Reese Jones

PROOF OF LIFE: S U R R E N D E R. Visibility has been knocking on my door HARD. Yelling from the other side, “sis… come on. we outsideeeee.” And I’ve been asking for rain checks. Because I’ve felt safe where I’ve been. Going back and reading my old entries, it’s astounding to see how much they were preparing me for a version of myself I hadn’t met yet. Those weren’t just entries. They were mantras. Reminders. Armor. Equations for a life I’m now living. Truth is, I’ve dreaded coming back here. Because Instagram isn’t just a platform. It’s a place. A place that once held: my vulnerability, my likeness, my sense of safety. Until it didn’t. But I get to rewrite that. THIS is me reclaiming what felt lost. What felt tainted. What felt… taken. This is me returning to my voice. My writing. Myself. I wrote this for me, Nice to meet me again 💋

Something about the Sun ☀️, your favorite people and a lil mimosas that makes life feel alright #brunchmakeseverythingbetter #explore #thingstodo #letsdance

Life has a funny but not so funny way of reminding us that we’re alive. ✨ Whether it’s the dopamine rush of museum-going (@hirshhorn ), trying a new café (@atmamakokos ), laughing with your favorite people, receiving compliments, brainstorming/editing your art TO praying the “clean sweep”prayer (ya’ll know which one I’m talking about) & being SHOCKED by the results. Grief & Gratitude 2024 continues … make sure you’re meditating, praying, finding joy, taking deep breaths, doing your inner work & not just acting like it, resting & pouring into YOU. NOW, is the time. Community is necessity. This was a tough week ya’ll, but “we all we got” ✊🏾 Just remember that I wrote this for you ♥️

Here’s to new beginnings and the chapters that come with them. Life has a way of shifting and reshaping us, sometimes with gentle nudges, other times with unexpected waves & uprooting. Moving forward often means shedding & leaving behind what once felt familiar and safe, and, sometimes, even the people we imagined would travel w| us through lifetimes. But I’m reminded daily that the Universe has a plan, aligning things in ways I couldn’t have scripted myself. Every step, every change, every open and closed door—they’re reminders that I’m one of God’s favorites, held and guided in the right direction. Ordered steps. Blessings to you @androgynous_animorph for seeing me, for choosing me, for MUSING me. You are a true gift to this realm & I am honored to share love & art in this existence with you 🌹 Excited is an understatement when it comes to this season of growth and blooming. Here’s to the spaces we step into, to the elevation and evolution we’re blessed to experience, and to trusting the journey—even when it asks us to trust what we cannot yet see.✨ If even in the unknown you can recognize that you’re living in an answered prayer, I wrote this for you 💋

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHT ✨ A wise woman once said, “If they counted you out, THEY CAN’T COUNT!” Here I am, still standing. Blessed. Favored. I’m beyond grateful to @canvasrebel for considering & featuring me with a recent article! It’s such an honor to share my journey, be of inspiration to others and be part of a platform that uplifts and empowers creatives like myself. Blessings to you for shining a light on my story and for all the support! 🙏🏾✨ & of course to the eyes & hearts that capture me, love always 🤍 Slide 2 (or link in bio) for a good read 🌹

August Ends. SEPTEMBER WINS ✨ August was a month of preparation. Building up for the usual hibernation season for some of us. August was full of celebration, life, & love. September is ushering in new beginnings, blessings, faithfulness & courage. There’s SHIFT on the horizon 🌹 I tried my hand at this 20 post sequence (scroll through, it’s some good stuff!). Let me share with you some of my month: • REMINDERS & MANTRAS 💕 • my 3rd summer producing a fashion show w| the youth (my babies) @youthinbusiness & I couldn’t be more proud! 🥹 • 🗣️ TAKE UP SPACE, SIS! *in my @iamtonijones vc* • remember this name, you’ll see it somewhere soon 💋 • I felt cute, so I’m POSTING it (a big deal lol) 💅🏾 • SHEDDING. TRANSFORMING. TRANSITION. • Wine Wednesdays @stemandvinebaltimore HELD ME DOWN this summer! 🍷 blessings to @thesolasystem for activating such a beautiful, black, bold, & NEEDED space for the cousins 🤍 Go ahead and grab a glass cousins, you’ll be in for a treat! • “Let It Flow”; a consistent reminder to release the want/need to control the outcomes or orchestration where there’s uncertainty. My steps are already ordered. Listen & follow through to flow to the next blessing ✨ • August ushered in Virgo Szn ♍️, celebrating w| ya’ll is always a time to remember 🥳💕 @kokaine_badd my sister/cousin iloveyou x infinity, @brynmarvibe we locked in & it’s been up ever since 🤞🏾 • I set intention this year to walk in runway shows & I DID @artscapebmore hosted Project Artscape & they chose me 🤗 • my love language featuring @keepgoingdre 💜 • witnessing support, love & joy in my bff as she embarks on this artistic journey is beautiful. thank you @gotrag for bringing the crew through! 🫡 • by releasing control, I provide myself with the opportunity to see life exactly as it is & then have the blueprint to sprinkle my magic all over it 🌻 • Pookie’s BearthDay @kiraynell_ 🎂 was quite literally the theme of September. Celebration & Community! You are a vessel to the realms of depth, liberation, prayer & victory. To many more lifetimes of celebrating YOU 🫶🏾🫶🏾 • Is it giving main character energy yet ? I feel a lor something 💁🏾‍♀️🧚🏾✨

It’s World Photography Day and @blackwomenphotographers has partnered with @nikonusa for a giveaway to a creative that could use this marvelous gift! 📸 Those who know photography & I have a long loving history. While being in front of the camera has become my new love I want to incorporate my love of both in a new (yet revisited) journey. ✨ Blessings to everyone who has & plans to collaborate with me in capturing all that is ME, I just love you! Now, if I dust off my old skills & need some mentoring, ya’ll got me ? @blackwomenphotographers this would TRULY be a blessing ✨🫶🏾 #BWPxWPD #worldphotographyday #blackwomenphotographers #nikonusa #modelandphotographer #firstlove

JULY [dump.] The 7th month. My birth month. Love filled me up. It rewarded me, surely. ✨ Let’s try something new, swipe to see ALL that July had in store. • in case ya’ll didn’t know, orange looks GOODT on me! 🧡 • existing in survival mode literally changes your brain chemistry, we’re making room to live in THRIVING mode. • my 1st spa visit ever 🤗, if you haven’t been I recommend @thepearlspa for all of your self-care & relaxation needs 🧘🏾‍♀️ • of course @iamdavionf is one of the cousins now 🤍 • & again, ORANGE 🧡 • paired w| laughing, dancing is my love language • ya’ll know the vibes 💕💕 • SO MUCH LOVE TO MY BESTEST OF FRIENDS @keepgoingdre @kiraynell_ & BearthDay blessings for us @koolestofalltimee ❣️ • being asked to be apart of the surprise engagement of this beautiful couple & my lovely friends @__vocalbeast__ 💍 • friends can be soulmates too, iloveyou @khamdoart 💖 • journeying & celebrating in art w| @keepgoingdre is magical • celebrating my cancer sis @sim1ofone , the rooftop was a vibe for sureee ♋️ • reconnecting & rebuilding with my dad’s family has been a long time coming & I’m grateful for the growth, the healing & joy that has come with it ✨🤍 Find joy. Find happy. Find healing. Find love. In all of the moments that you can. It’s worth it. I wrote this as a reminder. I share because someone needs it (especially me). Yes, I wrote this for me. But of course, I wrote this for you too 💋

BEARTHDAY DUMP 🎂🎈7.13 32 Rotations. Reflection. Restoration. & Reintroduction. My my my, what a journey. Care if I share some thoughts that I’m taking with me into this new season of life? There’s beauty in destruction. Beginning again. Rewriting your story. Adding more elements to your canvas. Starting anew. Shedding breeds room for growth. Creating space for those beautiful wings, those large leaps, that bright light & BIG spirit to flourish. Shedding brought me here. Shedding prepared me for now. Arms, ears & heart WIDE open for the journey ahead. My canvas isn’t so blank anymore. Combining colors, moments, tears, joy, uncertainty, grief, heartache & more. Add a big splash of honor & faithfulness & we have the mess … I mean, MASTERPIECE that is me today. ✨ About a week ago, I sat & looked over the last 6 months. To my surprise & gratitude I saw the woman (the guide, the protector, the healer, the lover, the teacher, the voice) that I always needed. I gotta give myself the credit that I deserve. YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THE DAMN THING, REESE! & it’s okay to wear that out loud! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE & IT’S SAFE TO SAY, YOU ARE THAT! 💅🏾🤍 Don’t work too hard on perfecting your story when your hands are full just living it. & sis, you’ve been living! Doing things you’ve always dreamed of with plans of doing so much more. You deserve to bask in the newness, the greatness, the success & the joys. Now, excuse me cousins while I keep practicing the above mantra ☝🏾Ps. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SENT ME BEARTHDAY BLESSINGS, iloveya’ll w| my whole heart 🫶🏾💕✨ Before I go, don’t forget that although this is MY BearthDay post, I wrote this for you too 💋

Happy July 1st ✨ Ya’ll have been holding me accountable, cousins! In preparation for this new life season I want to take the intentional time out to be present right here, with all of you. & lemme just say, I’ve been taking up space! *clap for your girl* 👏🏾💁🏾‍♀️ Ya’ll remember what I said about my 30’s ? Yeah, well I’m only almost 2 years in & the journey is already unforgettable. This is my ode to them. Musing me. The journey, this season, this chapter. Many blessings to those who found my being special enough to capture. In my truest essence, body & element. BIG LOVE TO YOU 🤍🫶🏾 @bydvnlln @keepgoingdre @clutch.ent.photos Sending love & joy to my bestie @keepgoingdre , THIS set the tone for my July 💕 see ya’ll in 12 more days! Before ya’ll go, Scroll to the last slide for a treat 😘 (make sure the sound is on)

BLESSINGS ON BLESSINGS✨ Family, the blessings are really pouring in! Sending many blessings to @thomasj_ & @mimosacityfest for extending the opportunity! He reached out & said that he wanted to showcase Black Art in the event space. Ya’ll .. being asked to provide AND BE (🥹) the artwork ( that was also shot by my good sis, a black woman artist @shae.mccoy.photos ) for a festival has now been added to my list of blessings this year & the gratitude is BIG. With 3 days to make something shake, I’m proud of Me 🤗. MimosaCity Festival is a central hub for Black socialites, professionals, and creators of all kind to network, socialize & unwind. Sounds like exactly where I should’ve been. & I can’t wait for many many more to come! 🥂 Shoutout to my Morgan State family too, for seeing me, recognizing me & congratulating me, ya’ll really showed out! 🫶🏾 BIG LOVE TO: @thomasj_ @vonchase @iam.kyng @bigfredcomedy @mimosacityfest @mimosacityexperience Thank you for contributing to my June in the season of Joy 💕

ACTS OF SERVICE 🤍 “I don’t need you to do that for me. Thoughtful gestures are cute, but I don’t need to be taken care of. I appreciate if someone chooses to help me, but I don’t need it.” WHAAAAAT ?!?! WHERE DID I GET THAT FROM ?! EWWW. (I know where, but that’s a journal entry for another day). I’ve led myself to believe that this is not a necessity for me. Being hyper-independent & fearful of hearing someone throw their “offering” in my face. When really someone initiating help/assistance & being “of service” is what I need. THE RESOURCE NEEDS A RESOURCE. It actually is important to me when someone takes the initiative to help me. I’m not great at asking for help, but one step at a time. Making the room for the help & care is a start. Offering help without me explicitly asking feels like mutual understanding. Being able to depend on someone to get things done, to extend their care & consideration, step in to lessen the load & weight is definitely only a language that few speak. Even bigger, to be someone who can be easily exhausted spiritually & emotionally is a BIG cost & I should not ever let anyone diminish what type of cost that is & its value. RECIPROCITY does not mean identical treatment. It means to exchange .. & in love it’s by everyone’s ability. Living in struggle/survival mode [permanently] is over, it has run its course. I deserve to experience the exchange of that weight. People choosing to show up for me in service, I am deserving of. PLUS, it’s really attractive 🫠. I have unlocked a new level, a new discovery & one I can be unapologetic about. I pray to connect with people that see the value & investment in what I pour out & finds the blessing & value in pouring into me in return. Why did I strip myself of this for SO LONGGGG ?!?! If I ever say, “I got it.” Move me out the way. As a matter of fact, I’ll retire the phrase for a little while & replace it with “Thank You” because that’s all I need to be saying lmfao. Let me practice right NEOW! This was my journal entry last night, but I wrote this for you too 💋