Nena Velonni shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Nena, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Who are you learning from right now?
It’s okay to start living and let the past be the past. Don’t let it define you or what you been through. Don’t dwell on what others done and forgive yourself for who you once were.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, I’m Nena. I do model and I work with/ for clothing brands/ merch. I have been modeling for 6 years now and working with certain brands and influence other brands to gain from modeling and even planning to go more into photoshoots soon.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Any person who tries to block my shine. A lot of times some people will see your light. They see your shine and how you move, your ambition, they see rooms shift when you walk in and how people love you and people speak highly of you. You have to stay away from others who aren’t happy with themselves and don’t want what’s best for you.
you’re always going to see people try to block your blessings and dim your shine.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
A lot of people don’t and won’t take time out in their life to actually deep dive in the root cause of something that has been a huge weight on their shoulders and that’s really self reflecting in a lot of healing. Because either they don’t know how to or they are not ready or they don’t want to. Even if it takes one to two years or more to actually deep dive and open up things, however it’s going to be ugly. It’s not going to be perfect. Sometime is the most craziest things knowing those times your life where you are not yourself and it’s not because you don’t want to be yourself but you’re actually breaking things down and lotta shadow work. How will you be glad that you did.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
See that’s the thing! a lot of times people feel like they have to put on a mask on with whoever they’re around or wherever. just to make others feel comfortable and to be liked. I don’t like to be something I’m not always have to be me! If I have to be fit in different places in order for someone to like me and if I have to dress a certain way, talk a certain way have a certain vibe to me in order for someone to like me then, I am truly am not myself. I’m not here to make you comfortable or what you see fits.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Honestly, I will always show up every day and be me do my best. I used to care about other people‘s opinion and a little bit of seeking validation from other people but as I’ve grown, I stop caring about other people‘s opinion I stopped caring for other people to tell me my worth. At the end of the day you’re always going to be somewhere where somebody are envy of you or somebody has hidden animosity towards you and it’s only because they don’t want to see you grow. They don’t want you to get the shine no matter where you are or what you’re doing. so keep showing up keep, being you because one day you’re going to actually see for yourself who you are .
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Velonni.belle
Image Credits
AO management
Chris Bovance photography
