And that’s more than enough.
I am more than enough … just as I am …
VenusOpal