Days before RIZE was set to take the stage, I sat in my home staring at ticket sales that were nowhere near my ambitious goal of 225. My savings account was about empty, my nerves were frayed, and that familiar voice of self-doubt was getting louder by the hour. “What if no one shows up? What if this whole thing is a disaster? What if I've just spent everything I had on a flop?”
But then I remembered something I’ve heard in the stories of so many of the visionaries that I admire: sometimes the most radical thing you can do is trust yourself when everyone else thinks you're crazy. On Friday, June 20th, as nearly 70 people filled the venue for RIZE, I had finally resigned to the idea that this event was about more than just producing a community event. It was about producing proof that I could trust my own voice again.
When Trials Steal Your Creative Confidence
Last year, I couldn't have produced RIZE if my life depended on it. Not because I lacked the skills—I'd been producing events since 2010 with my original showcase series called "Visionz"—but because I was in survival mode and a toxic ending to my marriage had systematically eroded my ability to trust my own instincts.
The gaslighting and manipulations seemed subtle at first. But they soon became a slow poison that seeped into every decision I made, including my business choices. I found myself constantly seeking external validation, afraid to move forward without permission from someone else.
Unfortunately, this isn't unique to romantic relationships. Toxic workplace cultures, poor leadership, and various traumatic experiences can have the same effect—they can disconnect us from our inner knowing and teach us to doubt the very instincts that once guided us toward our purpose.
But thankfully, there are infinite paths to reconnect with yourself, and for me, creative expression is one of those paths. “Creative expression helps individuals reconnect with themselves primarily when it comes to things like trauma,” shares Nachaé Jones, psychologist and founder of Jonesy’s Place in Atlanta, GA — a studio that offers creative sessions that promote personal development, emotional healing, empowerment, self-care, and social connections. “The goal is to use creativity to again really approach our past and current experiences from a place of healing and a healthy perspective.”
The Road Back to Self-Trust
My journey back to trusting myself hasn’t been linear. It has involved God, therapy, and of course, the arts. Each has played a crucial role in helping me fully express myself during such a difficult time.
Therapy helped me understand the mechanics of how I'd lost myself. God reminded me that I was created with purpose and vision for a reason. But it was creative expression—specifically, the decision to produce RIZE—that became my ultimate test of whether I could truly trust myself again.
The concept for RIZE emerged from a desire to honor the resilience of the human spirit. After navigating divorce, caregiving responsibilities for an out-of-state relative, and the general chaos that life had thrown my way, I craved a space where the community could celebrate overcoming.
The spiritual significance wasn't lost on me either. "During the turmoil, my mom prayed for me at one point that my spirit would rise up,” I shared in a recent interview. “And at a certain point, those seeds really did take root, and now the show that I'm producing is literally called RIZE because I did rise. I'm still here and I'm okay."
When Creating Becomes Reconnecting
The process of producing RIZE became unexpectedly significant. Curating 12 incredible artists whose work reflected themes of hope, and resilience helped me to celebrate what my own comeback looked like. Each artist I selected represented a different facet of my favorite creative expressions—from dancers to spoken word artists, a singer, rapper, and DJ—each who left us feeling hopeful and inspired.
But perhaps the most powerful aspect was the risk itself. Every dollar I invested, every voice message I sent to potential attendees, every moment I chose vulnerability over self-protection was an act of self-trust. I was literally betting on my own vision, and that felt both terrifying and liberating.
The attendance numbers weren't what I'd originally hoped for, but the impact was undeniable. Messages poured in from attendees expressing how moved they were by the experience. "I’m so inspired," one person wrote. Another shared, "That was so powerful."
The Universal Steps for Your Creative Comeback
As I continue to process the significance of our first community event, here what I’ve learned that you can apply to your own comeback journey:
Start before you're ready. My confidence wasn't fully restored when I decided to produce RIZE. The act of creating has helped restore it. You don't have to wait until you feel completely restored to begin expressing your authentic self.
Create what you need to see. RIZE was more than just an event; it was the experience I desperately needed during my darkest moments. What gathering, project, or expression does your comeback require?
Let your scars become your credentials. The very experiences that bruised my confidence became the foundation for creating something meaningful. Your pain doesn't disqualify you—it qualifies you to help others navigate similar struggles.
Redefine success on your own terms. Nearly 70 people in a room celebrating resilience felt more successful than 200+ people attending out of obligation. Quality of connection matters more than quantity of validation.
Trust the process, not just the outcome. The comeback happened in the process of creating, not just in the final event. Your comeback might look different than you imagined, and that's perfectly okay.
The Ripple Effect of Radical Self-Trust
On the heels of our inaugural event, RIZE is already evolving. In addition to being an annual celebration, it has inspired a documentary project exploring themes of healing and self-reclamation. More importantly, it proved to me that my instincts—the ones that were nearly silenced by toxicity—are worth trusting.
Your creative comeback doesn't have to be a literal stage production. It might be writing the blog post you've been afraid to publish, starting the business you've been talking about for years, or simply saying "no" to circumstances that require you to shrink. The medium matters less than the message: you are worth trusting, your voice is worth hearing, and your resilience is worth celebrating.
As we prepare for RIZE 2026, I'm no longer asking for permission or seeking external validation. I'm creating from a place of restored confidence, knowing that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is trust yourself enough to begin again.
After all, your comeback story is waiting to be written. And you're the only one qualified to hold the pen.
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