We recently connected with T’Nia Thomas and have shared our conversation below.
Hi T’Nia, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Every day I am constantly evolving and gaining more and more confidence and self-esteem. The way I began to develop it stemmed from self-discovery. Taking the time to discover who I am and the things I love made me realize that there is only one me on this planet — and just that alone is a confidence booster. We are unique and individual in our own ways, which makes us so special. How can you not have high self-esteem knowing that you are special — a true one-of-one?
(Unless you have a twin, of course — lol.)
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I was originally born in Maryland but moved to California when I was 2 years old. I’ve been bicoastal my whole life, going back and forth between Maryland and California. I spent the summers and winters in Maryland, and the spring and fall in California — I basically just went to school out here.
I wanted to be an actress since I was 5 years old, and my love for modeling started to develop in high school. When I graduated high school, I had no desire to go to college, but my mother told me I had to do something if I didn’t want to go to school — and that’s how entrepreneurship came about. At 18, I opened up a kiosk in a mall in the Valley called Topanga Mall, selling accessories. When COVID hit, my business was shut down, and I decided to rebrand. Shortly after that, my brand Utopiansphere came about.
Utopiansphere is a brand that evolves with me. Whatever accessory or piece of clothing I’m into at the time, I design it and make it my own — in a way I would want to wear it. From hats to necklaces and much more on the way, it’s always a reflection of where I am in life.
I also have a deep love for music, which I’ve had since childhood. During COVID, I got into producing, but eventually took a step back to improve. Right now, I’m studying music theory and learning to play instruments — I’m currently focused on the electric guitar.
The thing that makes all of this so special is my ability to create. With acting, I can create different characters and different versions of them that not only tell a story but also create emotions in people — making them feel happy, sad, nostalgic, or whatever the character may bring out. With modeling, I can create photoshoots simply because I feel inspired — like deciding to do a photoshoot fully clothed in the pool on a random Tuesday, just because it makes me feel good and allows me to express myself. With designing, I don’t have to wait for something I like to be made; instead, I create it myself. And with music, I can create something that feels good to me and appeals to my ears — whether it’s learning how to make a bridge and put it in a song or picking up a new instrument purely from the joy it brings.
There are so many things I’m passionate about, and I cannot wait to share them with the world.
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?
The three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are delusion, speaking my life into existence, and constantly getting closer to God.
With delusion, if you constantly think about the places you’re going to reach or the person you believe yourself to be, it eventually stops being delusion once it becomes true. Speaking things into existence is the second part of that — you already have the vision, so now it’s time to declare it out loud and watch everything start to fall into place.
And above all, getting closer to God has been the most important. Through all of my personal experiences, I’ve realized that I cannot do a single thing without the Most High. God is the reason I am where I am today and the reason I will continue to move forward in the future. Having God on my side makes everything align, and that’s the foundation of my journey.
My advice for anyone starting out is to embrace that sense of “delusion” — dream bigger than what feels realistic, and think beyond what society tells you to think and do. Speak positivity and possibility into your life every day, because your words have power. And most importantly, stay grounded in faith. When you keep God at the center of your journey, everything else will fall into place in divine timing.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The first and most impactful thing my parents did for me was simply creating me and bringing me into this world — they did that for me and for humanity, hehe. Another truly impactful moment was my mom moving me to California — Los Angeles specifically — at a young age. Growing up in such a creative environment shaped the mindset I have today. I feel like if I had lived in Maryland year-round as a child, I wouldn’t have been exposed to as many possibilities and opportunities or learned to think outside the box the way I do now. At the same time, being able to experience both cultures year-round has made me well-rounded and given me two places that equally feel like home — and for that, I’m extremely grateful and blessed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.utopiansphere.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planettnia/
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