A (15:43)
Mm. Mm. I don't wanna be here. That's good, friend. Right? That's it. I got my pictures. They know I was here. We're good. This is another good one. Bouncing back the art of the Comeback. Ooh. Oh, my goodness. Let me think of a moment where I had to bounce back. I feel like it would probably be when I first moved to Atlanta from D.C. going from having a regular paying job, consistent check, and then moving here and going, like, flat broke. Money ran out fast. Everything I had saved up ran out and trying to figure it out and that it was a series of years for the Comeback. It wasn't, like, a quick season where, like, bounce back now. You know what I'm saying? Your money can get low. And then it's like, oh, I know I got this coming. Boom, boom, boom. But even in that, like, learning the responsibility of how to manage things, because for me, I went from making a good amount of money, a great amount of money, to, like, making, like, a lot of money in a very short amount of time and not having everything I need to know and having to learn really fast how to manage that so that, like, when you do have down seasons, you know. Okay, cool. Like, I can. I've already managed this properly so that when I have a down season, I don't have to figure out how to come back. And I think that comes with maturity. But it wasn't always like that. So that was probably one of the seasons, a series of years that I would call a season where I had to literally fight my way back. It wasn't just a quick comeback. Let's see what else we got. Oh, the friend audit. Keeping your circle strong. This is really good. And this goes with all type. Like, I want to say, this could be for friends and family. You got to really make sure that the people around you serve the season that you are in. Because if you're around people and you're equally yoked when it comes to where you are in your life, it can derail you so fast, you know? And I think that for me, where I am in my life now, and I look around at my friend circle, we are so strong in our faith and our firm foundation in Christ, and it helps me stay focused. If I was running around with people that were, like, still in the streets, in the club, being promiscuous and doing all these different things, like, not saying that everybody. Everybody's walk is different. Let's be very clear on that. But if we're all striving for the same thing, if we're all focused and like, Drea, we see each other at church on Sundays, you know, like, we're all, like, on that path. It helps with your walk. So, like, when you look at your circle, you kind of have to see, like, let's take a little inventory and audit. Where are people in their lives who's kind of stagnant right now, and how can we help lift them up to where we are? You know, besides just throwing people away? But also, you have to be around people who want that for themselves, you know? So I think for me, in my journey, it has. I do probably yearly kind of an otter maybe sometimes throughout the year, you kind of have to be very conscious of your surroundings and who you keep. Cause, you know, sometimes you'll look and be like, wait a minute. Why am I acting like this? Like, what is that? Cause I don't really do this. Because you start to pull. You don't realize you are like the people that you hang around the most. So, like, if you guys wanted to cuss like a sailor and you trying to stop cussing, you'll find yourself like, wait, why am I cussing all the time? It's like, oh, like, okay, now I gotta talk to my friend. Hey, bro, like, you gotta chill out. Cause I'm really working on this, and I'm starting to pick it up. It's like a kid, you know? Like, you got a kid who, like, absorbs everything, and then you're like, where'd I get that from? Oh, I got it from my mama, you know? So it's like the same thing. We are constantly absorbing things. So I think the friend audit is very, very important, especially when it comes to just evolving in life. You know, for me, even with attaining fame and trying to figure out how to navigate it, I've noticed that my friends have even had to kind of shift and even kind of elevate and grow because they are around me. They're like, dang. We realize, like, we can't move how we used to move because of you. And sometimes it can be a heavy thing to carry when you're not the one that has to bear that, you know? Like, for me, it's like, it's a part of it, you know? But when you're just attached to me and somebody who's just an innocent bystander, where they have to kind of shift, too. Sometimes they don't understand why they have to shift or even understand the importance of it because they're not living it. But then other people that I'm around, they're like, no, I get it, and I'm willing. You know what I'm saying? Like, sis, I see. Like, I understand where you are and where you're going, and I want to go, too. And I want to grow and my areas, and I would love to be around you because it inspires me. But, like, when you have people who aren't really quite there yet, you have to decide when it's time to sever those ties or. You know, I feel like the saying that people are in your life for a reason, and a season or a lifetime is so true, and you have to be okay with that. You know, we want to hold on to people and hold them tight forever. And that's not everybody's position in your life, and you have to understand that. And that doesn't mean that you don't love them any less, that they're not in your prayers, or that they can't call you if they need you for anything. But some people just can't stay that close to you all the time, you know, depending on where you are in your life. So the friend audit is important. Make sure you guys do that and check your circle. You gotta keep it strong. Mm. This is a good one. Would you date you? Oh. Ooh. That's so good. Oh, my goodness. Wow. Would I date me? I, I mean, of course I would date me, but there are some things when you ask me that, I'm like, there's some things I need to work on. I have like a, like I like, I like things the way I like it, you know, and I can. When you've been by yourself for so long, you have cultivated a way of life, you've cultivated your patterns and the way you like to do things. And sometimes it's hard to like shift those things when you're so stuck in your ways. So I know for me, like when it comes to dating me, if I was to date myself, those are some things that this is good because it's kind of a little self reflection that I would need to work on, like, you know, being more like water, you know what I'm saying? Like if, if I'm with somebody, I want us to flow, you know, it doesn't have to always be my way. That's something I need to work on. I think something else I would work on if I was to date myself would be wanting. Oh, you know what? If I was to date myself, I would also tell Crystal to work on making sure that you give people the grace that you want people to give you. A lot of times we want people to come exactly how we want them to come, you know, and I struggle with this myself. Like you had this list of things. Like I want somebody who is on the same page as me spiritually. Like, I want somebody who's taking their walk of God seriously. I want somebody who's got their stuff together, you know, I want somebody who has this at least makes this amount of money, you know, they don't have to make the same amount. You have the list. You know what I'm saying? Whatever your list is, we all have it. And I think we have to understand that sometimes when we put those limitations on people, we also block our blessing of an amazing person. So I would definitely say learn to give grace more and kind of, you know, say you can have your non negotiables but kind of throw the list away because sometimes the list is just, it's not realistic. So I would do that. And then what else? I think everything else, like I would keep, you know, like I'm a good time, like I'm well traveled, so I know a lot of things I can introduce you to different things and I'm fun. I. Yeah, everything else, I'm good. Those are a few things I need that control and that grace I need to work on. But other than that, yeah, I would date myself. Mm. I would. Let's see, what else? No more pick me energy standing firm in your worth. I am there, honey. I used to be the girl. I just had to be in a relationship. Please pick me. Please. Not anymore. No. Listen, I'm very open. Cause I did go through a phase in my life where I just was very close minded and wasn't putting myself out there to meet anyone. Now I'm very open minded. I've grown and matured in the things that I want in a man. But as far as being desperate and like, please pick me. Like, I just, I want to be in a relationship so bad. No, those days are over. I'm not that girl anymore. And I thank God that I have been delivered from that. Because a lot of times we. When you have that pick me energy, you are willing to do anything and it turns into like, only how can I serve you? And then it's not reciprocated on the other end. But when you have values and standards, you come to the table with the man understanding from the jump. Oh, this is how I have to approach her. Oh, these are the things that she needs and demands in a relationship. And I think when you enter it in that way, it sets the tone for what you need. And also you're open as a woman to give the man what he needs. And it's not a one sided relationship. But I think a lot of times as we get older, for me it was a. I had a phase in my life as I was getting older and I wasn't settled down yet that I did have that energy where I just wanted someone to pick me like I was ready. And I think a lot of times I settled in relationships because of that energy and I was with people that God had not designed for me and that he hadn't chosen for me. But I was so eager to be in a relationship and just be chosen and you know, like, you want that, you know, like we can't sit. Like, I don't care. No, you want those things. But you wanted to be with the person that God. God chose for you. So that's my take on that. Plot twists and pivots when life doesn't go as planned. All right, guys, I am working on this because I work so hard to plan things and this is where the control comes back into. It's hard for me sometimes to immediately go into the, all right, what are we gonna do? Let's pivot. You know, I. Because when you like so structured and you, you plan everything To a T. Like, you want things to go right. And sometimes, depending on if I'm PMSing and I'm super aggy or if I'm in that space, like, all right, it's fine. Like, what are we gonna do? For the most part, I'm a. It's fine. What are we gonna do? But there's another. Like, I would say 49% of the time, I'm like, all right, what are we gonna do? But that other 51% of the time, I'm like, why is this not going the way we planned it? And that just is not how life works. Life is going to give you pivots. And that's something that I have to work on to make sure that when those moments, those plot twists happen, those moments occur that I just say, you know what? This is beyond my control. How can we fix it? If I was to give you an example of a plot twist that I've had to bounce back from. Let's see. Besides the New York Fashion Week moment, where I had to. We had to figure out what to do within, like, three hours. My very first Fashion Week, my day one clothes left in Atlanta, having to figure it out, that was when I tell y' all, that was, like, one of the worst weeks. And I used the word worst very loosely. We had just dropped the live show, and I. I promise you, like, every single day, something was going wrong. You know, the tickets were selling, but I have my sweeties on Patreon, where there's certain things that are supposed to go to them first. Things are being leaked that wasn't getting to them. And I'm telling them one thing, and I'm confirming with my team. And then other things are happening that's beyond their control. They've sent explicit instructions on how this works in the Crystal Renee world. I'm just like, what is happening? Like, why is nothing going right? And I feel like every day that week, and my sweetest can attest, like, every day that week, it was something. And then that Friday we get to New York, we land, and the guy was like, all right, we got six bags, but I'm seeing a seventh bag in the queue, but it's not here. And I'm like, what? No, no, it's gotta be there. We were at the airport an hour and a half before we left. I paid extra for Delta vip. Why is my bag not on this plane? And they were like, ma' am, I have no idea, but we appreciate your diamond medallion status, and we're gonna figure it out. And Shout out Delta. Cause y' all did figure it out. I appreciate y' all, but it was one of those moments where I had to pivot. And you think about it like, this is a dream come true. Like, I'm getting to do my first New York Fashion Week, and my clothes don't make it. That was a moment. Shout out to Shawna, who. She was so calm, and she's like, it's okay. Cause, like, a year or two before, the same thing happened to her when she went to Paris Fashion Week. So she knew how to pivot. So I'm grateful for that. Another situation in my life where I had to pivot would probably be on set. Okay, let's take it to set work. We're on set. We're moving 90 miles a minute, super fast. It's a very intense. Herman. You can attest to this, how fast we move at tps. Very intense.
