All photos by Tamra

Hey sis! 2017 is almost halfway over and I’m eager for more. This post is transparent in nature with a lot of real talk and encouragement loaded in. Before you dive into #MyGirlStory, I want to tell you thank you for visiting my site. After almost 5 years it never ceases to amaze me that people are reading my writing.

I am super excited to finally share #MyGirlStory with you. Sis, it’s been a long time coming. I wanted to create something bigger than Jasmine Diane with the same purpose which is to empower millennial women to chase their wildest dreams. I do this through career and style advice, but this is a step further… more intimate and more social. Actually, silly, this is how & why #MyGirlStory matters.

What is a #MyGirlStory?

#MyGirlStory is a campaign promoting girl power through positive stories. I want to know what advice you would share with your younger self and how that advice impacts you today. It is my hope and prayer that together, we as millennial women can encourage each other and younger generations with our words. Everyone’s story won’t draw massive tears, but some will. Self-reflection is vital to growth. With #MyGirlStory, we as women will be able to celebrate our gains and triumphs while being transparent about the journey.

#MyGirlStory and What It Means for You

I was raised with 4 sisters and 1 brother in Kansas City. I was always the loud one, the overachiever, smart and sassy with an eye-roll that could slice a tree in half. I’ve known anything but excelling, from straight A’s to dating jocks to getting scholarships and awards. But there was something missing until recently.

As a little girl, I always felt the need to prove my worth through overachieving. For me accolades from others meant more than enjoying the work itself. I would come home from cheer practice, do my homework, iron my clothes, take care of chores and do whatever else was required of me before the night ended.

Sounds good, right? Yes, and looking back on things I wouldn’t change my actions. The thing that I wish I knew as a little girl is, “It’s okay to make mistakes.” I would literally cry my eyes out over B’s and get overly sad about “feeling fat.” I was chasing perfection until I realized recently that God’s grace extends to me too and it’s okay to be gentle with myself.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Life got a whole lot easier when I started to give up control and stopped chasing perfection. That doesn’t mean that I’ve lost ambition because I haven’t, but I now know that life is a journey not a sprint. I wish someone told me that I was going to fall, but then I’d rise stronger and more self-aware afterwards.

I sometimes wonder what it’s like to live carefree. There is a sweet spot where carefree and overachieving meet. That sweet spot is where I want to be. That sweet spot of wanting big things and being okay with the journey is what I want every girl. It is imperative to give yourself grace and time to learn.

It wasn’t until after graduating college that I realized who I am and the power that I possess. I say all of this to say, give yourself time to grow. Give your heart time to heal. Give your mind time to think. You won’t solve all your problems on your own and you won’t conquer Rome in one day, but you can grow closer to your dreams with each step.

Why You Should Share Your #MyGirlStory

You should share your #MyGirlStory because it will liberate you. Honestly, I want this campaign to inspires millions of millennial women. But the key to igniting fires in others is liberating yourself. I cannot build you up without legs to stand on. Similarly, an empty mason jar cannot water a garden. Sharing your truth will help you to heal and inspire other girls alike.

Women don’t get enough credit for being powerful and courageous, so let’s challenge that by sharing our strength. I never imagined that I would still be blogging almost 5 years later but here I am, still sharing. The high that I get from sharing content then receiving comments and texts about how it’s helped someone’s life is incomparable.

Who Can Participate in #MyGirlStory

Any female can participate in #MyGirlStory. If you have a story to tell, please share. I am super interested in reading posts from bloggers and watching videos from YouTubers. There are a few already working on their #MyGirlStory content that I am eager to share. If you’re not a content producer, please join us by creating a social media post. Together we can get #MyGirlStory to the masses to inspire millions.

Join me in freedom by sharing your #MyGirlStory in the form of a blog, video or social media post. Once your post is live please tag me and share the link with me via email at jasminedcooper(at)gmail.com. I will begin to share out #MyGirlStory posts as they roll in. Don’t forget to purchase your Girl. Shirt for your post. I can’t wait to see your style and read your story.

Questions

1. What is your #MyGirlStory? Please share the link to your content below or simply leave a comment. I’m dying to hear from you.

2. What does chasing your dreams look like for you?

Thank you for reading and staying until the very end! Please do me a favor and share this post with your girls. In the meantime, follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Peace.