Keep it Positive, Sweetie - A Life in Bloom with Shawn Finnie

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

Y'all, I've been wanting to have my dear friend Shawn Finnie on the couch since season 1 and God made it possible. If you know him in real life or follow Shawn's IG, you know he is a much needed light.... He's lived many lives and worked on many projects, most notably his role as the Executive Vice President at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Shawn reminds me that the biggest project that you could ever work on is yourself. Make sure you pull your journals out because there are so many lessons taught in this episode.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Keep It Positive, Sweetie is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Keep It Positive, Sweetie. That's Sweetie with an IE to listen. Hello and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie. I'm Crystal Renee Hazlett. And as you can tell, I am not at home. I'm in Los Angeles right now catching up with some of my favorite favorite people. Today I have with me Sean Finney and we're gonna be talking about pivot season. As you can see we're somewhere else. I want to shout out 13 Loon. 13 Loon is a beautiful store founded by Nikael Greco where 90% of her products sold here are BIPOC founded.
Starting point is 00:00:47 Thank you so much 13 Loon. Sean, I'm so happy to have you here. Like you don't even understand. I've been trying to get this man on this podcast since season one. So I'm so happy to have you here. And it was always yes, by the way. It was always a yes.
Starting point is 00:01:01 Thank you, friend. Thank you so much. For people who do not know who Sean is. Where have you been? You don't know we're not gonna judge you but I'm gonna tell you a little bit about him Sean Finney is an award-winning entertainment executive and producer with over a decade of experience in Hollywood Sean most recently served as executive vice president member relations global outreach and awards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscars. He was the youngest black male executive in the organization's history.
Starting point is 00:01:32 Sean is a sought after host, moderator, commentator, and facilitator in the entertainment sector. Currently the host of LA Times digital series, The Envelope. Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Finney. You can intro me anytime, anywhere I go, Chris. Anytime, anytime. But before, because I know this is your show. I'm so proud of you. This is our show. Thank you. No, I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of what you've done, what you're doing, and where it's going. Thank you. You are so many things, but I liked the first thing that comes to mind when I think about you.
Starting point is 00:02:03 Wow. 100%. Sean, it's crazy you say that because I started to show off with a quote, and this is the quote that I pulled that makes me think of you. See? And it says, simply shine your light on the road ahead, and you are helping others see their way out of darkness. That is who you are to me.
Starting point is 00:02:20 This is why you and me must never part, like we in there. Yes. Yes, that is who you are to me. And when we were never apart, like we in there. Yes. Yes, that is who you are to me. And when we were thinking, I was like, I need a quote for Sean. And we all were like, he's a light. He's a light. And when I saw this and I was like,
Starting point is 00:02:32 he is bringing people out of darkness. That just being yourself, I'm telling you, on a regular day, if I just see you on Instagram, it brings me joy. That smile, Sean fine, where my camera at? You're like, Sean is so fine. But that smile brings so many people joy. Then when you speak, and you give other people hope, it's just it means the world. So thank you, friend. Appreciate you. Yes.
Starting point is 00:02:54 Appreciate you. No. I remember when we first met, it was through Fatima. Yep. Think it was during COVID. Yeah. You were doing a series on social media. What was that one called? I was doing a series called Journey, where I was talking to different artists and filmmakers specifically,
Starting point is 00:03:10 just about what was happening in the ecosystem from a human level and not really just about the headlines, how people were doing. And that's when we initially connected. That is when we initially connected. And it wasn't until a few years later that we actually met. And I remember, and I tell people this story sometimes, last year during Oscar season, we were at an event
Starting point is 00:03:30 where you had to speak and you walked off stage, you came straight to me and you're like, how are you doing? I was like, I don't know how I'm doing. I just had my first panic attack today. It just like came out. Yeah, yeah, and we talked about it. We talked about it right at that moment. And just hearing you say, Crystal, sometimes you just got to breathe.
Starting point is 00:03:47 It's okay. I go through it. It's fine. You're not alone in this. It meant so much because when you feel that for the first time, you have no idea what's going on. And I feel like God put me in that room that night to have you there. I'm like, oh, shut up there.
Starting point is 00:04:00 And then you come to me and you're like, how are you? Your how are you isn't surface level. It's always no, how are you? Yeah, no, cause we don't have that conversation. And it's funny because I was, we were, I saw you for the first time on stage. So I came on and I was on stage and I'm like, Crystal, finish what I gotta do.
Starting point is 00:04:17 And I came, you're right at beeline straight to you. And I was like, how's your heart? How's your spirit? And what's interesting too, is I think that people think when we're all dolled up at an event, you're at an Oscar event, leading up to it, everything's good. And those are the moments I find where I'm like,
Starting point is 00:04:31 we really gotta tap, man, because everything is happening so fast. And the assumption is you're good, cause you're there. But that's not always the truth. And that's why with people that you really feel that connection with, you gotta really be like, no, no, no, what's up?
Starting point is 00:04:42 Yeah, literally, what's up? You good? Yeah, cause we can have this conversation right now in front of this room where we can talk in a way where we can understand you know what I'm saying I love a voice note and I love your voice notes back too but just to check in because I feel like that's a law for life we see people online we see the accomplishments we see things are doing so our assumption is always that oh they're thriving they're good and they might be but that doesn't mean that you can't have a bad day or a bad moment in the day.
Starting point is 00:05:06 In the oof. It's not always a bad day. Sometimes it's a bad moment in the day. Yeah, that is so true. Uh, yeah. In that moment, you really just help. Cause I think even still, I was feeling that heart, the heart palpitation feeling from an anxiety attack.
Starting point is 00:05:20 And I was like, I could not get my heartbreak to slow down. And it just, even talking to you just helped so much. much and just I feel like God literally sent you to me that night Just like me like okay. All right. We go we go we keep going So you've done so many amazing things Sean I want to talk about young Sean I want to take people through the journey of how we got to who you are today. The man that people know. You grew up in a Muslim home. Yeah, my dad's Muslim, my mom's Christian.
Starting point is 00:05:52 How did that work out? Because listen, I dated a Muslim. Oh, okay. Oh, what was that like? My mom and dad was like, that ain't gonna work because you're honey-cuyote. And I was like, I love him. Yeah. They ended up, he came to my college graduation.
Starting point is 00:06:04 To this day, they always ask about him. He was one of the kindest human beings you'll ever meet in your life. So sweet. And I always say that he was the person that loved me the hardest. Wow. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:15 But when it came to like having children, he wanted to raise them as Muslim. So I was like, I don't know if I can do that. So we ended up like just kind of naturally growing apart, but yeah, it was it was different. How was that for you? You know, it's interesting because for me, I just thought that was the way the world worked. Right. I mean, not that I thought that everybody had the same thing, but I think it really taught
Starting point is 00:06:35 me duality. Right. So I'm a military kid. I moved around quite a bit. I was born in Virginia. I don't know much about like, I can't be like, well, what's your favorite? I'm like, I was born in Virginia. I don't know much about, like, I can't, people are like, well, what's your favorite? I'm like, I was born in Newport News at 757. I have family, a lot of family in Richmond, Virginia. But we moved around a lot. So I would say like New York is home, Florida is home. My parents live in Florida now. Okay. And they're still together.
Starting point is 00:06:55 They're still together. Wow, I was so fascinated by this. Yeah, my parents are still together. And I would say, you know, Chris, I was talking about this in therapy, honestly, the other day. And I had such a power of choice as a child. And my dad was in the military for 24 years, I want to be clear.
Starting point is 00:07:12 I did not have the parents where I could be like, hey, it was very much yes, sir, yes, ma'am. But my parents allowed me to find my way. And I thought that that was just everyone's experience as a child, right? And not that I didn't have rules, I had a lot of rules. But if I followed those rules, I had the power of choice. So I would go to the temple with my father, and then I would go to church with my mom.
Starting point is 00:07:35 I didn't have to eat with my father, but out of respect when I went to his side of the family, I would honor that, right? But it really taught me the duality of two things can exist at the same time, Allah, God. And so very young, I had this idea where I was like, these two of the biggest things that we talk about is religion and politics.
Starting point is 00:07:55 And so like religion, for that at a young age to understand that it could be two different things, for me, I think really helped me understand how to acclimate to people, how to be around different individuals very early and then being a military kid, moving around, like I had friends, I'm like, this is my best friend. You know what it's like when that's your best friend.
Starting point is 00:08:12 And then you think y'all are gonna be friends forever. Then I moved to another city and have to learn to get new friends again and learn to, and as a kid, you're like, man, this sucks. But as an adult, I have such an appreciation for understanding how to move in different rooms in different spaces and move freely. Yes, which makes sense why you're able to pivot so easily. Yeah. That's amazing. And so I would say the experience for me, you know, as an experience,
Starting point is 00:08:36 my parents might be a little different, right? Because I think their families had their own opinions about how things could be, but they decided to come together. And for me, it was the best experience that I could have, even now, being able to share those specific things with my father. We have our prayers that we do and the specific things with my mom. And my dad will go to church with my mom. That took a while, but we got there.
Starting point is 00:08:57 My dad will go to church with my mom. My mom's went to the temple with my father too. And so I also, it wasn't only my experience, I also got to see how they were able to navigate that. And it wasn't always, I think, always pleasant, but I think that that was also a realness to it too, where it's like these things that we put so much pressure on, how much does it really matter in terms of
Starting point is 00:09:17 when you're bringing a life into this world and bringing that person up? But I felt like I had a really good power of choice as a child and I was able to make decisions and I was able to express myself. And I appreciate it even more now, being a grownup. I love that. As a grownup, have you made a choice
Starting point is 00:09:34 or you still kind of? I mean, as a grownup, you know, interesting. Christian is just what I'm, because it's just been more accessible, I think. But I'm open to so many different practices. I'm not like, oh that doesn't work, that's not, I'm really open because it's source. For me it's a feeling.
Starting point is 00:09:52 The name you give it is gonna be the name that you give it that makes it feel good for you. But I believe that there's a higher calling over my life, point blank period, and that's been the interesting thing about living in California. Coming here, moving here from New York, I was like, okay, mountains, right? And I was just like, who made that? You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:10:11 And so for me, it's just been grounding being here in a different way, where I was just like everywhere you look, it's a constant reminder of something man didn't make. And so I just chose to have that kind of perspective, which I think has kept me grounded in some ways here, because this hasn't always been easy. There's been a lot of challenges, a lot of pivots, and all of those pivots don't come with,
Starting point is 00:10:35 every pivot is different. Every pivot requires a different version of you, and not necessarily what you're releasing, but what you have to become. Mm-hmm, that's powerful. Yeah. That is so true. And there's been a lot of versions of that, and I'm working through some of that now too.
Starting point is 00:10:50 How so, do you want me to ask you? I think value and identity is such an interesting concept, period. I think, you know, when we think of social media, we haven't had something really interrupt, I think, the human experience like this since like mass media broadcast, when that happened that happened the early 1900s and so I'm just like how people are starting to get their value, how I get my value, the
Starting point is 00:11:11 identity, what are we at that thing that everybody is at, are we not at that thing that everybody's at right and you have different versions of it but I feel like for me value and identity working in this town, working in this town that really I think propels so many images out to the rest of the world. The nuances, the highs, the lows, the reality, the nuances of it all, I think for me, have impacted me in some ways, but have grown me in so many other ways.
Starting point is 00:11:40 Yeah, but these pivots don't come without, I think, a bigger promise You've got to be willing to release something and let something go and I think that's not always what we're thinking about because I think we Naturally have a scarcity kind of mindset where I gotta hold on to this You know, I gotta gotta hold on to it Yeah No But if you had a surplus mindset you wouldn't even be thinking about this you would put this down because you know
Starting point is 00:12:02 Something else is coming and it may look different But you know it's coming. And so it's a mindset shift that I'm not always in the best seat for, I wanna be clear, but then I'm continually learning and adjusting along the way. I love that, I love that. You were the youngest VP for the academy.
Starting point is 00:12:23 What was that experience like? How much time we have? I'm definitely interested to know what that was like to be in that position at a very young age and to have made history. Yeah I think I'm still figuring out really honestly. I think so I moved here from New York. I came here to do music. That's what I was doing. Came here to do music. That's what I was doing. Came here to do music. What do you do? Sing? Yeah, sing.
Starting point is 00:12:48 We gotta do something here. Oh, you already did. Come on. It's lit. All right. We got to hear. It's lit. It's lit. But no, came here to do music, got offered a deal under a major imprint. I was like, I made it. Four months in, I made it. Not quite. Then there's the paperwork and making sure, and at that time that was 2013,
Starting point is 00:13:06 so the 360 deals were a big thing. And most importantly, just them controlling your image. And for me, I think even at a young age, I understood the power of image and what that would portray and I just wanted to own it. Even if people didn't agree with it, I wanted to own it. I didn't want to perpetuate an idea that I really wasn't. You know how hard it is to work so long?
Starting point is 00:13:26 You know what it's like to work in multiple different careers, because you've done it too. And you get the thing you thought you've always wanted, and then you say no. It's not what you thought. And then you're just like, you pray about it, you're like, what am I going to do about this?
Starting point is 00:13:41 And it was like, say no. And I'm like, well, hold up. I think I'm on the wrong channel. Let me, let me tune my dial back. Because we didn't come this far to come this far to walk away from this. And walking away from it, interestingly enough, my car was getting shipped a 1998 Toyota Camry was getting shipped here from New York the next day. And the place where I was staying at, I could no longer stay at. And started living in that 1998 Toyota Camman. So this all goes into my story working at this, at the organization. I was in that car for about four to six months. What? Yeah, living here in California, going to LA Fitness, good old LA Fitness, to shower, shave. Yeah, and it's a lot of people's story here. I do hear this a lot. Yeah, it's a lot of people's story here. And yeah, it's a lot of people's story here, but I have real parents. So I have parents that if I had told them,
Starting point is 00:14:30 I mean, when I tell you they would have Trent, they would have like teleported here, they would have teleported here. And so I didn't tell them, I told my best friend, my best friend would send me Western Union. Western Union used to be a thing y'all. It did. Like, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:14:43 Western Union was the thing. Now we got cash app and everything but Western Union he would send me like you know $100, $75 at the time and that's how I was really getting by and surviving and so because I've had multiple jobs before as an artist you have to have multiple jobs. I had multiple jobs before I was an assistant to the editor-in-chief of Giant Magazine his name is Emil Wilberkin He now has this thing called Native Son. Oh, wow, yeah, he is. So he runs that, and he used to run Vibe.
Starting point is 00:15:09 I was his assistant for a while, and I was like, okay, if I'm gonna do something here, I need to make it make sense. So I put out a lot of job applications everywhere. I even put a job application at 7-11, they did not hire me. I'm just like, I can make it slurpy. I really feel like I can make it slurpy, but it's fine, it's fine.
Starting point is 00:15:23 And I went to a temp agency, long story short, I went to a temp agency and the temp agency's job is to not tell you what the job is because then you could just go straight to it, right? They told me about this job at a place and I was like, okay, let me just go ahead, fast forward, it was to be the temp assistant to the CEO at the time. I started off as the temp assistant to the CEO at the time while I was living in my car, which was interesting because you know at that point if you make the tee wrong, you make the car wrong, you don't answer the phone right, you know your attempt, you're not really, they're not committed to
Starting point is 00:15:53 your growth there. And it was an interesting time because when I had nothing I felt like I had everything. As weird as that sounds, yeah as scary as it was, well I'm like what'sest is this? And what does that sound? At night, you're just be hearing the craziest sound. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, what is that? And when you gotta get up and use the restroom and all of these things you're getting out in an alleyway,
Starting point is 00:16:15 it's all of those things. And I didn't grow up in that kind of capacity. So I think there was a lot of pressure, but I just was like, I am going to do something. I'm gonna do something great. I'm here for a reason. And did not think that that reason was that job in any capacity.
Starting point is 00:16:31 But I had to let go of the idea and the identity of what was to allow something new to come. But we don't talk about that in between. Because the in-betweens when you're letting go and when you're awaiting for and you're posturing yourself in the space of expectancy, but you can't quite make out what it is yet. There was a lot of depression there because I'm an artist. I'm used to creating.
Starting point is 00:16:51 I'm used to performing. I'm used to making music. I'm used to doing the things that I want to do. And now I'm at an office and whose life is this? But I didn't understand that I was being positioned not only for me, but to be able to make impact. You know what I mean? And so. Isn't it amazing?
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Starting point is 00:18:00 alcohol available only in select markets Alcohol available only in select markets. We don't often think that way because it's like, we wanna do what we wanna do, but what if we let go to let go? Like, what if we, are you willing to leave the good to grasp the greater? So anyway, I started there, became permanent over an extended amount of time,
Starting point is 00:18:22 became permanent and Oscar So White, I was the executive assistant to the CEO at the time. And it was amount of time, became permanent, and Oscar So White, I was the executive assistant to the CEO at the time, and it was an interesting time, really just in the industry, I think, and I used that time where I was like, okay, there's a void, I have value. How do I add my value into the void? So I wrote a job description and promoted myself,
Starting point is 00:18:44 essentially, by that job description to move into a different department and that was the membership department. I did that for a while and then honestly just kept just kept kind of climbing the ranks. It's a long story but the short story is I kept climbing the ranks and was there through its most probably vulnerable times you know you think about the envelope and you think about some of the other things that have happened at the show, but it's not the show, it's the stuff throughout the year that was also a part of it, you know, and really being a space to add that impact and strategy and, and leverage it.
Starting point is 00:19:13 And it's impacted me in the best of ways. And it's also cost me a lot, you know, and I think that some of your biggest blessings can also take a lot out of you, can also challenge you the most. And it has been something I'm very grateful for that I've learned a lot about as I walk into new spaces, but I'm also completely good with letting it go. And I think that's the thing is where we get something good. We hold on to it so long because we think this is as good as it's going to get,
Starting point is 00:19:43 but I've gotten greater before. So I want to get greater. I want to get greater again. It's so true. You know what I mean? Yes. And so those kind of things and it's hard to walk away from something when you feel like it's your safety. It's one thing if it's your success because everybody has their perceived idea. It's and it's interesting. It wasn't even my own. It was everybody else's perception of my success. Everyone else's perception of your success. There's what's actually happening and there's their perception of it. And then if you're not careful, you can easily get Cartman wanting to put up whatever you think that that is and not really making the decisions that you need to make for you because the wind might not look like the wind for everybody else. The whisper that God has for you might not look like
Starting point is 00:20:26 the whisper that because everybody else like you made it. Yes. You're good and I'm like no this isn't it. This isn't it and I'm grateful for what it is but this is not it. This is not my full stop. This is right now. You know what I mean? And so for me there was multiple things that I think that occurred, but I know that I'm like, I've done it. I did it and I think that sometimes we come into things and we think we have to do all of it. And I'm like, the part that I did, I know what I did,
Starting point is 00:20:54 I know the impact that I added, and I know what happened while I was in this space. And most importantly, I know who I helped. I know who I spoke to. I know who I created advocacy for. And a lot of public wins and a lot of private scars. Ain't that it? My goodness, my goodness.
Starting point is 00:21:12 Ooh, I did not know that. And just to look at you, that's why you just never know what people did to get where they are. And a lot of times people are not willing to go through what a lot of people have had to go through to get to certain places where they feel like you've made it. Yeah, I did, but would you go through
Starting point is 00:21:28 what I went through to get here? Nine times 10, no. No, and it's the highlight reel, right? It's the, I want the thing that, like, I want the moment on the carpet. And it's like, the moment on the carpet, that's such a fleeting moment. Are you willing to go through the things
Starting point is 00:21:43 that don't feel good continually and expand your idea and your limitations of what you had for yourself? Because that's how you allow these companies, these corporations, these organizations and people to really treat you. You know what I'm saying? So for me, it was amazing in so many different aspects and like anything, any blessing that you have, there are challenges, there are things that cause you to question things
Starting point is 00:22:07 about yourself and most importantly, things that remind you of yourself. Yeah. Yeah, you know? Yeah, yeah. When that mirror is full of you like, eh. Yeah, yeah. And or remind you more.
Starting point is 00:22:24 Better. Yeah. This is great. I want to leave the good to grasp the greater. And it's easy to do that when you know it's on the other side. When you don't know and you got to have that blind faith, it's different. Yeah, it's very different. Yeah, so with blind faith, where do you feel like that came from and how are you able to be like, all right, I don't know what's on the other side of this, but I'm gonna take this leap. Yeah, you know what's interesting,
Starting point is 00:22:46 because I think when people make decisions, I'm fascinated by people's decisions. I'm fascinated by how people make decisions. But one of the things that I've seen that's the common thread in people making decisions is that it's never just one decision. It's multiple decisions that have led up to one decision. Right, yes.
Starting point is 00:23:02 And for me, there were multiple things that occurred where I was like, hmm. I've put in, first of all, I was too exhausted to dream. So that's the thing. We go up, we share in our comment, we share in the story when there's a big announcement, an announcement of a job or announcement to somebody, we go, and it's great, but I don't know that we often think about what their experience is going to be like in there beyond
Starting point is 00:23:31 that press release moment. And I think that that's a real thing. And I think I was like, I'm here, I am successful, I'm making more money than I've ever made, I have access, I have these things. And I'm too exhausted to dream. And is this success? Or is this everyone else's idea of success? And for someone else, it might be great.
Starting point is 00:23:55 And even though I was too exhausted to dream, I kept doing it, I kept wanting to make the impact, because there were some dreams, but I have dreams outside of this. I have dreams outside of how much this is taking. And I think that we often don't talk about safety. I think there's a safety required to be in a 97 or 98 year old anything. Yes.
Starting point is 00:24:18 But organization or anything where it wasn't created at a time for us. So what do you think that's like to be the person in the room, right? You know, to speak up, speak out. There's a safety required to feel safe to speak up, to speak out, right? And I think for a good amount of time I felt that safety to be able to do so. And then when I felt it wasn't as safe as it was before, I'm like, okay, I'm too exhausted to dream.
Starting point is 00:24:48 I don't have what I feel like I need to continue to be able to blossom in this space. I've put in so much time here. I've done so much for other people here and I'm so proud of that and proud of the teams and proud of whatever it is. And what would happen if I started to dream again for me and started to put this time in here for me. And I always ask this question personally and professionally and the question is if
Starting point is 00:25:13 I love myself, if I really love myself and by that if I trust myself, if I believe in myself, if I value myself, would I stay here? A relationship, a friendship, a family ship, a business deal. And when the answer came a bit more clear to me, it's never at the right time. It's never when you think it's going to be. It's never at the time when you got the most money in the bank, when you got whatever, whatever. But it comes at the time when it's clear.
Starting point is 00:25:40 And at that time I was like, okay, I got it. Because I've done this before. Yeah. And I'm willing to do it again, because I believe that there is something bigger than what I'm willing to walk away from. Wow. I can say a lot of people probably wouldn't have walked away. No. Yeah. So I commend you for that,
Starting point is 00:26:00 because a lot of people wouldn't even have the wherewithal to be like, you know what, there is something better and bigger. And this is huge. This is huge and it's incredible. And it's all of these things and it's a job. And it's a job. And I can get a job.
Starting point is 00:26:15 Listen, clearly not at 7-Eleven, but I can get a job. Because it wasn't for me. Yeah, it wasn't for me, right. But it's the job. But I think that when we see these things, we're so attracted to the light, or we're so attracted to the headline, we're so attracted to the press for these. And I think that if we could all just pause for a second and be like, that's great and
Starting point is 00:26:33 that's amazing. And when you're inside of it and you start to have those questions, it's like, and at what cost? Yeah, it was. You just got to ask yourself, and for everybody, it might be completely different if you want to have a family, if you want to know do this if you have other aspirations in your life you know and a lot of people I think get in positions and there's the identity and that identity is attractive because people see you
Starting point is 00:26:56 valuable and that's feeding and insecurity we may have within ourselves to continue to be and in a town like this where it's so predicated on where you are what you do. That's the first question people ask. Not your name. What you do. First I had to tell them girl that is so rude. I was like don't do that. She was like what? I was like don't start the conversation off like that. But you're so right that's exactly how they... what do you do? What is your value?
Starting point is 00:27:23 And it's code for, not always, but it's cold for how much respect should I give you? How can we work together? How can I use you? And it's not always negative, but it's very upfront. And I don't think that it's always honest. And I think that it's served so much and you had to know, I've had, it's good.
Starting point is 00:27:42 It's served what it needed to serve, and it's good. But I do think that we get addicted to identity and because it gives us a false sense of power and a false sense of value. And I think the thing that I'm the most proud of out of all the things that have happened there is that I was myself the whole time. Good, I was gonna ask you that,
Starting point is 00:28:00 was there ever a moment where you lost your identity? That's so good. No, I was myself the whole time. And I think when I realized That I was no longer gonna be able to show up as the Sean that be flourishing that is when I was like I Can't do that Because I if I'm meeting someone in any capacity you're we're meeting each other and you're meeting me and I want to be that Person for real. Yeah. And I realized, you know, if I couldn't show up like that, I don't know that I'm really
Starting point is 00:28:29 going to be able to add the value that I would be able to add. Now that's so true. Yeah. Yeah. In your journey, it seems like it was a lot of ups and downs. Was there ever a moment where depression kicked in or were you like, I need to seek mental health because this is a lot, or were you always just type of person that I'm gonna push through? Because I know sometimes we, I think as black people, we've, it's in us to just push through, you know?
Starting point is 00:28:53 And sometimes, not until late, probably like the past couple of years, mental health and therapy has become popular, so to speak. You know? Where before that we would just like push through, nobody cares, push through. So was there any moments where you were like, ooh, or that you, you know? Where before that we would just like push through, nobody cares, push through. So was there any moments where you were like, ooh, or that you wish you, looking back,
Starting point is 00:29:09 you could have like had someone to talk to during those times? No, there was just a moment of full depression. Yeah, I was waiting for you to stop. I was like, yeah, huh? Yeah, no, there was just a moment of full depression. And I don't know that it was specifically work only and always.
Starting point is 00:29:24 I think that it's just a moment of like, who fights so hard? You do all the things that you think you're supposed to do for the world's idea of you and what you should be doing. And then you get in and you're like, why don't I feel good about this? Whether it's I'm on TV right now, I'm in living room, I dreamed about this.
Starting point is 00:29:44 I'm at the biggest show in the world, I'm around the people, I've dreamed about this in different scenarios, not quite this, but, and you almost, I'm like, God, am I being ungrateful? You know what I'm saying? Like, am I not, is something wrong that I am not fully content in this moment? And I remember actually one time when I was going to have a different bout with therapy
Starting point is 00:30:09 when I was looking for a therapist. And I remember going into an HR person there and was like, I just want to find somebody. And it's so difficult to find a therapist. We also don't talk about that. It's so difficult to find a therapist. They're making it a lot easier now. And I just remember seeing my name and it was like folder, and it was like Sean Finney, depression. And then it was like a list of,
Starting point is 00:30:29 and it was just like, but it was the first time that I had really seen it like that. And I was just like, oh, that is where I am. Oh my goodness. Which wasn't a bad thing. But seeing it in the folder is like. Yeah, seeing it in the folder, for me,
Starting point is 00:30:41 I was just like, well, that is why I said I wanted to come and talk to y'all. Right, but. And I guess, so, yeah, I was just like, well, that is why I said I wanted to come and talk to y'all. And I guess, so yeah, I've had those moments and those moments honestly started well before I was working. Those moments, I've had an amazing childhood and my biggest enemy was always myself. Super critical, super very hard, super pressure, a lot of pressure on myself to excel, to succeed. And I've had to just continue to redefine what does success mean for me now? What does success mean for me now? Because the artist in me was like success means getting the deal. I got that. And I didn't take it.
Starting point is 00:31:19 Success was like the job. Had that. I'm ready to, I can separate from this now right and so it's the continuation for me of redefining what success means for me in every season just like we get different wardrobe for the summer. So in this season just redefining what that means for me now. Right I love it. I love it. Where you are now, what are you doing now? Because I know, that's a good question. I'm like, what are you doing now? You know, some things will come out very, very soon. Okay, I knew you had something.
Starting point is 00:31:55 Yeah, yeah, but just because I want the audience to really think about it, because I think that for a while I felt like I needed to answer that question and there's a pressure to answer that question and the truth is the biggest project I'm ever going to work on is myself. You know what I'm saying? And so I remember having this conversation with someone they were like what are you doing? Because again it becomes like this thing where it's like I need to know how how I can work with you what we're gonna do and I was just like me I'm working on me.
Starting point is 00:32:25 And it was really jarring to them because they were like, oh me. And I was like, no, no, no, I'm working on me. And they're like, yeah, but no, no, no. And I'm like, what project? Me, the project is me. The thing I'm looking at is me. The thing I'm working on is me, me, me, me.
Starting point is 00:32:38 Because I'm gonna carry me everywhere that I wanted to go. And I think in this town and in this time, there is a need to have something to say for someone else to feel good about you and where you're going or to say oh I thought you would have been doing or to feel bad about what you're doing. So it's not just always feeling good right and I think for me first I would need to rest. Ten years is a long time. It's a long time. Yeah, it's a long time.
Starting point is 00:33:06 Just to be like, and I'm a whole human, you know, having my own experiences, right? And I think I needed to rest, I needed to relax, I needed to release, I needed to reimagine, I needed to dream again. And I've been dreaming again and being able to exercise on some of those dreams and pay my bills at the same time. But I think what's also interesting
Starting point is 00:33:22 is that we get to this space where, almost makes the emotional thinking up, but we get to this space where we feel so connected to the things that are not really real in our lives. Talk about it. Yeah. And I was really happy to spend my mom's birthday with her and my brother's birthday with him. Because you miss out on so much. Because I've missed out just like going and going and going and I appreciate the moments
Starting point is 00:33:50 that I've had and I'm also appreciating what really really matters in this season where I'm at right now. I love that. Yeah. I'm proud of you. Working on me. I love it because it is a pressure of like what's next and what am am I doing? And then when people are like, oh, I thought, no, like that's great.
Starting point is 00:34:07 I love when you say I'm working on me. Working on me. Because that's a big project. Yeah, it's the biggest project I'll ever do. And it's like, yeah, I'm doing stuff that is more visible when I'm working, doing some stuff for LA Times or I'm working with other filmmakers and I'm working on doing strategy and consulting.
Starting point is 00:34:22 All that is great too. But I don't know that I ever necessarily need to answer the way I used to answer before. And that's nothing bad about it. I don't think anyone that does it is bad. I just think for me, I'm reprogramming for myself to continue, it's me everywhere I go. It's me if I told you I'm landing at this place
Starting point is 00:34:44 or I'm gonna be in house at that place. You know what I mean? And I think one of the things that's been a blessing is like I haven't had to go in house somewhere to survive. And I think that's what's been interesting in the re-imagining the dreaming again, where I'm like, wait, I can make money doing different things.
Starting point is 00:35:00 I pick a word to describe my year every year. What's this year? This year is multiple. Wow, okay, yeah. Multiple streams of peace, multiple streams of love, multiple streams of income, multiple streams of income and revenue. Amen.
Starting point is 00:35:11 But also just multiple streams of healing. You know what I'm saying? And in my, in 23, when I wasn't quite sure yet what was gonna happen, my word was illuminate. The thing about illumination is that you can only see how bright something shines just opposed to darkness. I was in a lot of perceived darkness, which I now look back and say that was preparation. But in my year of probably illuminating the most, there was the most perception of darkness
Starting point is 00:35:37 around. But it was for me to see how bright I could shine and how bright I could shine, not how bright I could shine at this job, where I'm at with this, with this title, with this, because the title, we can, there's a job. We can go on LinkedIn right now. There's a lot of jobs. There's a lot of jobs. There's a lot of jobs. But who are you without that?
Starting point is 00:35:54 And that's the question I'm always just like, when we get wrapped up in this, because it's so hard, acting, creating, content producing, music. It's so difficult that it almost becomes your identity because it's what you're doing all of the time. No, literally. But what if you couldn't do that? Who are you?
Starting point is 00:36:11 Exactly. How do people answer that question? And so I've just been working on that myself. Yeah, I love that. That's good, I have to ask myself that because I do feel like sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we do that it becomes who we are. And that's not the case at all. But when you're so wrapped up in it, it can become that.
Starting point is 00:36:29 If you don't check it. You get 100% and there's nothing wrong with it as long as you can just step out of it because it consumed a big part of everything that I was doing when your schedule is crazy, when you're going from this thing to this thing, this thing, this thing, When it's paying your bills, when you've now been able to create a life
Starting point is 00:36:48 that before you weren't able to create a life for. I saw when you were talking to Amber, when you were talking about how y'all first met. I love Amber. Oh, no, we love Amber. And she's fly. She's so fly. All the time, all the time. We love Amber.
Starting point is 00:37:00 But when she was talking about, I think at that time you couldn't pay your rent, and the person that she was working with. So there was a time, and now you're living in a way where you're like, wow I'd wanted this and now I'm in it. Yes, you know what I'm saying? So yeah, yeah, that's right You said something about I was too exhausted to dream my own dreams And I had I was talking to someone and they were like, well if it's from God, you won't be exhausted You may be tired, but you won't be exhausted.
Starting point is 00:37:26 And when you say that, it reminded me of that quote. I was like, ooh, because I was like that sometimes I'm like right on the brink. Like, wait, say that again, say that again. If it's from God, you won't exhaust you. You may be tired, but it won't be exhaustion. Whoo, I need to reevaluate a few things. Yeah, no, that's real. And I was like, dang, because I mean, because he won't put more on you than you can bear.
Starting point is 00:37:43 Yeah. And I do feel like sometimes I'm right on the brink of it. I'm like, okay, Lord, is this in your will because I'm about to... I'm tired. Super tired. I'm about to step out. Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm like, rest.
Starting point is 00:37:54 Please, rest. Yeah. So when you said that, it made me think of that. Yeah. And what are we willing to release in order to step into what we want to become? And it's so easy to sit on this beautiful couch well lit and say that, you know what I'm saying? It's a struggle. It's hard. It's hard because your heart is in it. It's hard because the attachment is in it. It's hard because identity is in it.
Starting point is 00:38:21 Whether it's a relationship with someone that you love very much, whether it's a relationship with someone that you love very much, whether it's a job with someone that you love very much, whether it's your relationship with yourself that you're figuring out, or the things that we've, because sometimes you're like, is it intuition or is it insecurity? Uh oh.
Starting point is 00:38:36 Ooh. Because sometimes we're like, this is my intuition, you're like, is it your intuition? Or is that your insecurity that's causing you to do that? And I've been both, right? I've been both. I'm like, that it your intuition? Or is that your insecurity that's causing you to do that? And I've been both, right? I've been both.
Starting point is 00:38:47 I'm like, that was my intuition that told me. I mean, it kind of was my intuition, but it was also my insecurity. And so like taking that space to actually work on what those things are, to be able to decipher, you know what I mean, what that is. But speaking about dreaming, what's been interesting to me, even when I was like,
Starting point is 00:39:04 okay, what is it? What do I wanna do? How do I wanna play? What do I wanna do? I just realized my approach to dreaming is different. I'm such a producer. I'm such a, I need to make it happen. Even before we were sitting down,
Starting point is 00:39:16 I'm like, what's the angle? We can't. We can't, what's this like? But what's been interesting for me in this season is like, Sean, you've produced a lot. What are you going to allow? Make space for acceptance and allowance. Cause I'm so used to being like, Sean, you've produced a lot. What are you going to allow? Make space for acceptance and allowance. Because I'm so used to being like, OK, I'm going to do this.
Starting point is 00:39:29 I'm going to put this together, and I'm going to do this. And it's like, I felt like I had blessings on reserve that were trying to be shipped to me, but I was moving the address. So it was like, return to sender. And I'm just here to actually sit in the unknowing, allow that to happen. Because people want to help you.
Starting point is 00:39:46 People want to show up for you. But if you keep moving houses, they keep going to the house looking for you to deliver the package to you, and that person's God trying to deliver that to you, it's difficult for him to find you. You know what I'm saying? So my approach to dreams have been different.
Starting point is 00:40:00 And then my other thing is, is this really my dream? Or is this the thing that I think I need to do to get the bag? Is this the thing that I need to do to seem valuable? Is this the thing that I need to do to seem like I'm doing well? So is it actually my dream that I'm dreaming? Or is the dream that I think I should be dreaming at this phase? And then what am I willing to release? And then the hardest part is like saying it out loud,
Starting point is 00:40:26 writing it down, whatever your practice is, with no resistance. Right, yeah. No resistance. I wanna speak all over the world and get paid to speak all over the world. That's it. Not how, when, well who's gonna do that, what?
Starting point is 00:40:38 Right. You just get to a point where you can say it and then just let it be. So my approach to dreaming has I've been taking a lot of time on that then just been like the dream is this right because the dream is going to come the dream is always shifting and moving the dream is always repositioning itself. Right is centered in something but it's repositioning itself
Starting point is 00:40:58 right, but how I allow it to find me. That's changing. Yeah, that's a change. I wanted to ask you, just looking at you, I'm like, you seem like you're in a very peaceful space right now in your life. What are you doing? What steps have you taken to reach this stage?
Starting point is 00:41:15 Are you at a peaceful place? Cause you feel very peaceful. And I often want to know like, what do people do to like reach that phase in their life? And then what are some practices that you put in in place that make you feel at most peace? Sometimes I feel like I'm I feel really peaceful, not all the time, sometimes. More times than not now I feel very peaceful. But you're always just like questioning, even as confident as you can feel and be you're
Starting point is 00:41:44 questioning like did I do that? Did I, am I, am I, am I? The thing that I've been doing a lot is just spending time with myself, reminding myself I talk to myself a lot. I talk to myself a lot, I love you. Oh, mm, I love that. Cause I think, I think I've been warning a lot of other people
Starting point is 00:42:04 to say certain things to me that I really needed to say to myself. And so I'm speaking to myself a lot more. The things that I feel like are limiting, I'm redefining, is that even a limit? And who told me that was a limit? And so like, who am I uninterrupted and what interrupted me to begin with?
Starting point is 00:42:23 I'm gonna turn up again, what is going on today? I mean no it's the same thing but because it's like it's that that feeling of like that real when you sit with yourself without any outside influences and you're just like you know yourself you know the things that you want to work on you know the things that you want that your heart is calling out and you're like I don't know how this is gonna happen but I've increased speaking to myself because I've been saying, I've been wanting a love that I think was really vacant within me, not because my parents had a great childhood.
Starting point is 00:42:56 And I think that I have allowed professionally certain things because of that need or that value. You do it professionally and personally. professionally certain things because of that need or that value, right? You do it professionally and personally. That's the same. And I think that has been the biggest part of it. And it's not that I don't speak when I'm not in a, but it's who am I speaking it to?
Starting point is 00:43:17 That's changed a lot for me because I realized some people will hold space for you. Everybody will hold space for you at your moments where you're changing and finding yourself. And so I've been doing my best to replace a lot of that. But I'm peaceful most of the time. I feel peaceful most of the time. I feel peaceful most of the time. I am confident in the fact that I have seen God do so many things in my life that that's not the thing I'm questioning. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:43:56 Even when I don't know how. Right? We're not questioning it. We're not questioning it. I'm like, I know what's coming. I may not know what it is. Am I willing to wait for it? Am I willing to release something
Starting point is 00:44:04 without knowing what's on the other side of it? What am I willing to become in order to do that? Am I willing to do the harder thing? But I've learned I can do hard things. I can do hard things. I need the right people around me. I need to be the right person to be around as well. But I can do hard things.
Starting point is 00:44:21 So yeah, I'm at a good place right now. I am at a good place right now. I am at a good place right now. And when I'm not at a good place, I'm honest about that too. That's good. That's good. Does it ever feel heavy to, because I'm sure like a lot of people look at you like you've got it all together. Does it ever get heavy? Because even when you walked in here, it's like, Sean, do you ever feel like you got to be like at a certain energy and like, because you just, or is that just because you know, because some days you just don't feel like that. But like, when we see you, it's just like, cause you just, or is that just, cause you know that some days you just don't feel like that,
Starting point is 00:44:45 but like when we see you, it's just like, oh, Sean's here, you know, you might be like, I don't feel like being here. No, no. Well, you know what the honest thing is, is that I spend a lot of time alone, as much as I can. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:45:02 I'm, I am extroverted. I'm also very introverted. Me too. Yeah. I'm like the biggest introverted extroverted, I'm also very introverted. Me too. I'm like the biggest extroverted extrovert. Yeah, it's like I can go out and do the things. I also need time to just like recharge and do whatever the thing is that I need to do. Whether that's you know what I'm saying catching up on something on a show. Or it's just like being at the crib.
Starting point is 00:45:22 That's why the gym is important for me. Fitness is very important for me. It's No, but the benefits of it I think are you know aesthetic but it's mental for me and for me It's also mental the discipline because I've realized whatever I want and as I continue to dream bigger It's a higher level of discipline required. It's a higher level of releasing required. It's a higher level of decisiveness. It's a higher level of what are you willing to really let go of to do this? I feel like we need to change the title.
Starting point is 00:45:53 You know, that keeps coming up. And that's a real thing. What are you willing to let go of? What are you willing to let go of? Because it's like, we all want to like be the space shuttle and we all want to take off. And the space shuttle takes off. What the space shuttle goes into space with is not what it took
Starting point is 00:46:07 off with. Come on now. The boosters, all of that. Everything drops off and things drop off as you get to next levels. It's the same with us but sometimes we, I have wanted to hold on to things, situations and circumstances because it feels good because it's comfortable because you love it because it's comfortable, because you love it, because you love them, because you love the job, you love what it's giving you. But I also know that I'm supposed to go to space. And so I can't get there with those things.
Starting point is 00:46:34 And so life will cause you, the things that you take off with aren't always the things that can go with you. Right, that's real. I had to learn it the hard way. Yeah. Yeah. I had to learn it the hard way. And that's. Yeah. I had to learn it the hard way. And that's so true.
Starting point is 00:46:47 My therapist, when I was going through a season in my life, I called it the purging season, where I was having to let people go and things go. Well, I'm glad I wasn't on that list. I made it through. Ha! The purging season. Yes, ma'am.
Starting point is 00:47:01 It got real. Yeah. But she said to me, she said, Crystal, everyone that came with you can't go. And even that in itself was like, okay, this is just a part of me, you know, and it really is. It's a part of evolution, it's a part of life, it's a part of growing. And I think when you realize that it's not always a bad thing. You know, it's okay, I've outgrown, or this means I'm going to another level.
Starting point is 00:47:25 And most times it's a good thing, and you're ridding yourself of some person or a thing that wasn't good for you, you can go ahead. And the real thing is, sometimes you're the thing you need to let go of. Yes, yes. Sometimes you're the limited belief,
Starting point is 00:47:38 you know what I'm saying? And I've done that too, where it's like, oh, it's that thing, I need that thing, and I'm like, oh, damn, I'm the thing. I'm the thing, yeah. I've never been the thing. My idea is my things that are no longer serving where I actually want to go and how I need
Starting point is 00:47:50 to move forward in life. And I can't get there because of me. And I tell that's so true. I had a cousin of mine. I was like, you got to get out of this mindset. You're never going to grow if you keep thinking this way. And she was like, I didn't even think about that. I was like, yeah.
Starting point is 00:48:07 I was like, I don't think the same way I thought. You know what I'm saying, when I was 20. You know what I'm saying? Then when I turned 30, I didn't think the same way then. I said, you continue to grow and you have to evolve with where you're going or you'll never grow. And that is so true.
Starting point is 00:48:21 Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy in the end. And just asking the question, poking the holes, like what is growth for me? Because growth for me might be something different, right? Growth for your cousin, growth for success, all of these things, because being able to move and do different things and walk away from a job or a career or a thing that you once thought was the thing right that's that might be the most successful thing you ever did
Starting point is 00:48:50 and to somebody else is a big question mark yeah what are you gonna do now? You gonna go to Atlanta pursue music? Yeah. I literally quit a job. Yeah. A very stable job with benefits and health insurance to go do something that I had no idea like how I was going to do it or anything and everybody's looking at me like, well you need to pray about that. I already did all the way. Yeah and they're like so and see that's the thing and because you prayed about it they think you're supposed to have an immediate answer to it and it's like that's the faith, that's the walk. Yes. The walk is walking without the thing being completely clear but walking anyway.
Starting point is 00:49:26 You know what I'm saying? And I think that like we, people project their ideas of what faith is and the limitations of what it can be. Sometimes they do it to protect you. They do, yeah. Or they think they're doing it to protect you. But you went from there, music, costume design involved. And what if you had stayed on the hill?
Starting point is 00:49:44 And there's nothing wrong with anyone who's still on that hill. Y'all stay on that hill. But you're on your own hill now. You know what I'm saying? And that's the part about it is where it's like, what are you willing to walk away from to step into something different? Yeah, you gotta do it scared. You asked me earlier what I had learned about myself in this whole process. And I was like doing it scared. Yeah. Cause a lot of times you don't know what's on the other side of that step that you have to take. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:50:10 And I think too, Crystal, it's like we romanticize success. We romanticize love, romanticize what it is. And we make it this, if it's hard, that must mean it's not for me. Or if it doesn't work out that one time, it must mean it's not for me. That's why there's auditions, right? Because you go on auditions, you don't get everything you want to audition for. Here's the other thing, the person who got the thing
Starting point is 00:50:35 isn't necessarily better than you either. You know what I'm saying? And so like the constant audition of life is going at it and expecting and knowing that you will be told no, that it's not gonna work, that you didn't get picked this time, but that doesn't mean that it's not for you. It could just be no, not right now. Right. And I think that's a hard thing to kind of process when it's someone's dreams and someone's going after their dreams with all of their money in their pocket right now. Somebody's going on their dreams staying on somebody's couch. Somebody's going on their dreams living in their car right now and they can't have another no.
Starting point is 00:51:05 But that no is only really kind of really propelling you towards a yes later, but it's your yes. It's a yes that's going to be undeniable. Yes. A yes. And when you get the yes, it might not look like you think it is. It never does, but it blows your mind.
Starting point is 00:51:19 It's like, ah, I never thought it was going to be this. Yeah, everybody's trying out for the NFL. Everyone's not going to be the star football player. Nope. But for the NFL. Everyone's not gonna be the star football player. Nope. But you might be the coach. You might be the chairman. Right. You might have other different avenues
Starting point is 00:51:31 in how you can be in it. You know what I'm saying? Exactly. In the same thing, but we have such a distorted view, I think, of like what it can be. Just we're so protective and precious about what we think it can be. That's so true. Oh my gosh, Sean.
Starting point is 00:51:43 Yeah. So to close, Sean, I want to ask you, what brings you joy? Right now, this. Oh. No, seriously. And I say that- Really, friends?
Starting point is 00:51:55 No, I say that because it's like, everything else is so temporary. I could tell you what brings me joy is like, I can go get this, I can go buy this, I can go make this money, I can go- Yeah. Community brings me joy is like I can go get this I can go buy this I can go make this one I can go Yeah Community yeah brings me joy having conversations being able to share When things aren't good being able to leave a voice note being able to get one back being able to pray
Starting point is 00:52:17 You know what I'm saying and being able to Remind myself that like I'm valuable I'm lovable even with the things that I'm working through and figuring out, and being able to have someone on the other side of the couch that's like, I see you, and you're doing good, even though you're not where you think you wanna do, where you wanna be right now.
Starting point is 00:52:35 What's bringing me joy is community. I love that, I love that. Sean, thank you. You are such a delight, thank you so much. I love you, and I'm so proud of you. I love you too, I love you so much. So to close out the show, we're going to do what we call positive outcomes. Oh, dope. Okay.
Starting point is 00:52:52 That's where the listeners write in and we give them advice. Oh, dope. So this letter is from Saraya. I'm Saraya. I have in the past five years been big on personal development and mental health and becoming more productive in planning for my and My family's future as well as a wife of almost ten years with two kids at some point five years ago I felt lost so I started working back to find me and what makes me happy I started school received my associates and now I'm in school for my bachelor degree in child and family studies and will graduate July of 2025 with my bachelor
Starting point is 00:53:28 degree. I see the same therapist for over the past four years now and have definitely done the work, yet I get these spurts of feeling disappointment and dissatisfaction with myself that sends me into a depressed state of mind, feelings that I'm not sure if I'm doing enough or if I could be doing better. In between all this, I'm trying to also build my business as an educational consultant for preschool age children. There are many times I almost feel
Starting point is 00:53:56 that I am truly thriving my purpose, almost questioning, God, are you sure this is what I'm supposed to be doing? Because the minimum support I receive makes me second guess a lot. I know you're not supposed to think about what others' opinions are, but it's hard to say that I don't. Any suggestions on staying focused
Starting point is 00:54:15 with trying to be an entrepreneur despite the lack of support, even when you know it's for you? Saraya? Uh-huh, Saraya. That's a beautiful name. It is, I love that name. The way she spells it's beautiful. And Prada, she's graduating July 2025.
Starting point is 00:54:26 Yeah. Here's the thing. Here's what I'm practicing. Sariah, for listening. This is what I'm practicing. I'm practicing when I'm in a good space. I write it down. When I'm feeling good, when I'm hearing clearly God's direction,
Starting point is 00:54:42 when I'm feeling good about what I'm doing, I write it down because I know there's gonna be a day that I don't feel good and I need to come back to what's the truth. I think sometimes the fear to us feels so true and it's a lie because it's the worry of what could be for so many different reasons, but the truth is the truth. And so I always like to create a space
Starting point is 00:55:03 to come back to the truth and like, this is what I'm doing. And second of all, I feel my feelings. So so I always like to create a space to come back to the truth. And like, this is what I'm doing. And second of all, I feel my feelings. So when I feel bad, I'm not the person who's like, you shouldn't feel bad. I feel bad. I let myself feel bad. It's like a cold. I feel my throat getting scratchy. I'm like, I'm going to take the medicine I need to take. But in order for it to go, it has to pass through. Now everybody's passing through some, okay, two weeks, too long., you got things to do. But I'm honest about how I feel and I go back to the truth because the truth is and it gives you permission right because and I think we're not being honest with ourselves about anything in entrepreneurship is so difficult. It has stretched so many ideas of what I thought and
Starting point is 00:55:41 how and people make it seem and be very easy and it's not and I think that if so I would have realized and understand that everything she's experiencing the person she admires the most is also experiencing the same thing But that person goes back to their truth. Yeah, so I would write down the truth I would write down what God is saying to me in the moments when it's at its highest when it's real Because if I'm operating from that place of deficiency, which is fear, which is so normal, we all do it, I do it all the time. That's not the truth of where and who we are. No, it's not.
Starting point is 00:56:10 I love that. It's so good. And also I would tell her to write down, write down what she's done, because even just in that, she's already done so much. We're associates. Yeah. I'm like, you've already done so much
Starting point is 00:56:21 that sometimes when your head is down and you're just walking, you're not able to see. When I first started learning how to drive, I would drive and I would look down like at the hood. Because I'm like, my dad's like, you got to look further down the road. So the same thing, like just look further down, but just look back in the rear view mirror and be like, I'm 24 exits past where I used to be. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:56:42 That's what I would say. That is so good. Thank you, Shawn. where I used to be. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. That's what I would say. That is so good. Thank you, Sean. Next thing we do is what I'm going through and what I'm growing through. Ooh. Yes. I am going through just really understanding
Starting point is 00:57:12 that everything is in God's time. Because I do still sometimes like, okay, sometimes I'll put God on the timeline. Like I was like- Yeah, yeah, yeah. You said by January. Yeah. You know what I'm saying, we need to get this done.
Starting point is 00:57:22 Yeah. But I've learned to just let him do his thing. Because there are some times I'm like, okay Lord, I've been waiting for a long time, when are we gonna move in this area? So still trying to be patient and not rush him. Because I know sometimes when we do that, he'll get going to give us what we ask for,
Starting point is 00:57:39 but it ain't what we want. So that's what I'm going through and growing through. What am I going through and going through? I think I'm going through change and I think change always feels uncomfortable, but it's also right where I'm supposed to be. So it's an interesting concept of like, I'm going through things out of my element that are so different, but also so necessary for where I'm about to go.
Starting point is 00:58:18 And so I think I'm going through understanding, releasing what was and stepping into what will be. and that isn't always as easy as it seems and we glamorize and romanticize stepping into your next version of yourself, but we don't often talk about it's okay to miss something that you had because that's the truth. You're human, right? It's okay to miss aspects of certain things or people or situations or circumstances.
Starting point is 00:58:44 And I think I'm going through realizing that every level is going to require a new level of not only my faith, but a new level of releasing. Yeah, that's good. Yeah, that's good. The last thing we do is keep it blank, sweetie. And for this one, I will say keep it disciplined, sweetie. Cause we talked about every level requires a different type of discipline. I would say in every level stay disciplined, sweetie.
Starting point is 00:59:15 Yeah. And keep it blooming, sweetie. Keep it blooming, sweetie. Because I think the thing about it is that like, we're just looking at the flower, but underneath are the roots and how far that is and how deep that is. And it's in seasons, right?
Starting point is 00:59:32 When you're looking at the trees in the winter time, it looks like it's dead, but all the energy is really at the bottom. So just keep it blooming, sweetie. I love it. I love it. Thank you, Shawn. I love you.
Starting point is 00:59:42 Oh my gosh, I love you, baby. Oh my gosh, guys, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Keep Thank you, Sean. I love you. Oh my gosh. I love you. That's a little word. Oh my gosh, guys. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Keep It Positive, sweetie. If you want to write into our positive outcome listener letter, you can write into keepitpositesweetieatgmail.com and that's sweetie with an I-E. You can follow me on all platforms at LUV, Chris Dornay.
Starting point is 00:59:59 Sean, tell the people where they can find you. Instagram, Sean Finneybyflourishing, Twitter, Sean B. Blumen. And that's really it. I love it. tell the people where they can find you. Instagram Sean Finney be flourishing, Twitter Sean be blooming, and that's really it. Yeah. Make sure you tap in with Sean, stay up to date with all the amazing things that he has coming up in the future.
Starting point is 01:00:15 And if you want some little, a little sunshine in your life, just follow him right now. You'll definitely get that. All right guys, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Keep It Positive, sweetie. In the meantime, in between time, you know what to do. Keep it positive, sweetie.
Starting point is 01:00:26 Bye. Bye.

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