When W.W.J.D. Became W.W.C.D.
33 Ways To Embody God With Moments Of Gratitude, Love & Compassion
Twas the day before my birthday and I found myself researching what the weather was like the day I was born — Friday, March 5, 1993. 33 years ago today — March 5, 2026.
Apparently it was generally mild and pleasant. It was referred to as the “calm before the storm.” There was a massive record-breaking snowstorm that arrived 7 days later, causing power outages and several deaths. My hometown of Atlanta found itself blanketed with over 10.3 inches of snow and that one storm caused over $5.5 billion in damages.
I found that scenario quite symbolic to the whirlwind that the world becomes from the moment we arrive. It could go from sunny and bright — one day — to snowy and chaotic in just — a matter of days. While we can’t control the weather or the waves, one thing a Pisces will teach you is we can absolutely take hold of our reactions and ride the tides.
Peak Pisces over [points to self] here to start this day with a wild flashback in time — and the point is — I’ve learned so much in my 33 years of life. One of the biggest lessons is I have no control of this ride. I surrendered 3 years ago.
Today, the weather is a high of 77 degrees with a slight overcast. The low is 56 degrees. (Who knew I’d turn into a meteorologist on my 33rd birthday but we here lol).
I plan to rest, relax, and release. I’ll be starting my day with a beautiful run in this pleasant weather. After, I’ll enjoy the saunas + my first yoni steam at Spa Land. Later, I’ll connect with my loved ones for an intimate, celebratory dinner at La Semilla and dancing at a listening bar called STEREO.
This is just the beginning of a full weekend of activities.
The next day I plan to host a group of close friends and family at our home for a sesh and mocktail tasting. Later, we’ll parlay in the city at this cute little bar off the Beltline. It’s called Vesper. Never been before but looks cool and they have a nice selection of moderately priced mocktails for this [points to self again] Sober Sammy.
Saturday me and my family are driving up to Asheville, North Carolina to see me in a freakin’ museum! Like WTF? Little me would be geeeeked. I was featured in a documentary called Dreams In Black: With Love From the South to Los Angeles. The documentary was written, directed and produced by my sister friend Destiny D. Owens. It’s so beautiful to have been included in this.
And while they are hosting a [SOLD OUT] screening and talk back in my old stomping grounds of Inglewood, California on Saturday, I’ll be at the YMI Cultural Center in North Carolina witnessing my story in an actual museum.
My GOD I thank you for being living art. For getting my flowers while I can still smell them. While dreaming, being Black, being loved, being creative, being Southern, being joyful, being kind, being compassionate, being of service and being ME… unapologetically.
As many folks know, 33 is often referred to as your “Jesus year.” It’s the year and age that Jesus Christ was believed to have been crucified and resurrected. While the Bible does not explicitly state his age at death, scholars calculated it based on Luke 3:23. It says he was “about 30” when he began his ministry and the Gospel of John, which describes three Passovers occurring before his crucifixion. (30+3 = 33).
Ironically enough, a few years before 30 around 27 or 28 is when I began a deeper spiritual walk with God, the divine and myself. So, this year is truly a moment of major transformation, spiritual initiation and clarification around my ultimate purpose.
When they ask “What Would Jesus Do (W.W.J.D.),” I had to really think long and hard about it as I reflect back on what this year will bring to me and what I will offer to myself and the world.
Since my initial walk with spirit over 6 years ago, I have been getting this call to teach and share wisdom. To use my art to enlighten and heal the world. To reflect back the goodness that’s inside ALL of us imperfect human beings.
After deeper reflection, I stopped asking myself W.W.J.D. And instead, ask myself “What Would Chelsea Do?” W.W.C.D.
Jesus was a human being that walked this Earth. Yes, the son of Christ. And also very much so a human with flesh just like you and I.
So what would I do?
33 is deeply communal (as the years before have been). I intend to be of service and activating more in community with clarifying intuition, passion, compassion, love, intuition, clarity, and balance. I intend to serve the people and myself by intentionally focusing on our healing and wellbeing in the midst of a very unjust and survival society. I plan to combat the injustice of this world with compassion and love just as Jesus did.
This will all feel innovative, progressive and like a new wave for sure. I have no intention of preaching tradition. This is not a biblical time. Though we are remembering and honoring ancient wisdom and our ancestors to lead us. I am not alone in this plan to bridge heaven on Earth and neither was Jesus.
I’ve said a lot and I plan to do more so let’s take a look at 33 Ways To Embody God. Shall we?
✨ 33 Ways ✨ Embody God ✨
(w/ gratitude, love & compassion — the OPNSEA way)
1. Wake up and say thank you before you touch your phone.
Presence before performance. Get on your knees and thank God that you’ve returned to contribute meaningfully on Earth.
2. Drink water like it’s holy.
Because it is. Yall know how I feel about the sacredness of water. Pour it with intention, drink it like you mean it.
3. Pray over your food — even if it’s simple.
Acknowledge the hands and land that fed you. Bless your food before it blesses you.
4. Ask the tree before you pluck from it.
Gratitude before taking. Service, honor and offering before extraction. That doesn’t just go for the tree.
5. Apologize when you’re wrong without protecting your ego.
In the word’s of J. Cole, nobody’s perfect. Ego doesn’t live here any more.
6. Invest in your healing.
Therapy, coaching, or healing work is worth the cost. Not because you’re broken, but because you’re breaking cycles and that takes energy, time and sometimes coins.
7. Feed someone else before feeding your own indulgence.
Give. Give. Give. Consider someone else before you think of how much you can feed yourself. Likely, you have had enough.
8. Call your parents and ask about their childhood.
Even if it’s complicated. Honor your present elders and remember their stories as likely their wisdom can carry us today.
9. Tell the truth gently, but fully.
Say what it is. All the fluff and the frills is a distraction and frankly a waste of time from the mission at hand. Get to it. Go deep.
10. Rest without earning it.
God rested too.
11. Shop local.
Circulate the Black and Brown dollar. Strengthen the ecosystem. We all we got.
12. Compost what no longer serves you — physically and emotionally.
Let it go and let it grow. Transmute the waste to cultivate something great.
13. Release the need to win.
Forget about success. Forget about the need to be right or win an argument, industry, or whatever. We’re all just doing shit and figuring it out as we go. Remember that.
14. Forgive without reconciling prematurely.
I know they say we should forgive and forget but this is my list and let me just say this: it’s important to take note. People show you who they are. Yes, they are allowed to grow but let them SHOW you.
15. Move your body daily Compost what no longer serves you — physically and emotionally.
This is an act of gratitude to yourself and God who has given you the body to be of service to this world. Can’t do that with a body that can no longer support you.
16. Choose music that elevates your nervous system.
Sound is spiritual. Sing it if nothing else resonates. Rejoice to the heavens just cause.
17. Create something instead of consuming something.Choose music that elevates your nervous system.
This is one of the most important ones. We are all creators who come from the Creator. We are meant to share our gifts and not over consume other folks creative contributions.
18. Bless your home out loud.
Every room. Every corner. Make it a practice of protection and reverence.
19. Protect your womb space — energetically and physically.
This is our creation center. A sacred space. Honor her.
20. Say no without over explaining.
I’m not explaining this one. Cause what did I just say?
21. Eat slower.
Gluttony isn’t just about quantity — it’s about consciousness. Become a conscious consumer.
22. Let the children speak.
Don’t interrupt their magic. Let their throat chakras be open and empower them to use their voices. This goes for your inner child too. You’d be surprised what you learn.
23. Speak your people’s love language.
Intentionally love on your people the way they need to be loved. Spend quality time, send them words of affirmation, make their day easeful with an act of service, or gift them small tokens of your love.
24. Honor your ancestors without romanticizing their trauma.
Say thank you to the ones who came before and the ones carrying you here. Remember their hearts and their compassion. Not saying hold onto the damage they may have carried as collateral. Just honor and give thanks.
25. Grow something — herbs, food, ideas.
You + the land = a dangerously good combo. When we grow something with our hands, we remind ourselves just what we’re capable of feeding one another. Goodness. Greatness. GODness.
26. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and sit with the stars.
Sit with yourself. Gaze at the stars. Be present to listen so that you can intentionally respond when the time is right. Cosmos always lead the way.
27. Give anonymously when you can.
Cheerful giving isn’t loud. It’s done in the silent moments and without reward. Trust, many offerings await you on the other side. Just know, that’s not what it’s all about.
28. Laugh loudly. Humor heals bloodlines.
Laughter is medicine. The phrase laugh to keep from crying. They weren’t lying. And also, release however you need to. I just loooove to laugh.
29. Return borrowed energy — don’t carry what isn’t yours.
God be with me on this one here. This is a revolutionary act of self-care and a way of being repaid to restore true balance. It’s necessary.
30. Stand in front of the mirror and thank yourself.
Thank your mind, body and spirit with gentle affirmations of love, gratitude and compassion.
31. Invest in land, soil, and sustainability when possible.
Stewardship is divine work. It’s necessary that we care for the life all around us. Thank you God for this work.
32. Share your story.
This is significant so that your people know that they are not at all alone. That we are more alike than we think. That we have shared visions and dreams to create a better place to coexist.
33. Dare to dream out loud — and back it with action.
Faith without works is idle. So we must innovate, progress, and somehow, return all at the same time. It’s possible.
To embody God isn’t to be perfect.
It’s to remember:
We are all part of an ecosystem.
We feed one another.
We heal forward.
We consume consciously.
We create intentionally.
And when comfort meets consumption, when awareness meets action — that’s divinity in motion.
Cheers to 33! ✨
From under the sea,
OPNSEA 🌊