To bask in a vision that you’ve had for yourself. That sweet spot when the transition feels easeful, and you feel that you are embodying the change you hoped to see. What’s that like? How do keep showing up to expand the vision and resist complacency?

What does it mean to maintain a vision? That middle passage of sorts where you’re so invested in a vision that returning to what you left does not resonate at all yet navigating challenges to keep the momentum going can also seem tricky and overwhelming at times. How do you keep staying in communication with truth and keep at it?

What does it mean to be inspired and take the first steps towards a vision? How do you manage the call to do something and bring a vision to life? I explored these questions in conversation with Giselle Richelieu, the co-founder of Black Girls Bloom – an intentional space cultivated by and for Black women and girls to radically re-imagine their futures and co-create community based on deep, critical and authentic connections, celebrating the idea that we are each other’s medicine.

What facilitates reconnection? Curiosity and openness are two words that came to mind whilst I spoke to Lucille Junkere, an artist, educator and textiles researcher specialising in plant colours and embroidery. Our conversation touched on ancestral wisdom, the language of indigo dye and identity.

To feel grounded is a powerful feeling. It is a process which holds you up and acts as your foundation in life. What are you grounded in? Taking time to inquire and reflect on the kind of stories that you are grounded in and asking yourself whether such stories are serving or hindering your growth are important questions to bear in mind when developing an understanding of who you are.

Inspiration, that moment where we can experience a sense of alignment and connection from a situation – be it from a person, a memory, a song or other forms of expression. It draws attention to a feeling of being in the flow of things, which in turn, contributes to strengthening our ability to cultivate.

What does it mean in practice to navigate through life from a space of intention? It is a process which requires time, dialogue with self as well as embracing connections to surroundings. From this basis, we leave ourselves better equipped to recognise the interconnectedness of the human experience, which mirrors the interconnectedness of nature.

Connecting to ancestry through travel offers one way to engage with the past. Having the opportunity to physically encounter the spaces that have shaped societies can facilitate a deeper understanding of heritage. Be it sacred sites or landscapes, each offers a glimpse at gauging key aspects of daily life from communities of the past.

How do we promote an engagement with culture and ancestry in a way that is neither rigid nor dismissive? Culture is the product of a set of belief systems. By recognising that all beliefs are susceptible to change one is able to gauge the fluidity of culture.

Music, a tool for self-expression, education and a way to engage with the past. Its presence draws attention to one way that elements of the past have transcended through generations, providing an opportunity to connect to ancestry.

Curiosity of lived experiences serves as an important element in fostering spaces to celebrate diversity and forge connections. When we ask questions, we allow ourselves to be open to another point of view as opposed to interacting with different ways of living from a set of rigid expectations.

When you create the space to know yourself, this allows you to understand who you are and invest your energy in discovering and utilising your talents to make a positive impact to your surroundings. Knowing your roots is key in this process.