The Unboxing
A Black Girl's Journey of Mental Health, Faith, and Identity
by
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Contrary to what culture dictates, we can live free from the need for masks and other people's approval. What if I told you, you didn’t need the makeup, those friends, or those things to make you better? There is so much more to life than settling, and that is the essential message I want to share in this. I am so convinced of this “better life” that I am willing to be completely transparent about my own life. For years, I wore these masks. I worked to have the perfect Instagram feed so my life would look flawless. While I always enjoyed school (to an extent), it simultaneously became a place where my worth could be validated as I succeeded academically. I’ve been there. Finally coming out of it all, it is painful to see so many of my peers live a life they feel they have no real control over.
In order to live our best lives, we must take active steps to unpack who really are and to pull away from who we are not. We must take back the power we’ve given to culture, society, and other people and put it back into ourselves. We must take control of our present by becoming aware of our context and create a vision for the present. We must work to develop a deep sense of who we are and what we want. We must learn to address our fears and work in despite of them. We must choose to deeply accept and love ourselves. We must free ourselves from the need for others™ approval. We must define life for themselves. We must remove ourselves from the status of victim and claim our right place as the hero in our own stories. We can no longer sit back, allowing life to happen to us, we must take control. When we choose to be the most authentic version of ourselves, we begin to tear at the very fabric of our culture one that I believe is built off the manipulation of our insecurities and need for significance. When we do things, it should be because we want to, not because we have to. When we decide to do this as teenagers, we avoid many of the mistakes that inhibit adults today from reaching their full potential. Doing this work today of what I will describe as “unboxing” makes us the pioneers of tomorrow.
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About the Book
Through sharing the journey of her gap year (a year off from school between high school and college) experience in Senegal, Africa, Nicole depicts the value in taking time to go through a process of unboxing which enables us to break free of the invisible chains and limitations we often subconsciously subject ourselves to. “The Unboxing” exposes the subtle but powerful false beliefs that hold many young people captive today. In an age that has more content and published opinions than we could ever read in our lifetime, “The Unboxing” offers a clear, first-hand experience of this journey. As a PK (Pastor’s Kid), Nicole shares her struggles of developing a personal relationship with God. As a young black woman, she shares the journey of breaking free of the societal conditioning that tells her “I am not good enough”. As a teen just trying to figure herself out, she shares the journey of self-awareness that led her to live life boldly and passionately. Whether you grew up in church or have never been exposed to religion, this book will inspire you to look within yourself and come to terms with your own truths-- about yourself, life, and who you want to be. “The Unboxing” is about the journey of self-awareness necessary in order to begin living in our most authentic light. We don’t have to wait until we enter adulthood to begin taking control of our lives.
About the Author
Nicole Williams is an undergraduate student at Princeton University who is passionate about empowering young women to live a life of wholeness, confidence, self-love, and self-compassion. From attempting suicide at age 12 and silently suffering from depression for years, today she has become a dynamic speaker and worship leader. Nicole is unashamed of her past experiences, using her life as a testimony to others. In middle school she would cry herself to sleep, begging God to make her skinny and white so that she could be like the popular girls at school. After living in years of insecurity and shame, Nicole finally said “that’s enough”. After graduating high school, Nicole enrolled in a gap year at Princeton. She spent nine months in Dakar, Senegal, reflecting on her life experiences and envisioning the woman she wanted to become. When she returned to the United States, she launched her online ministry, “Unapologetic Nicole”. This ministry encourages and guides young women on their own journeys of self-discovery and faith.