Wanting to do more, see more, be more is a trait that drives an intense and creative mind.
This affirmation is exactly how Jasmine Boothe’s Individualistic Minds was crafted.
Starting out her college journey, she realized the components to success lies within your body, mind, and spirit. Life became real! Figuring out who she is and what she wants is the most challenging but defining aspects of college. She drifted between social groups, events… literally, anything that seemed like she would enjoy. She continued this exploration until her being became partly apparent. What she dedicated her time to, what she enjoyed doing was writing. What she liked seeing and learning about was art. The moral of her story is enveloped within Individualistic Minds. Never be afraid to be and think differently from the norm, your thoughts are your own, own them! Through her writing, she wants to cultivate a sense of courage, freedom, independence and pride! She believes the way to do that is by knowing yourself, truly knowing yourself, beyond societal perceptions of beauty, women, and self.
Here are a couple of excerpts from the interesting, self-purgatory letters she’s written to and about her thoughts. We are sure you’ll love them and find them:
Dear Wanderer,
I wanted to have a place to be
A place where I can instantly be happy
I thought I found that place
But that wasn’t it
I realized I can’t contain my joy in one place
Because when you lose it, everything you had was gone with it
It’s harder to recover
To regain and recreate that happiness
My first response would usually be to detach from anything and everything
So that I won’t feel
Won’t be affected by all that can hurt me or bring me pain
But that is impossible
Emotions are evoked from all aspects of life
Life is about living
And by living, it means experiencing the world from our eyes and our heart
Essentially that is all we are
A physical and metaphorical display of emotions
So how can I use this to find stability?
To find my center, where nothing else can shake me
Where I am in control but not…
Is it possible to do?
Is that the right behavior or mindset?
Can I live my life that way?
Can I live at all?
One day
One day I will
Dear Failure,
Failure is the worst. It makes your worst nightmares a reality.
Throws your hard work down the DRAIN. It’s not motivating at first. I want to give up and say well I tried because I really did.
But it didn’t work. It FAILED!
I failed.
Why should I continue?
Why should I continue following a path that might not ever work out for me?
Is that being stubborn or smart?
Is it me becoming tactful, resilient or even brave? Or is it fruitless?
Am I chasing something that will lead me no where?
I ask myself why I did this and my answer unfortunately didn’t fall along the lines of “I had to”.
I wasn’t forced to do this, but I did. That makes it worse for me. I don’t have to continue but I think I should. I don’t have to go back and try again. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Dear Inauthenticity,
To be inauthentic, is to not be real
To be inauthentic is to do what you think you should do, NOT what you want to do
To be inauthentic is to not speak your own words, but reiterations of what you HEARD
To be inauthentic is you not interrogating YOU
To be inauthentic is to not be who you are
Inauthenticity is suffered by many, but recognized by few. Take a step back from your daily routine and ask,
WHAT am I doing?
Answer this question literally.
I am sitting on this train on my way to class.
Why am I partaking in this?
I can easily say, “Well I have class at 2, so I caught the 12:34 train to get there on time. I am sitting because it’s an empty train, why not? I am going to class because I registered (and paid) to take this course, so I’m technically obliged to go.
Dear Alone One,
Loneliness is weird. It’s uncomfortable and nerving. It makes you feel as if everyone is watching you yet no one surrounds you.
Your anxiety makes you feel like your emotions are on display.
You begin to look for the reactions of others, hoping that they don’t see your discomposure.
Loneliness makes you doubt yourself, makes you feel less than and unworthy. All self-motivation fails.
A lump in your throat arises, sweat begins to form and your face reflects a sort of detachment from the world.
You can’t imagine the social life you once had or presently have. Whether you are sitting alone for 2 minutes or 2 hours, time stops.
You are frozen, acting as a constant to your own surroundings.
But Negativity keeps you company, it tells you what you don’t want to hear. It says
“no one is your friend, you have no one to confide in but me.”
“You are not worthy of acknowledgement”
You respond in agreement. Just like that you lost the only friend you actually did have, yourself.
Instead of lifting your own spirits, you put yourself down.
Instead of being patient, you say it will never happen. Negativity is rubbing off on you.
Negativity, you are no good for me but I still keep you around. I don’t know if I should consider you good company.
Though I must say, you are always there for me. You tell me “no you are not alone, you are lonely.”
You tell me I’m not worth it; I’m not worthy of anyone’s attention. You are there when no one else is.
The problem is that you Negativity disappear when company is around.
I can’t introduce you to my other friends, but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.
When you are not around, the real Me is back. The friendly, smiling individual I am!
I speak words and thoughts that are my own. I act the way I truly am. I am myself.
But how can I have one without the other? How can I just be Me? How can I feel like myself with just myself?
Am I not good enough? How can I be alone without feeling alone?
To read more works by Jasmine, go check out her website.
