Conversations with Dalandra Young

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dalandra Young.

Hi Dalandra , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story began when I was just 14 years old.
At that time, I created my very first character, Dopy Dog, using nothing but my imagination in school. I created him to be my best friend for to help get me through a lot of things I was going through in my personal life. He became my best friend – someone I could talk to and create with. I didn’t know then that he would stay with me for life.

As I grew older, more characters came through me—loving, vibrant beings that helped me through some of my darkest times. I named them the Noonimals, after my childhood nickname, “Nooni.” Each one came from a place of love and healing, and over time I realized they weren’t just here for me—they were here to help children around the world learn how to believe in themselves, overcome fear, and create their own reality through imagination.

Even through years of hardship, heartbreak, and personal discovery, I never gave up on my dream. I worked on my characters off and on while raising children, teaching myself graphic design, and starting small businesses to survive. But in my 40s, everything shifted. I began a deeper spiritual journey that led me to the universal laws, divine love, and the understanding that I am a spiritual being having a human experience. That changed everything.

I realized that I was creating my life with my thoughts—and if I could do that, I could teach children to do the same. That’s when the Noonimals became more than just characters. They became teachers. Each one is designed to help children access their inner power, understand their feelings, and imagine a better world for themselves.

Today, I am a published author, illustrator, and the proud creator of a growing universe of characters like Lucy the Giraffe, Izzy the Elephant, and many more. My books, products, and videos are dedicated to uplifting and inspiring children through imagination, universal truths, and self-love. My dream is unfolding every day, and I’m still walking hand-in-hand with the same characters who held me up when I was just a little girl. Now, it’s my turn to share them with the world.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all—it’s been far from a smooth road. Before I got married, I struggled deeply. I was a single mother raising children on my own while trying to keep my dream alive—the dream of sharing the characters I created when I was just 14 years old. There were so many moments when life felt overwhelming. I didn’t have the time, the resources, or the energy to fully focus on my passion. But that dream never left me.

Even through financial struggles, heartbreak, and long nights, I held onto my imagination and my belief that these characters were meant to help others—because they had helped me.

In the last 6 years, I’ve dedicated myself fully to understanding universal laws—how our thoughts, feelings, and energy shape our reality. I didn’t just study them, I lived them. I tested them on myself every single day through mindset work, journaling, visualization, and alignment. What I discovered changed my life, and now I teach from experience—not theory. I know these principles work because I’ve lived both the struggle and the transformation.

When I met my husband, things shifted. I finally had the love and support I needed to breathe and focus. And now, for the first time, I can give 100% of my energy to my purpose: creating a magical world where children learn to believe in themselves and remember the power they were born with.

So no, it wasn’t smooth—but every bump in the road shaped the mission I’m walking today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a creative, my professional life is rooted in imagination, healing, and storytelling. I’m an author, illustrator, and the creator of the Noonimals—a group of magical characters I’ve developed over nearly four decades. But more than that, I consider myself a messenger. My work isn’t just about art or books—it’s about awakening something inside children (and adults, too): the belief that they can do, be, and have anything they desire by learning how powerful their thoughts and feelings truly are.

I’ve spent the last six years fully immersed in the study and personal application of universal laws, using myself as a testing ground. Everything I create—from books to affirmation-based products—is infused with real wisdom that I’ve proven in my own life. My characters, like Lucy the giraffe and Izzy the elephant, aren’t just cute—they’re loving guides who teach self-worth, manifestation, and the idea that we are all creators of our own reality.

My creative process is deeply spiritual. I don’t just sit down to make something—I align myself first. I meditate, visualize, and ask my Higher Self and inner guidance what I’m meant to bring forward. I see my art and stories as a divine assignment that I’ve been entrusted with since I was a child.

Now, I’m living my dream full-time—developing books, tumblers, apparel, and tools that uplift and empower kids around the world. The best part? I still get to walk alongside the same characters I drew on my notebooks at 14. They’ve grown with me, healed with me, and now they’re ready to help the world.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
To me, risk-taking is really about trusting the unseen. It’s stepping forward based on belief, not proof—on faith, not guarantees. And that’s exactly what I’ve done throughout my journey.

I’ve taken some huge risks—emotionally, financially, and spiritually. One of the biggest was choosing to invest my time, energy, and whatever little resources I had into creating characters and books that didn’t have an audience yet. There was no roadmap for how to build what I saw so clearly in my imagination. I had to trust that the vision I was given was real—and that if I kept going, the world would eventually catch up.

Another major risk was dedicating the last six years to deeply studying and living the universal laws. I didn’t just read about them—I tested them every single day, shifting my mindset, facing my fears, and reprogramming my beliefs. That meant letting go of what was safe and familiar, and diving into the unknown. But it was in that unknown space that I found my truth—and now I teach children how to do the same.

Even sharing my story publicly was a risk. For so long, I suffered in silence, raising kids on my own, struggling to stay afloat. Opening up about those experiences wasn’t easy, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to show others what’s possible.

I don’t think you have to be reckless to take risks. I think you just have to be aligned—when you know something is part of your soul’s mission, the real risk is not going for it.

So yes, I believe in taking risks. But I believe even more in taking inspired ones. The kind that stretch you, grow you, and move you closer to who you were always meant to be.

Pricing:

• Noonimals Believe $19.99
• Noonimals Believe Digital Download – $5.99
• Positive Mindset Tshirts $10
• Books

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Noonimals.com
• Instagram: @Noonimals

Image Credits
Dalandra Young