Charjoi Pringle is a self-published author, host of the podcast “I Am Wellness,” community health educator, and the founder and CEO of Joiful Healing. She continues to navigate her wellness journey every day and empowers individuals to take the steps they need to explore self-love, healing and gratitude the best they can with the available tools.
When did you start diving into mental health and your wellness journey?
It’s been a lifelong process. I think I’ve been consumed by my personal wellness ever since I can remember into my adolescence and teenage years, and just trying to be a happier version of myself. Or trying to find happiness, or I was really big about positivity in my teenage years, because I’m like, if it’s not positive, I don’t want it. So thinking back, it started for me a long time ago, but I don’t think it really resonated with what self-care and wellness really meant, until recently. I would say for the past 10 years or my adulthood time, it has really been a profound journey of learning who I am through a wellness lens.
When did you learn that mental health and self-wellness is a lifelong journey?
You know that phrase, “I was today years old.” It was a little bit of that. I felt like I was failing. I felt like I was failing at happiness, wellness and healing. And I’m like, “What is going on? I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, learning from the TED talks, reading the books, doing my journaling, and my meditation, but for some reason, I keep coming back to feeling like I haven’t made it there yet.” So then it dawned on me since you’re looking for this destination, it’s an unrealistic expectation for you to think that you will get to this place of just fully healed, happiness, or peace. We have to remember that healing is not just a linear experience, but rather, it does have its ups and downs and life has its curves. I had to learn I haven’t been giving myself grace for going through what we typically go through in life.
Continue reading on the next page.
