We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chasity Jernigan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chasity below.

Chasity, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

From Comfort to Courage: My Leap Into a New Beginning After 40

In the last 365 days, I took a leap of faith that changed everything. I left behind Tupelo, Mississippi, the place where I built my life, my family, my career, and my brand to follow my son to College Station, Texas, as he embarked on his first year playing SEC football at Texas A&M University. Everything I had ever known was in Tupelo, from the 20 years of marriage to raising my boys, to my very first Zumba class and ministry work, to becoming an influencer and landing my first brand collab.

I knew that leaving would mean starting over. Finding new photographers, networking in a new city, and rebuilding my brand from scratch felt daunting. I could have stayed comfortable. But comfort wouldn’t have let me grow.

As a mother, I wanted to be there for my son through every high and low of his journey. That meant sacrificing my own comfort zone to be where I knew I needed to be, by his side.

And let me tell you, it hasn’t been easy. But here’s the thing: since taking that leap, I’ve learned more about myself than I ever imagined. I landed my an amazing career, my brand collaborations are coming in slowly but surely, and, most importantly, my confidence has soared. The woman I was before this move was strong, but the woman I’m becoming is unstoppable.

Moving away from my family to discover who I am without the roles of wife and mother was life-changing. It’s a journey that’s not about escaping what I had, but about peeling back the layers of who I am at my core, beyond the titles and expectations.

To all the women out there feeling stuck in complacency, wondering if it’s too late to chase your dreams or change your path, let me be the proof. It’s never too late to start over, to rebuild, and to rediscover the strength you have inside you.

I’m glowing, I’m growing, and I’m becoming the woman I always knew I could be, but never had the courage to fully embrace until now.

So here’s to new beginnings after 40, to finding your strength when you step out of your comfort zone, and to building a brand (and a life) that’s yours to create. If I can do it, so can you. Let’s make the second half of our lives the most powerful, fearless, and fulfilling yet.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi, I’m Chasi, a plus-size fitness lover, content curator, boy mom, and football enthusiast behind Sweat In Mascara! I created this space to help you embrace your beauty, get fit, and stay stylish while doing it. With a passion for fashion, fitness, and self-love, I curate content that empowers you to feel confident in your body and your journey. What sets me apart? I take a real-life, personalized approach to everything I do, blending fitness, fashion, and everyday life to create an authentic, impactful experience. I’m most proud of inspiring others to embrace their unique beauty and live a healthy, confident life.

As a mom juggling a thousand things, I want to make sure you know that you’re not alone in this journey. Together, we can embrace the chaos and still shine.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

OMG, let me tell you about one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn on this wild health journey. So, when I was teaching dance and helping people get fit (I did that for 12 years, by the way!), I thought willpower was the holy grail. Like, if you just had the right mindset and enough determination, you could make anything happen. I mean, I lost over 100 lbs myself, and I did it with straight-up willpower. So I honestly didn’t get why others struggled so much with their weight loss journeys.

But honey… whew, that was me at 30. Now, as a 41-year-old woman navigating my own health journey, I’ve had to do some serious soul-searching. What worked for me back then? Not so much anymore. My willpower is not the same, and that’s OK. Now I see that tools like GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery aren’t some sort of cheat code, they’re tools that help people when willpower alone just isn’t enough. And let me tell you, I was way more judgmental about these things back in the day, but now I’m like, “Yassssss, if it helps you live your best life, go for it!”

I’ve realized everyone’s journey is unique, and sometimes, we need more than just willpower to make things happen. Willpower is great, but it’s not the only thing, and I’m all about supporting whatever works for YOU. So yeah, I’ve had a complete mindset shift, and now I’m all about cheering people on, no shame in using the tools that help you thrive.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

OMG, yes! There are SO many books and resources that have totally shaped how I think about management and entrepreneurship. One of the biggest game-changers for me was The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma. Waking up early and setting my morning up for success was a total vibe shift. Like, it helped me start my day on the right foot, focusing on me first before diving into the chaos, and that’s made all the difference in how productive and clear I am about my goals.

Then there’s Atomic Habits by James Clear. Whew, this one was a total mind-blower! It taught me how those tiny habits add up and can make huge impacts in the long run. As a boss, you can get caught up in trying to make big moves, but it’s the little daily things that really move the needle.

And, Start With Why by Simon Sinek? This book helped me dig deep into why I do what I do, which has been EVERYTHING for staying connected to my purpose and building my brand. When you understand your why, everything just falls into place, trust me.

And of course, I can’t forget Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis. Whew, if you’re a woman trying to juggle it all (like me), you need this one. It helped me stop second-guessing myself and step into my full power, because, let’s be real, confidence is everything when you’re running the show.

These books have been total lifesavers, and they keep me grounded and focused on my hustle. If you haven’t read them yet, what are you waiting for?! You’ll thank me later. 😜📚💖

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sweatinmascara.com
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