DaVaughn Moná

Say hello to the New Year and the new It Girl of the month of January, DaVaughn Moná! She is a 22 year old California native and Coppin State University alumna where she majored in Entertainment Management with a music concentration. She is a multi-passionate woman and a lover of many things. She is a makeup artist, beauty obsessive, style enthusiast, media lover and blogger. She absolutely does not allow herself to be placed in a box because she is capable of things far greater than any box. I had the great pleasure of knowing DaVaughn personally. She is extremely selfless and a great motivator to those around her. Ever since I met her she has been completely helpful in my journey as we shared the same major. I had the opportunity to get her feedback on her stance on self-love and self confidence and here is what she had to say:

Q: What is your opinion on self confidence? (How do you express it ? How did you gain it?)

D: Self confidence is crucial! In my opinion we should all have confidence in self, but the reality is it can be a struggle for many of us. Self confidence for me is a journey to owning who you are, believing in your abilities, and of course exuding and exemplifying who you are at the highest standard. I express my confidence through how I carry myself, it's through my walk, my talk, my style, and my beauty. It's a reflection of who I am from the inside out, it's that inner glow. I believe that confidence was instilled in me, though I do have my own struggles. For me it's a daily journey and constant reminder to myself that I am capable and that I can really do anything if I truly believe in myself.

Q: What is your opinion on self love? (How do you express it? How do you gain it ?)

D: Self love is treating yourself with the upmost love and respect, much how you would want someone else to treat you. I spent many days hating on myself, saying I wasn't good enough, telling myself i needed to lose weight to be "pretty" just to fit a status quo, and the list goes on. Straight doing myself dirty. I suffered the consequences of all that negative talk, and sometimes I still do. I realized that some things about me weren't changing, and what could change I had the power to make it happen. I'm continuously gaining love for myself by firstly talking nice to myself, meditating, exercising, even getting in the mirror and saying affirmations. It's hard, and trust, it's a journey but I'm determined to be the best me and have all the self love so it's totally worth it. I want to always be able to see my inner glow reflected on the outside.

Q: What animal do you feel can be associated with self confidence and why?

D: The first animal that came to mind was a LION, beautiful, strong, fierce in nature. To me the LION embodies all that confidence is, and allows nothing to stop him/her from being just that, confident.

A personal note to the reader: Self love and confidence means everything to me, it's something I work on all the time. From me to you, take the time to speak light, positivity, and greatness into your life, because life and death really are in the power of the tongue. Surround yourself with positive energy and people that want to see you win, be fearless in all that you do. I've allowed doubt to get in my way so many times and trust me it's not worth it. Let all that inner beauty and that glow on the inside shine on the outside.

If you would like to stay up to date on DaVaughn Moná's journey you can follow her on IG and twitter @davaughnmona

or visit her website at Www.davaughnmona.com!