The Power of A Story — Renae Bluitt, She Did That

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New Happy Hero Renae Bluitt is the founder of In Her Shoes, a website for the Black female businesswoman and entrepreneur, and a filmmaker who created the Netflix documentary She Did That, the first film to feature the stories of black women entrepreneurs. Renae has devoted her career to telling the stories of black women and elevating them in their roles, their communities, and in society. In today’s episode, we talk about why serving your community is such a powerful pathway to happiness, how to cultivate and support your authentic gifts, and the sustaining resilience that comes from prioritizing your joy. 

In Her Shoes / She Did That / Renae’s Website / Renae’s Instagram

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Key Takeaways

  • You never know who your story could inspire, so make sure you tell it. When we hear another person’s story, we are inspired to see new possibilities for ourselves. This is particularly important for people who come from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds and who have fewer role models in their chosen field. Black women’s stories are important, need to be told, and need to be honored.

  • Joy is a practice, and something that is worth prioritizing. When you prioritize joy, you not only rejuvenate yourself, but you help to build the resilience to continue working towards your greater purpose. Renae recommends using gratitude to find joy, and specifically focusing your attention on the small blessings that are often ignored.

  • Your purpose is something that is uncovered, not delivered. Don’t wait for your purpose to arrive at your doorstep, but instead, start identifying who you want to serve in the world. Renae’s purpose is supporting Black women and telling their stories, and this purpose has taken her down many different roads and pathways. Start discovering your purpose by following Renae’s example and identifying who you want to serve, and how you can specifically use your gifts and skills to do so.

  • Remain patient on your journey of purpose. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem possible that what you’re doing in this moment will ever matter or be consequential; Renae assures us that it is! She tells us a great story about how her early experience in marketing and writing laid the groundwork for developing her gifts as a storyteller. Extract what you can from whatever job or role you’re in, and continue seeking opportunities to align it to your broader purpose.

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