We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raveen Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raveen below.

Raveen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I host a journaling workshop series entitled #PositiveSelfTalk. It began as a conversation with a friend. We were chatting about her business endeavors, and she was talking about everything she had done in preparation for the launch, but she felt like she still hadn’t done enough. It prompted me to believe that we all have moments where we’re super hard on ourselves without acknowledging how far we’ve actually come. I’ve always been a writer at heart so I decided to write a blog about it. That single blog post turned into a blog website full of encouraging writings and posts. I then began to wonder how I could create a tangible experience for people to experience these types of encouraging words in a communal setting, and thus, the #PositiveSelfTalk: A Guide to Being Sweeter to Ourselves was born in 2016. I’d never curated an event before, but I just knew I had to do it. I reached out to a local yoga studio and asked the rental price, I decided on the ticket price, I bought journals and pens, and I posted about it on social media. The very first one was such a success. Over time, the flow and logistics would shift, but the vision always remained. Now, in 2022, #PositiveSelfTalk was featured in the 2022 SXSW Wellness Expo for a second time in Austin, Texas. The main thing in sticking with this was continuing to believe in myself and in the vision. And continuing to do my own self-work so that I could remain authentic when presenting this to the world. I’m still figuring it all out.

Raveen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a wellness/lifestyle writer, yoga teacher and meditation guide. I’m also a mental/emotional wellness advocate which is at the root of everything that I do and offer. As I mentioned before, I’ve always been a writer at heart. And I’ve always had a passion for helping and encouraging people. I remember being in my early years of college and sending my church notes to everyone in my phone every Sunday. Or you could always find me leaving little inspiring notes on my Twitter for anyone who needed them. Little did I know that those things would help me get to where I am today. I studied Print Journalism & Sociology in college, so I learned all of the technicalities of journalism and news writing. While I learned that I wasn’t quite interested in hard news, I did take my knack for writing and use it in my passion for wellness. I consider myself a wellness writer because almost all of my writing is about self-care and community care, healing and transparency, etc. Many of the brands and companies I work with are wellness-centered, and I value that. #PositiveSelfTalk is wellness and community centered.

I gave yoga a try in college, but I didn’t get really serious about until 2017. My home studio is BIG Power Yoga, and they helped me to connect to the practice in such a profound way. They had a 40-Day program in 2019 that required 6 weeks of yoga, journaling, group meetings, and a lot of accountability. When I finished, I was so inspired to get my yoga teacher certification. I received that through BIG’s Teacher Empowerment Training in 2020 (all virtual because of the pandemic). Since then, I’ve been teaching in places and spaces that feel good. They also taught us a bit about guided meditation during the training. I have a personal meditation practice, and it feels good to assist others in theirs. I became interested in sound bowls about 2 years ago, and now I play them during guided meditations and at the end of my yoga classes.

To sum all of that up, I provide writing services, wellness experiences through journaling workshops, guided meditation sessions, sound baths and yoga classes. I also partner with brands as a health and wellness influencer, and I have a bit of experience in social media content + management.

I am most proud of how I am following my own path. I used to think that my life had to look a certain way in order for me to deem it as successful. But I now look at my life in awe because I’m doing it all my way. I want people to know that the life that they want for themselves is possible. And even if it looks messy right now, it’s all coming together. You HAVE to believe in yourself. My ability to be transparent is the backbone of the work that I do.

How did you build your audience on social media?

This question is important to me because I take pride in knowing that my audience was built authentically. No purchased followers, no spamming, and no streamlined posting schedule (though I do believe this is important these days). All me. I’ve been sharing transparently and vulnerably for quite some time, and I continue to gain followers because of that.

Social media is changing now, and there’s no doubt about that. Advice I have is to BE YOURSELF no matter what. Real people value real experiences. You don’t have to spill all of your deepest secrets, but share your personality and the people that are meant to connect with you will. The next piece is to schedule your content. Social media can be overwhelming, and scheduling can ensure that you’re still active without having to be online all day. Next, interact with people. Comment on posts and stories that really speak to you. Share other people’s work. Support your community. This is big.

Other than that, I have no other science or magic to growing an audience. Your tribe will find you wherever you are; you just have to be authentically you so that they can find you.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is seeing your dreams and visions come to life and the creating the life you want. It can be very challenging to believe in your work when it seems like there is always something or someone to compare it to. But there’s nothing like dreaming up an idea and executing it. It affirms for me that I really can do anything that I put my mind to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://the-raveen-alexis.square.site
• Instagram: instagram.com/@raveenalexis
• Facebook: fb.com/@thervnalxs
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raveen-johnson-9b56ba27/
• Twitter: twitter.com/@theraveenalexis

Image Credits
Rachelle Clark Delicia Waller Danielle Tillman