the Sunday Muse

Good morning, my loves, and welcome to the first Sunday Newsletter from my new blogging tool — Substack. I hope y'all are feeling good this morning, and more importantly, I hope you’re ready to take on the week like the warriors you are. You know the drill — grab your coffee and let’s chat!

Standing out is more important now than it ever has been.

Have you ever been to those neighborhoods where every single house is the same? They all look the same, share the same story, no character, no uniqueness — nothing. Just a house. Nothing more. That’s how it feels now living in this world we live in every day. Everyone is so fixated on being just like everyone else. The same type of content, the same type of mindset, the same type of fashion, the same type of aesthetic. I mean… where is the originality!? Where are the free thinkers? Where are the people who want to go against everything that is “in” and do something totally different?

You are your own person. You have your own mind. You do NOT have to fit in.

My dad used to tell me all the time that I was a leader and not a follower. When I was younger, I understood what he meant, but I didn’t understand it as much as I do now. I have always done my own thing. I never wanted to fit in with any group or way of thinking. I do what I want, and I don’t apologize for it. I don’t want to fit into this world. I don’t need to “find my place.” This is my world. This little world that I live in? It’s mine. Just like the little world you live in? That’s your world. We may live on the same planet, but we are not living in the same world. So you know what that means? That means who the fuck cares about what I think about you? Or what other people think about you? They are not your concern.

Everyone is trying to keep up with every single trend, and it’s exhausting.

I’m not telling you what to do. But don’t you get tired of feeling like you have to keep up with what’s going on with the latest trends or the latest mindset? And yes, I said the latest mindset. Why? Because… people change the way they feel about things all the time according to the climate of what’s going on on social media or just the outside world in general. Just because everyone has the same opinion or way of thinking on a certain topic doesn’t mean you have to adopt that mindset too.

It’s okay to be different — and no, you aren’t “trying too hard.” Just be yourself.

DO WHAT THE HELL YOU WANNA DO. That is the message today. There isn’t anything deep about that statement. There’s nothing to overthink. It’s simple. Be who you are, and if people don’t like it? Oh, fucking well. Life is too short to care about what people have to say. Some of you may not resonate with this message because I know some of you are free thinkers and you do what you want regardless. But sometimes we need that reminder. We are human. We fall short. Sometimes it’s really easy to get wrapped up in following the latest trends, styles, opinions, etc. But that shit gets exhausting. Be who you are. Don’t for one second think you’re less than someone else because your aesthetic isn’t as “pleasing” or you think differently about a certain topic than they do. The only person you need to be worried about accepting you is YOU. Are you happy? Are you proud of how you look? Are you proud of the way you like to dress? Are you proud of the way you think? If so… then that is ALL that matters.

All I want is for you to be you. Love who you are. Be okay with being different.

Until next time.

Soul <3

This week, I challenge you to do something that expresses your individuality.

It could be something as small as wearing an outfit that makes you feel bold and unapologetically you or sharing an opinion you’ve been holding back because you didn’t think it was “mainstream” enough. The goal is to break free from the need to fit in and embrace what makes you stand out.

By next Sunday, reflect on how it felt to step out of your comfort zone and let go of the fear of judgment from other people. Whether it felt great to do or was a little bit uncomfortable, that’s okay — growth happens outside of our comfort zones.

As most of you know Scandal in the Dark Part 1 is coming out on March 28th of this year! I’m super excited about this. This is the ONLY peek you’ll get before the book comes out! Enjoy :)

He had no idea I was surprising him this time. Usually, I give him a heads-up when I’m coming to town so he can get the house ready. But tonight, I wanted to be the surprise. Jaylen and I have been together for seven years—we met in high school, senior year. Instead of rushing into things, we decided to focus on college and building our careers before taking the next step.

But long distance isn’t working for us. Not anymore.

I’m planning to move back to Dallas. I love my job in the Pacific Northwest—being a project manager for a real estate company makes me feel like a boss—but Jaylen is my whole heart. Waking up to his face every day? That’s the happiness I want.

We’ve grown so much together. Jaylen worked his ass off to become an attorney, and I’ve always told him how proud I am of him. We came from modest families who wanted better for us, and we’ve exceeded every expectation.

For me to drop everything and move back home, this man had to be something special. He makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the world. Sweet messages, flowers every other week, romantic weekends—it’s like a dream.

Tonight, I wanted to surprise him. This was my second visit this month, and he had no clue I was coming. I set the mood in his apartment—roses, candles, even his birthday gift wrapped on the bed. Our favorite candle filled the room with its warm, familiar scent.

I hid in the hall closet, my palms slick with sweat. Anticipation roared in my stomach, while my nerves were mixing with excitement. I could hear my own heartbeat as I waited for him.

Then I heard his keys in the lock.

My heart leapt, but something felt off. Footsteps. Not just his. Someone else was with him.

I froze, straining to hear. The sound of shoes hitting the floor. Keys tossed aside. No words. And then... soft, unmistakable noises. Heat rising, bodies pressing—sounds I didn’t want to believe.

Tears stung my eyes. My phone buzzed in my purse, a gut wrenching reminder. He never called like he promised he’d do when he made it home tonight.

Every step I took out of that closet felt heavier than the last. The hallway stretched endlessly, my pulse roaring in my ears. My tears blurred my vision, but I could see enough. I could recognize that tramp stamp anywhere.

I took her to get it on her 21st birthday.

Not only was he not alone—he was fucking my sister.