Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jalyn Nwogu. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jalyn, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I have struggled with mental health issues for a very long time. It has been and is one of the hardest challenges I have had to deal with it. However, the struggle and difficulties have made me who I am. I understand that I will always struggle. have taken many steps to nurture myself and understand how I can still be me despite my issues. My struggles became a part of my art for a long time because that is what I knew and as I’ve gotten better with myself I have found I want my art to be more reflective of my imagination and the positives in my life rather than my struggles. I have learned that my mental health isn’t who I am, but a part of me that I have to care for like any other part. Remembering I am still me despite my issues has made me a better version of myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am currently a Graphic/Video Artist working with the news in Manhattan, New York. I never imagined myself to be going this route as my focus in college was Computer Animation, but I am happy where I’m at. Before I started working as a graphic artist, I was doing freelance graphic design. I learned that route wasn’t completely for me, but I learned a lot about advocating for myself, communicating my abilities, how to turn a person’s needs and wants into something visual, how to negotiate, and how to quickly adapt my art style. It allowed me to truly be able to try something new with each project and push myself to think about art through a different lens than what I’ve known and been previously taught. I moved back to New York from Texas in October of 2021. I had built up my savings and I came crawling back here as fast as I could. Within a month by sheer luck, I landed my first big-girl job as an artist. It was the most exciting time of my life as I got my first apartment and was final y truly living on my own. This journey of becoming an adult and running my own life has been hard and challenging and exhausting, but it has been the happiest I’ve ever been. I feel truly free and in control of my life which I really truly experienced before. I have created a life I never thought I would ever see because my future truly never felt real as I was dealing with the darkest parts of my mental health. I have graduated, moved, got a job, and created meaningful friendships here and I would never take all that I have been through back.
I haven’t made a ton of personal art for a while. I used to feel very frustrated by that and feel that I lost my artistic flair. I understand now how much I needed a break from it. I had spent 8 years of my life studying art and creating and thinking. I spent another year making art for other people. I have spent so long finding inspiration in my darkness and now I don’t want to focus on that. The time I spent doing it all, I was extremely burned out and exhausted from it. It made me nervous as almost all my art was for a project, or for someone else to critique and I didn’t want to open myself to that. It has been some time and I am finding myself imagining more and wanting to do my art again. I had to remember that I am an artist even if I’m not always doing and thinking of art. It’s okay to feel burnout.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Honesty, persistence, and confidence have been integral to my journey. The 3 attributes aren’t by any mean easy, but it is something that is very attainable. I’ve struggled with all 3 of these skills and I still do, but I understand these 3 qualities are what brought me here.
Being honest extends beyond others, you really have to be honest with yourself before you are with others. When you’re able to look beyond the mask, you’re able to connect with all parts of yourself. You have opened yourself to your truth and once you have accepted that, you are able to be honest with others. That honesty will take your art far and allow you to connect with others genuinely. I have found that true honesty is always kind and compassionate, it is never to bring yourself or others down.
That honesty leads to your confidence. When you allow yourself to view yourself and others honestly, your self-esteem is better. You understand those parts of yourself, it allows you to see yourself as a whole and do the same for others. Confidence isn’t something that your find externally, it is really found within. I have struggled with my confidence and self-esteem as I felt like I was never good enough. It takes time to build that confidence and not let fears and insecurities take over. I have built my confidence in being kind and honest with myself. My confidence may falter, but it’s always there because I know who I am.
When I am honest and confident, I am to persist. I have the tools I need inside to go that extra mile and push myself to my goals. I understand that there will be struggles but as long as I am honest with myself I can be confident with my abilities.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My mom allowing me to just be me has been the most impactful thing she has done for me. She has accepted every part of me and always pushes me to do what makes me happy. She has allowed me to understand it’s okay to feel down and upset and reminds me that I am allowed to feel. That is something that I will always love about my mother. She has never stopped me from just being myself, she has simply tried to guide me down the right path and make me see all the possibilities and opportunities that are out there. I am who I am because of my mother.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: jalynnwogu
