Ariss Simone

God, first and foremost, hands down. I started the Blue Heart Project because of the series of traumas and life-altering situations that I experienced in my childhood, as well as in my adolescence, and even in my early adulthood. But it doesn't matter how hard I may fall, or any pain that I've experienced, or any loss that I've had - somehow, someway, God always picked me right back up and put me back where I'm supposed to be every single time. It keeps me pure, you know? My biggest reason for creating the Blue Heart Project was a way of life. We learn in science that our blood and our organs are blue, and then oxygen hits it and then it turns red. So the idea behind the Blue Heart concept is being that pure version of yourself before the toxicity, before the trauma, before the world corrupted you or tried to, or got your hands on you. I know I'm being a little long-winded, but for sure, God, and for sure, understanding who I am and whose I am, regardless of what life may throw my way.

A couple of years ago when I was in high school, I used to work for a photographer, and he said something to me that stuck with me even now. He said, the art of starting. Essentially, most of us, especially as women, we're big on waiting for the right time, or waiting for the right moment, or having the perfect thing to say. But truly, it's just about starting and figuring it out as you go. It's truly more about the execution than the display of it all. I would definitely say that is some very good advice that I received that I not only use in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.

I would say two things. Number one, be confident in the gifts that God gave you. At the end of the day, when it comes down to our purpose, when it comes to why we're put here, typically you receive these downloads and you receive these words on your own. You know, the whole phrase of your calling wasn't a conference call, so I would definitely say leave with what you know God told you, what God deposited down on the inside of you. And also, understand that it's not just about you, you know? It's about the bigger picture. It's about the people that you are trying to impact on a positive level. It is about the healing that you're trying to offer to a specific community or demographic, depending on which one you're working with.

I would say the challenges I believe that I face in my industry at this point is knowing who and where to network. I think that with me being adjacent to the women empowerment industry, it's a lot of women that are in the industry that are not necessarily genuinely in the industry. They're more so placeholders of people that can look good on paper. Also, just being able to discern who's actually here for impact and who's here to just be completely transparent. But the opportunities - when you find the women that are here for impact, when you find the women that you can actually collaborate with, you know, we're better together than we are apart. Teamwork really does make the dream work. So I would definitely say that, in a nutshell, is tenfold.

I would say intentionality and consideration, above all. I feel as though, just in general, because I care deeply, I try my best to be an extremely intentional person. And for sure, the consideration. I feel like consideration is the highest form of love. It's actually my number one love language, whether you're dealing with me on a platonic level or romantic level. So for sure, those two values are what I hold closest.