Tracee Ellis Ross Says You Won’t Be Everybody’s Cup Of Tea. And That’s OK.

I am not a fan of avocados. To be frank, all things even remotely guacamole-related make me sick to my stomach. But the gag is, I don't have to eat them. As I've blossomed into a grown-ass woman, I've come learn that people are a lot like avocados. While some may find them palatable and delicious, everyone has different preferences that determine what is and is not a good fit when it comes to their appetite, Tracee Ellis Ross wants you to know that being an acquired taste is not a curse.

In a recent interview with Tyler The Creator forInterview Magazine, our good sis reminded us that you won't be everyone's cup of tea… And that's OK. Tracee explained:

"I always felt like there was something wrong with me, why I thought the way I thought, felt the way I felt, the big feelings I had. And then I realized, 'I can't be anybody else. I might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I've tried to be other people and it doesn't work. I'm really best at being me.' It takes a lot of courage to be yourself."

Overcoming self-doubt is a superpower, especially when you're locked in your house with nothing but snacks, wine, and your own thoughts, but Tracee says that allowing yourself grace is the secret to getting out of self-quarantine with your sanity in-tact.

"Right now, my fuse is a little shorter. Things that rolled off my back before are a little hotter and a little stickier. So it's all about giving myself that permission to be easy and gentle in the way I meet myself and others, and in how I approach my day."

Tracee said that although she is a sister in the self-isolation sadness struggle, she's managed to keep her spirits high by incorporating mantras into her daily routine. She continued:

"I have a lot of mantras, like may I know that all is well, or may I know that like a flower, I am worthy of love without effort. Most of my mantras, honestly, come out of my biggest fears. I like to name what that is so I have clarity."

"Right now, my mantra is may I be easy, gentle, and joyful. Usually, I have so much to get done, and time seems to be in such limited supply. I tell myself to work smart, work hard, and push and push—like, I know I could get more out of me."

It's this daily practice, Tracee says, that has allowed her to eliminate negative self-talk and make the best of her newfound time alone.

"As soon as the stay-at-home situation started, it was like slowing down a speeding train. I had to pause a very active mind and allow myself to not pick up a narrative that frightened me. Easy, gentle, and joyful settled me down."

To read Tracee's full interview, click here!

Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com