What Self-Care Looks Like To R&B Singer Jazmine Robinson
You don't know what you've got until it's gone, and after R&B singer Jazmine Robinson got into a car accident that could have potentially stolen her God-given gift for life, she realized that it was time to kick her hustle into overdrive.
Just shy of her 23rd birthday, Jazmine was headed to see longtime family friend Kandi Burruss, and her family when she was hit from behind by a reckless driver. She told xoNecole, "And at first I got out the car and I was fine, but then like everything just started aching. The first thing I thought was, 'oh my gosh, my body.' I use my body to dance. I definitely took mobility for granted up until that point. I'm just like, 'oh my goodness, I cannot move.'" According to Jazmine, the only thing more crippling than the shock of her accident was the thought of never being able to dance again.
"It made me think that all those goals that I had written on my list would never get accomplished. Like, what if it was worse? What if I couldn't move again? I didn't want that."
Not long after, Jazmine knew it was time to become fearless in the pursuit of her purpose, packed up her things, and moved from Atlanta to LA to pursue her entertainment career full-time. For Jazmine, her near-death experience was what pushed her into her destiny. "I feel like maybe that was the tipping point. Because it could all be over, over."
Now, Jazmine says that she can take pride in starting and ending each day knowing that she's doing the damn thing, without fear that she'll ever leave this earth wondering "what if". The entertainer recently released her latest project, Ocean, for which she single-handedly self-produced a visual for and sis has more heat otw. Between auditions, recording, and being a nanny to the stars, Jazmine says that she can barely find time to find sleep, but the entertainer did get a minute to fill us in on how she finds balance despite her ultra-busy schedule:
When do you feel most beautiful?
Tee J (@hustleandnap)
"If I'm like accomplishing something I feel most beautiful and it doesn't matter how I'm looking in the moment. I can't pinpoint that to a look, it's more of a feeling. Like me driving 36 hours to LA, that was beautiful to me. That's when I was most proud of myself and I thought to myself, 'wow, girl, you look good, you doing the damn thing.' When I get up in the morning and I don't want to, but I go exercise; I come back and I'm like, 'girl, you look good!' I remember it was such a time when I didn't do those things; when I wasn't kind to myself in that way to schedule personal time for myself, and it really just made me sad. Being happy is a choice that I have to make and it's got to be the first one that I make in the morning."
"I remember it was such a time when I didn't do those things; when I wasn't kind to myself in that way to schedule personal time for myself, and it really just made me sad. Being happy is a choice that I have to make and it's got to be the first one that I make in the morning."
What are your mornings like?
"Praying, whether it's by myself or with my friends. We'll all call each other on a group chat and just literally pray and speak over our lives and our dreams. Like every day, it's serious."
What do you find to be the most hectic part of your week?
"When I'm having a busy week, the most hectic part would probably be finding time to sleep. I will literally schedule myself to do things and never schedule sleep and then look up and it'll be like four in the morning and I'm like, 'gosh, I really need to be up at six. What am I going to do?' So though I have been running with this ambition, I'm now trying to pace myself in it."
Do you practice any types of self-care?
Tee J (@hustleandnap)
"For me, self-care is a good hair mask, a good Michael Todd or Sarah Jakes Roberts Sermon, and that's about it. I'll really just sit there and watch sermons all day or, speeches, interviews, things like that. To me, that is like a form of self-care because it's someone pouring into me versus me pouring out all the time."
How do you find balance with:
Love/Marriage?
"The way that I find balance with having fun with them is doing business with them in some way or some form. Like, we'll do a dance class; one of my friends owns like a shoe boutique and we'll say, 'hey, we'll do a heels class and give away a pair of shoes at the end of the month, let's both promote it together'. We'll work together so that we can spend time in that atmosphere and still not feel like we have a bunch of work to do after hanging with each other."
Friends?
"I guess I kind of infuse that too. We'll watch YouTube sermons together and we'll read books together and talk about them because that's kind of just what space I'm in right now."
Exercise/Health?
"At the top of the day, [I] get it over with, just go ahead and do it. Because if it hits 12 and I have my makeup on and my hair done, sis is not throwing on a pair of track pants unless it's for dance class. So just getting it over with at the top of the morning is the best way and nothing in the world beats that shower after a weightlifting session. Nothing."
Do you cook or find yourself eating out?
Tee J (@hustleandnap)
"I'm not sure if it is my sense of me trying to adult and be frugal and I guess I'll know the more money I obtain, but, I much rather cook. Because I think, why am I going to spend $20, 30, 40, $50 on a meal and I want to get my song mixed or I want to go to dance class or I want to shoot something and I need to buy an outfit for it? Maybe I'll make the outfit, but I need to buy the fabric. To me, if that does not register. You mean to tell me I'm going to make a decision about food three times a day, sometimes more, and I could spend that money and then just do it again tomorrow? Or I can get a song mixed and put it on iTunes and it'd be on there forever."
Do you ever detox? What does that look like for you?
"There's this girl who wrote a book called detoxing your brain and she talks about how your brain can physically challenge your body to do certain things. I always think, let me start there. Getting a journal and writing everything down, that's me detoxing. I'm a letting all these thoughts out of my head so I don't have to store that. Your brain can only hold so much like storage in your phone; at one point, you're gonna have to put them in a cloud and tuck them somewhere else so that you don't lose them. So that's my form of detox is getting a journal or writing music."
What does success mean to you?
"Success is literally writing a goal down and being able to accomplish it. Whatever that goal is, whatever that amount of money is, whatever that standard is. Just being able to literally cross off my to-do lists at the end of the day, that's a successful day to me"
You can learn more about @Jazmine by following her Instagram and make sure to check out the 3-part visualization of her new single, "Ocean" on Youtube ASAP, sis!
Jazmine | Ocean - a serialized story | Part 1www.youtube.com
Featured image by Tee J (@hustleandnap).
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
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For many, education is the key that unlocks the doors of opportunity, empowering individuals to reach their full potential in any field they choose to pursue.
Because of that advantage and the possibility of wanting to learn a different profession, a handful of celebrities have chosen to go back to school to earn a college degree after obtaining success within the entertainment industry.
With that information, xoNecole lists ten celebrities, ranging from actress Yara Shahidi to Oprah Winfrey, that have pursued higher education after fame.
Sabrina Elba
Sabrina Elba
Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Model and entrepreneur Sabrina Dhowre Elba is well known for her collaborative projects with her husband, Idris Elba, including the couple's humanitarian efforts, genderless skincare brand S'ABLE Labs, and their Coupledom podcast.
In addition to her professional achievements, Elba is also a college-educated woman. Elba attended Howard University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy. Although the timeline of when Elba graduated is unclear, the star revealed in a past interview that she was planning on going to law school when she met her husband in 2017 through a chance encounter.
However, in a recent interview with The Break podcast, the model shared that she was going back to school. “I think I wanna do my masters and then my phD, so I’m starting that in September,” she said.
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi got her start in the entertainment industry as a child star and landed a few modeling and acting opportunities in commercials, television shows, and films.
The actress ultimately landed her big break when she portrayed Zoey Johnson in ABC's hit show black-ish, a series about a Black father struggling with his cultural identity as he and his wife raise their children in a predominately white neighborhood. black-ish also stars Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis, Marsai Martin, Miles Brown, and Marcus Scribner.
Over the years, while filming black-ish and the show's spinoff grown-ish, Shahidi, who was homeschooled, attended Dwight Global Online School and graduated in 2017.
That same year, The Sun is also a Star alum, announced that she was accepted into Harvard University and began attending the Ivy League in 2018 after taking a gap year. According to a past cover story in Vogue Magazine, as an undergrad, Shahidi studied at Harvard University's social studies and African American departments, focusing on "Black political thought under a neocolonial landscape."
Shahidi graduated from Harvard in May 2022. Since receiving her degree, Shahidi has kept busy with work and is starring in the sixth and final season of grown-ish.
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné
Photo by David Livingston/ Getty Images
The next celebrity on the list is actress and singer Raven Symoné.
Symoné, who has been involved in the industry for over three decades, has starred in various hit shows and films over the years, including The Cosby Show, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Doctor Dolittle and Doctor Dolittle 2, That's So Raven, College Road Trip, and Raven's Home to name a few.
In addition to having a successful acting career, Symoné pursued music, and by 2013, the star announced that she was briefly retiring from the industry to focus on other passions.
During that time, Symoné enrolled at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, to major in fine arts. Three years later, The Cheetah Girls alum obtained her associate's degree and returned to the spotlight for her co-hosting gig on The View, which lasted until December 2016.
When asked in an interview with Oprah Winfrey why she decided to go back to school at what appeared to be the height of her career, Symoné shared that she wanted to break the common stereotypes about celebrities.
"I'm going to college. It's giving me a new lease on life," she told Winfrey on the Where Are They Now series. "[I'm taking] art. I want to take jewelry. I want to take sculpting. I want to take printmaking. I want to take finger drawing. I want to turn over that stereotype of what I can become, and to me, it's just an extension of when I was younger."
Although past reports claimed that Symoné would be pursuing a bachelor's degree in arts, it is unclear if she completed that goal.
Tia Mowry
Actress and entrepreneur Tia Mowry is widely recognized for her various roles in Sister, Sister alongside her twin sister Tamera Mowry, The Game, and Netflix's Family Reunion.
But many may not know that following Sister, Sister's cancellation in 1999, Mowry attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. During undergrad, Mowry studied psychology and ultimately earned her bachelor's degree.
Since then, Mowry, who shares two children with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, has continued to expand her empire by showcasing her culinary skills on her cooking show Tia Mowry's Quick Fix, and releasing a cookbook, The Quick Fix Kitchen. In addition to her culinary endeavors, Mowry has created a hair care brand, 4 U by Tia.
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
Tamera Mowry-Housley has been involved in the entertainment industry for over 30 years, just as long as her twin sister Tia Mowry. Mowry and her sister landed their big break in 1994 with the hit series Sister, Sister.
The show --which aired on numerous networks, including ABC and The WB, now known as The CW- lasted six seasons and was ultimately canceled in 1999. After Sister, Sister's cancelation, Mowry took a break from acting to focus on her studies at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. While attending the university, Mowry also majored in psychology, just like her sister, and earned her bachelor's degree.
In addition to earning her degree, Mowry also met her husband, former journalist Adam Housley after her college professor set the pair up. The couple has since welcomed two children. To date, Mowry has returned to acting and starred in various films and television shows, most recently Hallmark's Dreams Moms. Mowry is also the co-owner of Housley Napa Valley, a winery in Napa, California.
Storm Reid
Actress Storm Reid, whose career spans over a decade, rose to fame in 2014 following her breakout role in Disney's A Wrinkle in Time. Reid's success only continued from there. In 2019, Reid portrayed Gia Bennett in HBO's hit Euphoria, and a few years later, she also starred in the show The Last of Us.
Over the years, throughout her career, Reid was homeschooled and after graduating high school, the model attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. The 20-year-old, who is currently a sophomore, is majoring in acting and African American studies.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE
Oprah Winfrey, the well-renown television host, actress, producer, and mogul, once attended college before making a name for herself in the entertainment industry.
Winfrey attended Tennessee State University in the 1970s and majored in Communications. Still, by 1975, the star, who was one credit shy of graduating, dropped out of college to pursue her career in broadcast journalism. A decade later, in 1986, Winfrey returned to Tennessee State University and earned her bachelor's degree in Communications and Performing Arts.
When Winfrey is not running her television network, OWN, and Oprah's Book Club site and newsletter, the star is working on films. Winfrey's most recent work is the highly anticipated musical adaptation of The Color Purple.
Megan Thee Stallion
The seventh individual on the list is rapper Megan Pete also known as Megan Thee Stallion. Pete burst into the rap scene in 2019 following the release of her mixtape Tina Show, which included the hit song "Big Ole Freak."
Since then, Pete's career has only skyrocketed from there, having released two studio albums, Good News and Traumazine, and earning various awards, including three Grammys.
But prior to Pete's fame, the Texas native attended public school and graduated from Pearland High School in 2013. That same year, the "Savage" emcee briefly attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. Shortly after, Pete dropped out when her rapping videos went viral online and gradually built her fan base.
Despite obtaining the accolades years later, Pete decided to pursue her bachelor's degree in health administration, this time by studying at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. Pete ultimately graduated in December 2021.
Keshia Knight Pulliam
Keshia Knight Pulliam
Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET
Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam became a household name in the early 1980s after starring as Rudy Huxtable in the hit sitcom The Cosby Show.
The Cosby Show aired on NBC for eight seasons and ended in 1992. Immediately after the series ended, Pulliam and her family moved to Virginia, where she attended Potomac School and Foxcroft School. In 1997, Pulliam graduated from high school and later attended Spelman College, where she studied sociology.
The star ultimately earned her bachelor's degree in 2001. Since then, Pulliam has continued to act in various films and television shows and is currently married to actor Brad James. The couple are also raising their blended family together.
Jamira "Cuban Link" Haines
The last person on the list is Jamira "Cuban Link" Haines. Haines, who is recognized for her work as a model and fitness trainer, is currently dating mogul Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.
Aside from showcasing the pair's bond on Instagram and promoting her work, Haines is an aspiring attorney. Haines reportedly graduated from Rutgers University in 2020 and received a bachelor's degree in law.
Following her graduation, it was unclear when Haines would continue her education and attend law school, but that all changed in July 2023. In an Instagram post, Haines revealed she had started law school while sharing images from a photoshoot.
"The winner plots one step ahead of the opposition and plays her trump card just after they play theirs," she wrote. "It's about making sure you surprise them, and they don't surprise you. Let the journey begin #lawschool #lawgirls."
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