We had the good fortune of connecting with Vally O and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vally, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
A piece of conventional advice that I disagree with is, “Find your passion”. Oh, the pressure of this statement alone…
I’ve found out that my life flows easier when I abandon the idea that my passion is something to find. The truth is, I didn’t “find” anything, rather I surrendered and partnered with my life. I let go of conventional, traditional, and the idea of “the right way”. There is no right way. Just a way. There is no wrong way either.
You must build your passion. You do this by doing what humans do best- live. Also, you will find that you actually have multiple passions. It is a great capitalistic scheme to have young people believe that in order to be happy, and successful, you have to find your passion…and remember, be quick about it because it won’t wait for you. The facts are that a human has to try really hard to be a loser in life. You don’t “find your passion” you are the passion. So really, all there is to do is discover you. Sure, this is less sellable…Less glamourous…This doesn’t happen overnight like many fast food, get here quick concepts America has caused its citizens to be addicted to. Be patient. You WILL discover you, and in doing so, you will find lasting and meaningful work that will make an impact on the world. It will be worth the wait. Take risk and enjoy the journey. Life isn’t going anywhere.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I recently kickstarted my Social Media Management and Image Consultancy business under the Umbrella, Vally O. I started building my social media accounts just four years ago. Turns out, I really enjoyed the creative side of the platform as well as the technical back end of things. Moreover, I am really good at it! I’ve grown my Instagram account alone to over 3k in two months. After Covid and other social inconveniences, I no longer felt comfortable working a nine to five. Additionally, on my previous job, my social reach and skill as a content creator was being noticed by my past employer. I was given the opportunity to work on the Social Media team before leaving the job. I have had multiple clients since then and it makes me feel really good to help older individuals with stellar businesses, reach their digital media goals. My business has now expanded to a second tier in dealing with the actual physical image of a client. I love to stress that you are your brand, and it is important that you look the part on and off social media. My Image Consultancy services deal with helping anyone who needs it understand what it means to walk in a room and command an audience. Whether for a date, or a very important event, you need to know that you did not miss a beat. From styling you head to toe, to a couple of sessions on public etiquette, you will be more than prepared to stop the show with an unreal confidence. As I venture and expand Vally O, I don’t focus on how hard it is. In fact, if you truly enjoy what you do and if you are truly being honest in what you desire out of life, it won’t feel like hard work. Even still, there are failures to overcome and days where I feel like staying in bed. On those days, I am learning to just listen to my body. It won’t hurt to stay in bed for a couple of days. If my body is begging for it, then I need it. I don’t believe that it is necessary to “beat” your mind and body into submission for your future successes. Take it easy sometimes. It will help keep you from the dreaded burn out.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
New Orleans Itinerary for a FULL day outdoors!

Go to City Park! This park was modeled after the park in New York (or the other way around). There are so many secret wonders of City Park

I like to eat after my first outdoor excursion, but either way, right down the street from the park are a myriad of unique eateries on Esplanade. Keeping the spirit of being completely outdoors, there is this incredible Mexican restaurant on the strip called, Santa Fe. There is a beautiful outdoor sitting area to eat and listen to soft live authentic Mexican music.

To top the day with whipped cream, head to Plum Street Snowballs then The Audobon Zoo- Snowballs are a snack staple in New Orleans, of course. Head to the classic Plum Street Sno Ball stand and make your way to the zoo. The Sno Ball stand is close to the zoo, and it’ll keep you cool as you walk around!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my shoutout to the people in my past, present and future who did, are and will be willing to take risk for their pure belief in me. This is as selfless as it gets, and I hope I am not too heavy to hold.

Website: www.vallyo.com

Instagram: poet.vally.o

Other: https://linktr.ee/Vallyo

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