Today we’d like to introduce you to Kashara Johnson.
Kashara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It’s interesting that in the day to day of our lives, especially when coming of age and through our twenties, most things seem to make very little sense or progression. However, when we look back, there are all of these threads and signals that we’ve been gifted to guide us along the way. I’m 26 and when I think about my life experiences – many of which seemed unrelated to one another at the time – that’s the sense that I get.
I think that from a young age, we receive a variety of messages from society about how and who we’re expected to be. And oftentimes, not realizing our own inherent value as individuals, we conform even if it means sacrificing the true expression of our core selves. So when I consider how I started and how I got to where I am today, I reflect on it all with this belief that the pure interests and passions that we had as children were more than likely initial signals of who we were meant to become.
As a kid, I was always wildly curious about the world, intrigued by science, and fascinated with how messages could be shared to reach others. I remember breaking down the layouts of magazines and webpages while combing through the words of the articles. I also remember pouring over science books trying to learn about how people think and how the world functions. So those interests coupled with a variety of experiences ranging from my father’s murder when I was 4, my mom’s struggle with her mental health, and my constant search for a sense of belonging from peers made for a really confusing time growing up. It also developed an incredible sense of empathy and compassion for others though which I think has been carried throughout all of the work that I do.
By the time I reached freshman year of college, I’d made the decision that I was going to become a doctor. I wanted to help people and I didn’t see any realistic way of making money in the creative field. I’d gotten hired for a work study job at a lab researching genetic disorders and was majoring in Neuroscience. It all seemed like the logical decision. However, when I was going through the program, I just couldn’t seem to enjoy the classes. Every part of my inner being was rejecting this path that I was on. I felt as if I was putting on a performance of who I thought I was supposed to be.
During this time, I’d taken an Art History course to fulfill a course requirement and discovered this sense of joy that I didn’t have before. Realizing that I was at a crossroads, I was forced to make a decision. So before making the leap, I googled “How to Make Money In Art”, and found Graphic Design. So I took the leap and changed my major the following year.
Looking back now, I realize that taking the leap is what starts the journey to opened doors. Following the path that felt most true to me led me to two internships in New York City – one as a social media manager for a fashion designer and the other as a design intern for DoSomething.org. It led me to being hired as a prop styling assistant at a major food photography publication. It eventually led me to styling and designing for a number of books as a freelancer. It led me to become an office manager for an architecture firm here in Atlanta that has provided me the opportunity to learn so much more about myself, what it means to lead, and how to interact with others. And finally, it led me to my current work, Undiscovered Worth.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t believe people talk about enough the fact that open doors do not come without obstacles. I consider this to be the social agreement with life. So in between my ups came obstacles which looked like my inability to find a job between my internships in NYC and my assistant position at the publication company. It looked like crying in a subway station because I couldn’t figure out the next steps in my life. It also looked like moving frequently, struggling to find clients at times, issues with my marriage, and beginning therapy to make sense of who I am where I’m headed.
Life is so complex and uncertain, but also really beautiful if we can bring ourselves to see it that way. So I’m thankful for all of the threads and signals that have been sent to me. I don’t believe that life ever gets easier, but I do believe that it can grow sweeter.
For those of you who are starting out on your journey, I would say that the best thing that you can ever acquire for yourself is self-awareness – the ability to look at yourself (the good and bad) objectively and honestly. Self-awareness will empower you to transform your life. But you have to have the courage to do so. Your transformation and advancement in this life require you to come face to face with the difficult parts of your past and present. It requires you to push past your fears and acknowledge the stories of your life – both the real ones and the ones that you’ve created as a coping mechanism or self-preservation. Self-awareness is key and leads you to freedom.
Please tell us about Undiscovered Worth.
Undiscovered Worth’s core mission is to empower us all to live with whole-hearted honesty and awareness so that we can radically impact our lives and our world. We’re on a mission to see others gain a more robust understanding of who they are, their inherent value, and the value of connecting with others.
More and more people – including myself – are looking to expand our hearts and knowledge about the endless ways of existing in this world in hopes that we can all move through it a little more free and connected. So with that in mind, we create thought-provoking content via interviews, a podcast, articles, and documentaries that connects people to each other and themselves.
I’m most proud of the fact that Undiscovered Worth fully embraces radical transparency. We readily tell our truths to compel others to seek their own. We shine a light on the truth in order to remedy shame and guilt because we know that by doing so, we’ll all be elevated, empowered, and more connected.
I firmly believe that leaders go first, and so that’s what I strive to do daily in my personal life and through the brand.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
Oh gosh – so many, but the ones that first!
All of the women in my family, specifically my mom, have taught me so much about strength and perseverance. They taught me how to see silver linings in everything and have spoken so much life into me.
My therapist, Teresa Silva, has been like an angel in my life. She’s been the primary person to guide me to self-awareness and provided me with the tools to be able to face those difficult parts of my past so that I can walk with more freedom and intention into my future. Her gifts as a therapist are invaluable, and I am convinced that when I look back on my life, she will remain one of the single greatest influences on my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.UndiscoveredWorth.com
- Email: kashara@UndiscoveredWorth.com
- Instagram: @UndiscoveredWorth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UndiscoveredWorth/
Image Credit:
New Native Photography – should be credited to all photos except the Instagram collage and my photo in the mountains.
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