“PREPARATORY PHASES & READINESS”

“I am ready for myself!”

am I, really? maybe I thought I was until I considered the unknown, which scares me, excites me, behooves me! MY FRIENDS ARE AFRAID THEY’LL LOSE ME.

YOU ARE READY FOR YOURSELF.

WHO’S COMING FOR THE RIDE?

we’Re plantING a seed of readiness here.

let’s talk more about this.

COMING SOON…2025

copyright 2025

THE RHETORICAL STARTER

Who am I?

Who are you? The first reaction is to state your name in response to this question, right? Let’s go deeper than names. Who are you, really? Let’s take some time to answer this question to ourselves before we answer this question to the world. Do you know who you are? Who you really are? The beautiful thing about this question is that the answer is never always the same unless you want it to be. The exploration of yourself is without borders or limits, even those limits of identity that you or someone else has built up around who you are, who you could be, who you want to be, who you never were, who you never had a chance to be, who you never got a chance to know was in there, in you? Perhaps you may create a space of honesty with yourself by saying “I never had a chance to find out much about who I really am.” That sure opens a can of worms! If it did spark curiosity, that is right where you want to be right now. Now we’re on to something!

“Who Are You?” or ‘Who Am I?”

The answer, just as you define yourself, is open to change or refinement over time. We are here to expand internally in any context that builds you up in the direction that you seek to go. The answer is completely open to experiences, open to perspective, open to growth, open to evolution of yourself. Who are you, really? That is as open as you allow it to be. So, open it up! Become available to the openness of it. If you take that by the horns, the answer grows and grows along your journey. In short, to define yourself truly, is to say “I don’t know all that is in this dinner buffet. I see some familiar items that I like, but there is more here to explore. I am hungry and I am ready to taste nearly everything, so I will work my way around until I’ve tasted all that I can. Surely, I will taste new and delicious things and learn something new about my tastebuds!” The buffet is the opportunity to expand. So, eat and discover!

That, my friends, is self-discovery? What you know and being open to what you don’t know, or barely know little about some parts, concerning yourself. You will learn that as you expand your openness, your view expands, and as such, your mindset expands, which we cover in the “mindset matters” pathway.

Eleanor Roosevelt, mid-1900s political figure, activist and First Lady to Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, once said “I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday”. I presume that she may be right in some regard, that we are defined in our identities by the choices that we make in life. 

But I would also strongly suggest on the contrary, that despite the choices that we made in the past, whether good or bad choices, that does not at all define who we are by any means, no not at all, aside from the acceptance or willingness to be our choices. Are you your choices? Are you defined by your choices? If you make good choices and bad choices, how does that become of you? 

Does choice #1 become you, fully? 

Does choice #2 become you, fully? 

Does choice #3 become you, fully? 

Does the combination of those choices become you? 

Are you a product of choices?

Have you found yourself trapped in the identity of a choice?

If so, did you willingly take on the identity of a choice or was the identity of that choice forced upon you by society, family, etc.?

You did something good, so society identified you by that good thing you did.

You did something bad, so society identified you by that bad thing you did.

You did something you’re proud of, so you identified yourself by that thing that you’re proud of.

You did something you’re ashamed of, and you identified yourself by that shameful thing you carry like a label attached to your forehead, burdening you down for each introduction and comparison to proud and smiling faces that walks the earth. Don't you deserve to be proud and smile, too? I think so!

Or perhaps, there is so much hidden material that you struggle to identify yourself due to interference in the form of a blockage of hidden parts that have become your hidden self, by habit. In short, “I am nothing visible, because if you seen it, you nor I would like it, therefore I prefer not to be identified by myself nor anyone else. I am a hidden world of a thing with many faces, none of which are truly me. I do not see me, nor does anyone else.  They wouldn't like it anyway.” Perhaps choices produced the hidden self? Perhaps fear, shame, social unacceptance produced the hidden self? Perhaps lineage? Perhaps association? Perhaps paths and roads led to a hidden world in which you got lost and seek to be found. Kicking and screaming in silence, seeking to be found on that lost and hidden road, lacking any true sense of self or a rewarding existence. This is precisely what we are tackling. Your identity and uniqueness that should be appreciated by you before anyone else. You'll never truly come into yourself by seeking to fit in with any set norms. Oh how miserable are set norms. Never pursue that! Pursue you and who that really is in its fullness! You'll never know who that is if you don't fearlessly try. And, a life never having known your amazing worth and true unique, passions, contributions, purpose and presence is not a true and full life.  You can choose to limit yourself or choose to expand. 

I’ll ask you again…Are you defined and identified merely by choices? 

Or is your true and whole identity formed and achieved beyond choices #1, 2,  3 or 4? 

Let’s ponder this and reflect on our past and current choices. Let’s think about some choices that we made that we are proud of, and let’s examine if and how we extracted parts of those honorable choices and ingrained them into our identity, our current “Who Am I?” space. 

What are some things that you are proud of? Have you extracted those achievements, roles, titles and appearances and assigned those which you are proud of into your ultimate identity?  Where does your pride come from? Does it have any true meaning for you?

What are some things that you are not proud of? Have you become so disgusted with those things that you've abandoned any chance of an enjoyable identity, only to remain a ghost of hallow flesh and bones with a heart that barely beats and a dwindling soul that barely smiles? What to do? What ...to...do?

For practice, let’s try this…

List 3 of your highest achievements in life or 3 things that you are very proud of doing. 

Now, Consider the question “who am I?” 

Do you refer back to the things that you are proud of doing to answer the question regarding your full identity?

Did you graduate from med school?

Are you a successful entrepreneur?

Are you a politician?

A judge?

A nurse?

A soldier?

A proud mother?

A proud father?

An experienced mechanic or advanced technician?

An engineer?

An architect? 

A film director?

A scientist?

A freelance creator?

A talented artist? 

A music producer?

A successful student?

On the honor role in school?

A well-known plumber?

A grandmother?

A grandfather?

A chef? 

A corrupt cook?

A devoted Christian?

A devoted Muslim?

A fashionista?

A boss B**** or HBIC?

A manager?

A lead?

A supervisor?

A king?

A queen?

An ambassador?

An interior designer?

A wardrobe consultant?

A corporate shark?

An LGBTQ+ advocate?

A powerful mystical being?

A magician?

A warlock?

A witch?

A CEO or Executive Director?

A top salesperson?

A sex therapist?

A top dollar sex worker? 

A hired gun? 

A patriotic terrorist?

A ballroom escort?

An exotic dancer?

A ballerina?

A physician?

An international trader?

A banker?

A world-renowned food critic?

A Hollywood talent scout?

An all-around B*d A*s?

Who are you? Did you perhaps extract meaning from your accomplishments or position in industry, society or a hidden echelon to fully or partially define yourself? 

It is very easy to do! It is extremely common to form an overall identity or sense of self through personal achievements or through an invisible presence of untapped existence. 

Before we dive deeper into the exploratory waters of “who am I, really?”, let’s read a very insightful article written by NeuroLaunch, Identity Achievement in Psychology: Definition, Stages, and Significance.

Do you perhaps draw a blank, never having thought much about who you really are? That is more common than you realize, and you are not alone, my friend. One of us! One of us! One of us! Welcome to Team Evolution Now! Haha!

Dr. Carly Snyder discusses how common it is to not really know who you are or much about yourself in I Don’t Know Who I Am: What to Do if You Feel This Way. 

Also, take a look at this peer-reviewed article by Catherine Kolonko, Finding Yourself: How to Develop a Strong Sense of Self. This provides more insight on the importance of having not only a sense of self, but most importantly, having a healthy and solid sense of self that manifests in our full presence and existence, which radiates inwardly and outwardly. Guess what, people can see it and feel it coming out of you! But this is about you first.

After reading this very enlightening article, let’s take some time to reflect and break out our Pathway to Evolution Journal. 

PS…this might feel new to some of you, uncomfortable even, as it presents a space of seeming vulnerability that pierces through a potentially stern, prideful, unwavering, seemingly perfect, resistant or rigid exterior. 

But that is exactly where you want to be…. Vulnerable….

You’re safe here….

Don’t rush it. 

Take your time on this step, think about stages in life and how you define yourself. Think about how that shifted and built up like blocks stacking through life.

Think about what parts of life experiences you knowingly or unknowingly extracted meaning for who you were at each stage.

Consider good choices that produced good outcomes and consider what self-defining meaning you applied to who you were or who you are as you say it to be. Put that in words.

Consider undesirable choices that did not produce good outcomes, then consider whether you knowingly or unknowingly extracted self-defining meaning from those undesirable choices that you allowed to creep up and be the answer to “who am I?”. 

We will then engage in a self-analysis exercise.

CLICK HERE FOR “WHO AM I?” (JOURNEY 1 – THE RHETORICAL STARTER)

Once done, feel free to print, share and compare with trusting allies or save it in your proud Pathway to Evolution File as we track your journey.

And remember…. you’re safe here…..But don’t get clingy, because I’m moving to a country with no Wi-Fi soon…lol just kidding!

Stay here for 30 days or longer. Right when you think you got it all, guess what? Go back again and get more.

Let’s talk soon. 

If you like the direction that this is heading in, then stick around!  You may also provide suggestions or feedback by sharing your thoughts with viewers or directly to me.

Feel free to visit the “Contact” page for options to send comments, testimonials and feedback related to our experience here and whether it helps you along your journey called life.  

 Sincerely, Reena (Author & Content Developer)

" I am qualified to believe in you, to inspire you and to see the best in you until you see it, too.  Fly high and free, my darlings."

copyright 2025

MEET THE AUTHOR…OR JUST A TAD BIT OF AN INTRO!

Greetings T.E.N. Family!

I’m Reena, your devoted author and website developer, essentially here as a liaison between self and SELF....See the difference? We are here to bridge the gap of communication between you and YOU. Those amazing, dormant and untapped parts of you. This is a thought-provoking and inspiring message to all that recognizes it to be just that. I consider myself one of many messengers. 

This space consists of messages for you that are coming from within yourself and from your world… your universe. You just have to open yourself to messages that have been whispering about in the invisible plain of your awareness, just begging to be known, begging to be recognized. 

Before we continue, you might want to know about me and how we got here. 

You might also want to know what “qualifies” me to speak to your soul. To speak to you at all. To inspire you. To believe in you. To encourage you to believe in yourself. 

Well then, let’s answer these introductory questions.

After all, when you’re here, you’re family. 

So….Reena….right? What’s her story?

Here’s the short introductory version of significant extractions to current creation:

Born in San Francisco, CA to a very driven mother committed to her work and family, and a very passionate father devoted to his role and looking for God everywhere. Although it was a divided household with traditional quarrels, I have fond memories of old-school music, old fashioned dance moves in the communal family room and skating rink, traditional soul food cooking, childhood mischief and the noisy and pleasantly chaotic sounds of family and culture as I once knew it to be.

In my earlier years of adolescence, as I examined the world around me with what I was provided to see in the urban area we lived in. Like most urban areas, it was a bubble, a well-constructed bubble at that. Most places are bubbles. Bubbles of people, schools, institutions, businesses, subcultures, beliefs, values, behaviors, economics or the lack thereof, jobs or the lack thereof, languages, interactions, patterns, societal norms. In the bubble of my youth, I, like everyone else, experienced the world around me. Despite living in an urban bubble called “the ghetto” or “the hood”, I was fortunate enough to attend a public school outside of that bubble in the ghetto. It was a very diverse elementary school, Lakeshore Elementary, in San Francisco. There, all of the children were from different walks of like and they did a great job in integrating us and encouraging positive diverse exchange and engagement between the diverse student bodies. I still remember a few common faces and names, all of which were different races and ethnicities. Early in life, I was given the opportunity to form friends and have healthy relationships and interactions with a diverse world of children, and I embraced it immensely. I was never that child that gravitated towards a cafeteria table full of only people that looked like me. Being exposed to a colorful world shaped my expectations and comfort for a colorful societal norm. Due to my positive early experiences, my societal norm was colorful and diverse, not uniform in appearance. My expectation of life was to engage in a well-rounded and colorful environment with different people that didn’t necessarily look like me. My expectation in life was never to only engage and draw pleasure from uniformity of appearance, identity or background. If ever there were only people that looked like me as far as my eyes could see, something felt void, something felt “off”, something felt extremely limited or imbalanced, as if I was not seeing the world in its fullness, but rather a small portion of it. I felt shortchanged or swindled, like I wasn’t getting as much bang for my youth bucks. I wanted it all, I wanted to talk to it all, play with it all, know it all, enjoy it all. If ever there were only people that looked like me, at home, sure, that’s fine, but out in the world, no…. That felt wrong to me. One of my first expectations as a child was to be in a broad world of people, colors, languages, backgrounds, cultures, customs, music, sounds, behaviors, patterns, contributions. Not only was this one of my first expectations as a set societal norm, but it was also an expectation for such exposure to be pleasant for me. 

At Lakeshore Elementary School, we were exposed to a wide range of activities and given the opportunity to take on responsibilities and extracurricular roles that helped us to develop soft skills, communication, conflict management, solution-oriented behaviors, collaboration, talent and creativity. I remember my poetry teacher taking interest in my writings as she would chaperone us to Lake Merced across the street and allow us to pick a safe spot to sit and write unguided poetry. That truly sparked the writer and poet in me, but also presented an opportunity to create in mid-air, to recognize the serene beauty of nature in its unadulterated state, which oftentimes gets overlooked or ignored. My poetry teacher, although I can’t recall her name; she believed in me, and despite my youth, I knew it and felt it. I recall an African dance performance put on for the school and families, in which I received a trophy for my performance and artistic talent. That truly solidified in me the belief that I am an artist, yes, but moreover, I am a good artist recognized for that art as a pleasantry to others. That drove my desire to give my art to the world for pleasant acceptance. 

At that same time in my youthful adolescent years, I was fortunate enough to attend an afterschool program, Whitney Young, also in San Francisco, CA. There, I was exposed to a wide range of activities that built creativity, artistry and talent in young minds. Having my natural tendency to maximize on opportunity, I signed up for everything available. I remember performing tap dance solos on stage in front of the audience, Polk dance, African dance, ballet, gymnastics, karate and self-defense. 

I will never forget seeing my father in the audience watching me perform, while my mother was committed to working long hours, climbing the company ladder and providing for her family and children. I understood that fully and never faulted her for her absence. I appreciate it more now looking back. 

I remember doing flips and handstands on gym beams, rehearsing ballet performances and solos, laughing while taking my teacher’s soft punch to the belly at age 7 when my guard was down during karate class. I remember the audience giving a standing ovation as I performed my tap dance solo with very little practice. I remember dressing and traveling to perform African dance as I waited for my teacher’s que to start. I will never forget her serious face and eye contact while she played the Congo drums waiting for the perfect tone, rhythm and sequence of beats to signal with a tilt of her face up and down that meant “it’s showtime”. I was always ready for showtime, fearlessly as a child. One evening, I must’ve prepared for three performances back-to-back, having 3 layers of clothing on as I stripped off one layer to prepare for the next set coming up with a packed audience waiting to see all that Whitney Young Center was teaching the youth in the community. How lucky I was to travel around the world of art, music, dance, talent, culture, people and creativity all under one roof and on one stage. How lucky I was to see outside of my very small urban bubble in the ghetto, of racial uniformity and limited beliefs and interests of what society is, who I was and what I can be, should be or want to be or see or do in life. How lucky I was to exit that small bubble of urban identity and enter the wide spectrum of colorful discovery.

I remember Ms. Robinson, my 2nd grade teacher that treated me more like a granddaughter and my father more like a son. I recall participating in the school Spelling Bee, where I competed against other students in stating the correct spelling of words that became more and more complex at each level of the competition on stage. After a heated competition, I was the only one left standing in my class against the opponent class. I will never ever forget Ms. Robinson’s words as she looked into my eyes with a confident and supportive smile and said to me before starting the final phase “ok Reena, you’re our only hope!” 

Ms. Robinson’s voice and words echoes in my heart to this very day. I learned to carry the weight of a team while standing on my own two feet. I learned confidence and productive pressures. I learned to take on responsibility for a group and for a good cause. I learned to win some and lose some with the right attitude. And, most of all, I learned how to be someone’s only hope, to be that hope, to be determined in that role as the last one standing for the good of the group. I learned the importance of pushing forward in a mission with a common and mutual goal, even if everyone else taps out, I learned to say, “we did it!” not “I did it”…..Thanks Ms. Robinson.

Later in life, I, like many young teenagers in urban city regions, was rebellious and experimental in my youth, ignoring my high scholarly academic potential and finding pleasure in all the wrong friends and activities, way beyond curfew. If it was wrong, fun and against the rules or “an adult only” activity, I found a way to be a part of it. 

After all, I always had a natural tendency to maximize my exposure, right?  In my teen years, all common sense and cognitive processes were essentially clouded by hormonal blasts of sheer insanity and rapidly changing views of identity, appearance and self. Hence, the holes in my blue jeans and the mitch-match blue and red sneakers. At this time, I was heavily influenced by that urban bubble as a female teenager of color in the ghetto. 

I hadn’t yet learned that society would attempt to place limits on who I am, what I should be, how I should be identified, what interests I should take up, what I can do, what I can’t do, my potential, abilities and the distance that I can walk, run, jump, skip and take myself. 

There were no jobs, so that was not at all of interest at the time. College was not of interest at the time. Heck, there were no jobs in the neighborhood, so how could we consider what a college education or successful career looked like in motion aside from our parents working to pay bills and the teachers showing up every day, the bus driver driving around, the corner store owner selling tobacco and liquor, the man standing on the corner selling drugs for income in lieu of no available jobs, the women styling hair for income and struggling to survive, utilizing federally-funded resources? The rappers, singers, movie actors, actresses, music video dancers, basketball players and NFL millionaires were the only real image of high success that was nearly impossible to reach. The women sought access to the only images of success that they knew and had to look the part. The men sought access to the only image of success that they knew was available to them. Music, acting, sports for success. Selling recreational drugs, hairstyling or accessing federally funded income and housing. Those were the options in the ghetto, the urban bubble. Use what you have to get what you need or what you want, which was not much of a need or want, because the identities within the bubble were limited, therefore the interests and desires were limited, the discovery was limited, the exploration was limited, the presence was limited, the existence was limited, the mindset was limited. 

But I also seen women like my mother with different plans. She had a vision. She worked hard, climbed the company ladder, was financially responsible, grew economic standing and buying power just enough to get her and her children out of that bubble, that bubble that she so deeply despised as a damaging device for anyone to experience in life. She got us out of the ghetto, out of the bubble and into another suburban bubble, then moved again and into another suburban bubble, and then moved again into another suburban bubble, until we settled in the smallest and most quiet and least diverse bubble that she could find. Her mission was to get as far away from the first destructively constructed urban bubble as possible. I appreciate her so much. I then realized that each move was essentially a different bubble. 

My father, still in the urban bubble, was not so fortunate to obtain economic standing sufficient for the needs of relocation and mortgage payments. I attribute his financial and career hardship to the racial identity and limitation that society has placed upon him as a man of color, making it difficult to maneuver economically. I also attribute his persistence to reside in the bubble as being a creature of habit that prefers to reside in familiar territory, he stayed in that bubble. I realize that he will never truly know who I am as I have expanded my consciousness and awareness far beyond that little bubble of urban life, work and religion. But I will say that he did lay the foundation of a strong rooted faith and a confident identity that is very important when exploring, standing, falling, skipping, tripping and getting back up again. He would always look me firm into my eyes with assertion and say to me “you’re a Smith, okay Reena.” That meant a lot, I was someone special, someone unique, not any average jokester just jiving around aimlessly. I was “a Smith” as dad always told me, knowing who I am with pride and confidence. Thanks, dad. 

After high school, which was really just 4 years of smoking pot at the skatepark with the biggest pot heads I count find in the quiet suburban bubble of nonexistence, I went to college to be a psychologist, which I later revised to nursing, environmental studies, and entrepreneurship. At the stage of college life, a fork in the road appeared. I went in one direction, career, health and success. My very fun and reliable pothead friends went in another direction, drugs and criminality, which I do not judge by any means. Identity can shift at any time, remember? Who knows what they are accomplishing now?

 There comes a time in life where you must choose which bubble you want to reside in. The bubble that you choose will guide your life down desirable or undesirable paths, so choose your bubbles wisely. 

During college, I dabbled in industries, such as music, food service, hospitality, retail and sales, healthcare, psychology, environmental, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organizational, community and humanitarian work. Throughout these experiences, I was able to expand my view of life, people, society, beliefs, values, priorities, sense of self, passions and contributions. 

I also became more aware of how society identifies me in each of their bubbles, how you are identified in bubbles, how that impacts our lives and pathways, and how to redefine ourselves. It was at the start of my 30s that I took all that I learned and observed about life and decided to invite others along my journey of exploration and growth, while encouraging others to lay hold on their own pathways and opportunities for growth and enrichment. Over the last 3 years, I have set out to have a positive impact on society by learning what is void in society. There was always this sense of void as I looked around. I learned that the biggest relational problems that we have in society stem from two concepts, the bubble effect and the thorough lack of a meaningful or fulfilling life. The most significant reasons for societal conflict of persons and conflict within self is that which is generated and maintained inside of bubbles, and that which is never explored.

Bubbles can limit or expand people. Examine your own bubble and how you either became confined by that bubble, allowing that bubble to form your identity and existence. Examine whether you’ve allowed a bubble to limit everything that you think, say, do and want in life. Or, how you managed to escape that confining bubble to seek more, to know more, to be more. Are you in the bubble or are you out? Do you jump back and forth in, out, in, out, in, out? While inside of the bubble of limitations, does it feel like you’re drowning, or do you feel right at home? Does it feel like you’re suffocating or perhaps only when you can’t get out? While outside of that bubble, do you feel free and true to self, and does it change how that which is still trapped in the bubble of existence feels about your outward expansion? How does that which is in the bubble feel about your expansion beyond the bubble of existence?

I could go on with a full biography that divulges the beautiful, bitter and bold truths of my life that are heart wrenching, soul piercing, tearjerking and mind twisting that would leave you in complete aww to hear of the tails of time and fiery trials and tests of faith, endurance and willpower. Although, I believe that story is best written in another space. Here, we will focus on you. You, you and more you. As you relate to yourself, as you relate to source, as you relate to the world. 

Now, what qualifies me to speak to you?

I will only say this in response to skepticism that stems from whatever bubble of beliefs and expectations that one may have of me starting out, which I may shift or redefine is you stick around.

I care about you, despite having known you for a moment, and perhaps for eternity in another life.

I want you to care about yourself, at least enough to see yourself through life in its full meaning and purpose, joy and self-awareness.

I believe that it is not for anyone to want someone to be less or equal to them in any aspect of life, but rather to be more, to be better than them. It doesn’t matter how much money I have, how many homes I own or how many PhD degrees I have mounted on painted walls, and it doesn't matter how much you have. I want something beyond that for you, which you may already have achieved. In that respect, I congratulate you, but I also welcome you to invest in someone else’s journey if you have already fulfilled your own.

When it comes to self-discovery, enrichment, inspiration and motivation, the only qualifications one must possess is to believe in someone, despite them believing in themselves. To want the best for someone, despite them wanting the best for themselves. 

To want the best for society, despite society being content in all of its ways. 

We share the same qualifications the very moment that our intentions are mutually good.

You are qualified to do this. 

You are qualified to give and to receive. 

You are qualified to be here, whether you are here to provide, to take, to listen or to create. 

I hope that answers your question and satisfies your skepticism. In addition, I have worked with all ages in society, diligently for 3 years and have changed lives for the better. Not only has my work changed lives, but it has also saved lives. I have changed the world for the better each life at a time in small sparkles of stars in the sky, and I continue to conjure up the best in each person that allows it to be so. The world may seem dreary, but we create beautiful and lasting sparkles of stars in the sky each time we have an ah-ha moment. 

If ever you doubt or question my abilities, simply ask around about me. I am sure that you will hear all that is needed in the form of testimonies if you consult the right parties.

Now that you know a bit about how this all started, let’s make you the priority starting now.

This is a group thing, you’re not alone here. Many are taking this journey right alongside you, whether you know it or not. 

Take what you want from it and leave the rest.

Shall we begin?

PS, you’re safe here. 

Wholeheartedly, 

Reena

copyright 2025