We were lucky to catch up with Amiana Patterson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amiana , so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Over time I have unapologetically embraced the fact which I believe everyone should, which is knowing there’s no one in the world like me. A lot of people would quote the infamous line “I’m one of one.. the only one.”
With this mindset of being authentic walking into any room has become easy. Learning the effectiveness of my authentication and value adds to the room no matter what that room looks like. Being confident about you who are and what you bring to the table, conversation, or space plays a big role in the ability to be effective.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Lifestyle Content Curator and Serial Entrepreneur. I am a boymom of 4 and milennial wife that shares my journey of motherhood, marriage, and womanhood and how to navigate it all the best way possible with balance.
Sharing my journey has allowed me to also advocate for mental health wellness and self care as both does become hard to manage at times while juggling everyday life.
Living “out loud” across social media has connected me with many women and mothers who have dared to put the mom guilt away and make time for themselves again through actively practicing self care.
Midwest Black Girl Recess, founded in 2023, is a growing community that has allowed women to actively practice self care and mental health wellness on a consistent basis through various monthly challenges as well as participating in annual Recess. As Creative Director of Midwest Black Girl Recess it has been important to me to create a safe space with no judgement for women. I believe that we definitely are better together and coming together to share our stories, combat heart disease through physical activity, and strengthen our spiritual relationship is what is needed within our communities.
While Midwest Black Girl Recess holds a large space in my heart I am also Founder of Pampered Luxe Skincare. Pampered Luxe is an organic skincare line that promotes consistency the skin needs for a healthy skincare journey. Founded in 2014, Pampered Luxe has aided in finding solutions to many skincare problems, concerns, and questions to its customer base. Ranging from eczema to acne, The Pampered Tribe has found comfort in luxury skincare products and has reclaimed confidence in the appearance of their skin.
At the core of my being is a heart of service. The most exciting part about both content curation and entrepreneurship is the ability to flourish in providing a service that many can appreciate. I believe it is necessary especially as moms that we do not lose ourselves as women. Providing tools or suggestions to keep a firm grasp on womanhood through content curation and Midwest Black Girl Recess is important to me. Being able to also transition my heart of service into products for Pampered Luxe has also been important as well.
It has been an exciting and purposeful journey thus far.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe three qualities that has been most impactful on my journey thus far has been self development, self confidence, and dismantling imposture syndrome.
I believe that you are never too old nor is it ever too late to learn. Self development has helped me continue to refine my perspective crafts. It is an ongoing process because I believe you never stop learning. I’ve invested in many courses, online and in person, to gain knowledge and experience in my lane. One of the courses I invested in was Life Coaching, I am a certified Life Coach and NLP. I however gained these certifications and qualifications for myself. I did not gain them to have clients, I used them for my own personal growth.
Self Confidence plays a huge role in being bold enough to present yourself and ideas to the world. I do not want to be a person that lets failure or fear debilitate me from even trying. There is always a possibility of failure before success but I’ve learned having the confidence to do it anyway is a game changer. Believing in yourself and what you have to offer sometimes can be a solo adventure. Having the confidence to see its though anyway is absolutely necessary. Trial and error has personally helped me build confidence. Confidence says either I learn from it or I win but it’s never a loss or failure. I think having that mindset has been impactful to keep going until I get the desired results I feel I am deserving of.
Imposter Syndrome is such a debilitating feeling to live with. It distorts reality and shakes confidence. Dismantling imposter syndrome was not an overnight process but a process that took time to overcome. As I prayed and invested in self development and self confidence, these helped to deconstruct this mindset of doubt or fraudulence. I believe that sometimes watching someone else’s “highlight reels” too much can cause imposter syndrome through comparison.
The best advice I can give is include God in everything that you do, keep your eyes focused on you and your goals and to invest in yourself as much as possible.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
As a content curator and someone who markets online, when I feel overwhelmed the first thing I do is unplug. I unplug from socials for various timeframes depending on the circumstance.
Aside of unplugging I also journal when I feel overwhelmed because it is a healthy way to express how I am feeling at the time. Journaling is actually a weekly habit that I have to check in on my mental health wellness sometimes before getting to the point of feeling overwhelmed.
While unplugging and journaling work for me I believe what works for me the best is spending time with God especially in the moments I feel overwhelmed. Conversations with God brings me back to my center of calm and peace knowing I’m not alone in or on this journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Amianamonik.com
- Instagram: @amianamonik
- Facebook: @miss.a.monik
Image Credits
IDex Media & Photography
JStoia Portrait Design
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
