We had the good fortune of connecting with Ifeoma Ahuna and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ifeoma, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think I am constantly thinking about risks to take. As a big dreamer myself, there are so many things I want to see and do, so I feel that it is always on my mind. I think it’s definitely something everyone should consider like once a quarter, because it can leave you complacent and sure of life (if you don’t). When in fact, I believe the most dangerous thing is think you know everything or have experienced all there is to experience. There is so much out there! I don’t know that I execute as much as I would like, but small or big I like to try new things and definitely try tasks that challenge my mind. For me, risks in my career have been balancing 3 different jobs with school, trying a field that is not natural to me, and starting a YouTube channel with no background. In my personal life, I like trying new activities, hobbies, and experimenting. I think it can be as simple as changing my hair, which happens every few months, to trying a new style with my outfits. I like to travel to different places and even just mentally play around with the thought of different lifestyles. Some risks that have been more scary to me were decisions about my love life, who I should be with, and even what career path I will take going forward. Next steps for me will be to officially start my own business as my own brand, invest in it mentally and monetarily, and travel to a million places once quarantine is over. I’d like to give a Ted talk one day, which scares me to death, but also excites me. Then lastly, the biggest one of all would be to learn how to swim..yes, I don’t know how to swim and I’ve been putting it off for 23 years now. Stay tuned!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art and creative side is something I haven’t payed attention to for most of my life, but has been bursting at the (seams) lately. It is an aspect of my life I want to devote more and more time to as I get older and now, it is one thing I want to consider as my career. I am not nearly the best or most talented at my work, but it makes me happy and that’s all I can say! I am a content creator who loves taking pictures, making videos, and writing. It took me a while to formulate that sentence even in my mind, but now I feel that it is just the beginning of my creative journey. I’ve always been a sucker for an aesthetic, on Instagram, in my decor, and in my fashion. I love to document life, especially travel. Lastly, I’m a romantic, so I love an outlet to be dramatic and romanticize life of course. Even though I am just at the very beginning, just now uploading to my YouTube frequently, and taking more time for Instagram, I feel that it has been confusing getting here. I definitely doubted myself and still do all the time, but what keeps me going is the passion I have for it. I’d do it regardless, so why not put my all into it? I’ve learned that if it makes you happy, that is enough sometimes. I’ve also learned that naturally, if you go towards projects you’re passionate about, you’ll find a way to make everything else make sense. Raised in an environment where career choices were limited, the focus was survival, and being composed was preferred, I was scared to branch out. However, it doesn’t matter if you try to fight it, because it will always come out! You can’t run from things you love, so just do it. That’s all I know for now!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this question and it is so relevant, because I am the planner of my friend group so I do this quite often actually! Here are some spots I suggest for the different activities: Eating – rise nº1, Tasty Tails, Criss & Jons, Public School, North Italia Hangout & Chill/Coffee – Deep Ellum, Lala Land, Acension, Fat Straws Exercise – White Rock Lake, Margaret Hunt Bridge, Dallas Arboretum Drinks- The Truckyard, The Rustic, Deep Ellum Shopping – NorthPark Mall, Knox Henderson Street, Allen Outlets, Shops at Legacy West, Dallas Farmers Market

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am definitely a product of my environment. My friends, family, and idols have built me up to be who I am today. My parents gave me discipline and determination to keep going and never give up. My siblings give me room to be myself and confidence in my jokes. My friends show me a non judgmental and liberated way of life. My boyfriend gives me perspective I would have never known that could change my life. Without this, I would be a frustrated, angry, and misunderstood young adult and I am incredibly grateful for these people. I am also in awe of psychologists, thought leaders, and communicators who inspire me everyday to think about life differently, to live it in a simple, but peaceful way. I owe thanks to “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle and a shoutout to Kara Lowentheil from the “Unf*ck Your Brain” podcast. Shoutout to the 5 minute journal and Springcreek Church. All of these aspects of my life have helped me to be okay with who I am, what I want, and hard changes that are inevitable in life.

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