It all started the moment the first person shouted at me from across the room: "Are you the Vegas girl?!"

and the series of similar moments that followed for a good couple years after that.

Before these encounters, I was producing videos full time for my job and I would have similar experiences instead with people asking me, "Are you the Zappos girl?"

After going through my own evolutionary cycles of deaths and rebirths throughout my 20s, from intentionally leaving the security of my job while massive layoffs were happening, to waves of being chronically online then periods of being virtually imperceptible...

In that time I'm come across a few deep-seated existentialist questions for myself:

• What am I doing this all for?
• What do I want to be known for?

The first question took massive amounts of inner work, introspection, and lots of therapy. Finding and reconnecting to your own personal why can be a lifelong journey for some. So I took my time. And maybe I'll always be figuring it out as I go along. So all I can do is follow what feels right in whatever the current season is.

The second question... well, also still figuring that out as I go. But I'm happy to say I've at least been able to figure out what I for sure DON'T want to be known for.

Sunshine Las Vegas started as both a personal project and SEO experiment. (My fellow digital marketers and creators will get me) It later became a creative sandbox.

As grateful as I've been for all the lessons and blessings Sunshine Las Vegas brought me, it's reached a point where it doesn't resonate with me. If my sole purpose here was to become a full-time YouTuber and monetize this channel, I'd stick with it.

At the end of the day, as proud as I am to be a Vegas local and as much growing continued love I have for this city I've come to call home... I don't just want to be the Vegas girl LMAO.

So this moment was a long time coming. If you've been here, you know I try to keep it real around these parts. I've sat on it and with it for a good amount of time and the decision feels really right in my spirit.

Thankful for the lessons, the encouragement, and everyone who has supported in this journey while I was figuring all the things out!!!

Hope you'll join me in exploring the next chapter! If not, thank you for being here at any point in time. :)

Signing off as Sunshine Las Vegas one more time for the ppl in the back! Much love and gratitude.

See y'all again as SUNSHINE MALAYA. 🌞

If you're still down to get down w/ the new journey, lmk by giving this video a thumbs up? :)