Shanetta McDonald is the founder of Motif, whose mission is to support the healing, well-being and connection among women of color by sharing their stories.

"For me, beauty is nature, love, kindness, joy, and freedom of expression."

What is beauty to you?
Beauty is an inner-knowing, a feeling. It exists in so many elements of life, and we define it by how we see the world. For me, beauty is nature, love, kindness, joy, and freedom of expression.

How do you stay connected to your roots?
I remain curious. I’ve always wanted to know my elders and ancestors - what their lives and upbringings were like, the challenges they faced, how they found joy and so much more. My constant desire to learn about who I come from and how they’ve shaped my life has kept me connected.

What do you wish someone would have told you to teach you self-love?
That discovering self-love is a journey and not a destination. And that the more I’m willing to accept myself, the more I’ll love myself.

Why did you create Motif?
Hearing the stories of Black and Brown women - women who look like me and have similar family dynamics and life experiences - has been an important part of my personal healing journey. So I sought out to create Motif, an intentional, safe space for women of color to share how they navigate the world in hopes of empowering one another. We heal through connection and storytelling has the power to break isolation and build community.

What inspires you to create and where do you get inspiration from?
My Tribe inspires me. I’m grateful to have built friendships with the most amazingly creative and talented people. We lift each other up, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them.

"My Tribe inspires me. I’m grateful to have built friendships with the most amazingly creative and talented people."

What wellness rituals do you practice?
Prayer, meditation and daily movement are the keys to my sanity and wellness practice. Prioritizing my wellness is a must, and by putting myself first, my life becomes more manageable.

What life philosophy or mantra do you live by?
‘The world belongs to the asker.’ We possess more power than we know. If we can override our fears and simply ask for what we want and need in life, we’ll see the universe, God, or whatever you want to call it, begin to work in our best interests.

What is one beauty practice, tool or product you wish to never do without?
I absolutely swear by Prestige CBD Serum. A few years ago after having nearly perfect skin my entire life, I developed cystic acne from an IUD. Unfortunately, the cystic acne wasn’t the worst part, because soon after I was left with nasty scarring. Prestige’s CBD serum cleared my skin up in just a few short months, and I still use it to this day for it’s anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. It is incredible!

BELOVED MUSE is a YAWONI series featuring inspirational creative women who share their thoughts on beauty, wellness and self-love.