Life and Work with Jasmine Newson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Newson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
JNewWisdom: The Revelations of a Millennial Woman has been brewing since I stepped foot on the campus of Georgia State University, which is where I began to realize who Jasmine really was. College gave me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and allowed little old me a platform of influence. It was there I realized that not only does my voice matter but what I say has the ability to touch someone’s life and heart. However with that influence comes an audience, which means that people will watch your life intently. I had a friend tell me, “Your life is perfect, I just love it!” I quickly told them that it was not perfect because little did she know, I was coming out of one of the toughest seasons of my life. I wondered why she said that and then I looked at my social media accounts, I realized that I was lacking something very important: transparency. I made the decision that day to be more honest about tough seasons and to not only share the good moments of my journey. From that decision, ensued a realm of vulnerability that allowed others to connect with me on another level. My social media was no longer just a highlight reel but a better depiction of what my life actually entailed.

Post college and growing into womanhood served its own challenges with identity crises, moving away from home, being away from friends and family, and trying to constantly evolve into who I was meant to be. I went from the captions on Instagram and Facebook to actually sharing my struggles as well as my faith in Snapchat called Sermon Thursdays. I did not take it seriously but I realized once again, how much the words you say can have an impact on someone’s life.

It was not until I moved to St. Louis and experienced a season of isolation and learned so much about myself in the process, did I realize that it was time to take this transparency journey to the next level. I started a note in my phone of ideas of things I wanted to write about, the note grew larger than I expected it to and before I knew it: I created my first blog: 26 Lessons for 26 years. Now, it was time to create a website, which was hard for me because I am not good at anything tech. I watched YouTube, which is the millennial’s lifesaver, and started to put it all together.

What I did not know when I started was that it would be an avenue for ministry for me. I intended to just share more of my journey but it became somewhat of a diary on the things I have learned along the way. I never expected the feedback that I received nor did I expect for it to change my life the way that it has but I am so blessed that it did.

JNewWisdom: The Revelations of a Millennial Woman is more than a blog or a vlog but it’s a manifestation of my purpose. I believe that God allowed me to experience challenges and learn from them so that I can let someone struggling know that they are not alone in this world. People need to know that they are not the only one feeling the things that they do and how a spiritual walk can drastically change their trajectory.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A smooth road? Not at all. Anything that has to do with purpose will not be easy but it will most certainly be worth it.

My biggest struggles have been:
1) The pressure to be consistent on a timeline that does not exist. Being a blogger can come with its own schedule and there will be moments that you will try to force yourself to be creative when you are in the headspace to do so. I removed the invisible timeline for myself and now allow myself the space to be creative as well as release content when I feel led to. It takes the stress away.
2) Continuing to be transparent even when you do not know how it will be received. This one is huge because you have to learn to release yourself from the validation of others. This can be hard due to all of us wanting to have the support of loved ones but I had to understand that I don’t do what I do so that I can be celebrated or liked but I do what I do so that others’ lives can be touched by what God has given me. One of the ways I do this is turning off social media notifications and putting my phone down when I first release something, which takes the pressure off.
3) Turning down the constant doubts in your head that ask what are you doing all of this for. Doubting yourself and your abilities no matter what you are doing will always stall your progress. When you recognize that this is a problem that you face, it’s important to come up with a plan to fight those thoughts and affirm yourself for what you are doing.
4) Comparing yourself to others. Comparison is truly the thief of joy. We have to be careful that we are not looking at everyone else’s journey and assuming that it was easy for them or that we have it harder because of how it looks. Concentrate and focus on being the best version of yourself with what God has given you.

My biggest advice to women would be to just do it, not to sound like a Nike ad but seriously just do it. The blog, the vlog, the business, the podcast, the non-profit or whatever it is that you are feeling led to do, please do it. Do not let the fear of the unknown scare you into thinking that you are not worthy of the manifestation of your dreams. There are people that need to be reached by things you will create and you questioning the when and the how will impede on that progress. I had no idea how many people would be touched by my blog which made every doubt I had about starting it subside. Who you can inspire is definitely worth more than your fear of the unknown so just do it!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with JNewWisdom: The Revelations of a Millennial Woman – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I consider myself a spiritual blogger, usually sharing nuggets of wisdom I have gleaned from various transitions in my life. Currently, I am doing The Healing Series: The Journey that Breeds Purpose, which is an introspective look into my healing journey. I record video teasers for each step then I write about my experience and have released three steps already. I specialize in encouraging and inspiring others on their life journeys. I believe I am known for being my authentic, transparent self in sharing the things that most people don’t and relating to people in their struggles. I am most proud to be a comforting voice to not only the female millennial but to anyone that has experienced challenges in their life. I am set apart because JNewWisdom is beyond anything I can do and truly a culmination of what God can do when you allow him to truly work in your life.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
My advice would be to make sure that your mentors do not enable you but they push you to be your best self even if that means being stern sometimes. Be open to constructive criticism and listen to wise counsel but also learn to make decisions that serve what you are trying to do best. I actually have a few mentors that each deposit something different into my life, which has worked well for me. I have one for a career, one for ministry, one for school, and one for the challenges of womanhood in general. I also never meet a stranger and love having the chance to connect with others so finding a piece of my life that is similar to others has truly worked in building my network.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jnewwisdom.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: jnewlove
• Facebook: Jasmine Newson
• Other: Youtube: Jasmine Newson

Image Credit:
Jordan Bradley

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