Fresh beginnings
Influencer Joanna Joseph believes success comes from a mix of positive actions and thoughts
WE have witnessed the importance of social media influencers drastically increase over the past decade. With over 108,000 followers on Instagram, popular content creator, educator, and beauty queen Joanna Joseph has been using her platform to spread love.
You may remember her as the young woman who won the title of Miss Selangor Earth 2016 after drastically reducing her weight. But there’s more to her story than that.
In an email interview with theSun, Joanna explained her journey to becoming an influencer and an inspiration.
Growing up, Joanna had many goals she wanted to fulfil, but she was often bullied due to her weight. She weighed roughly 60kg in primary school and 104kg in secondary school. She said: “The bullying fuelled a fire within me to prove the naysayers wrong and work to become a better person.”
Joanna lost the excess weight over the course of a year thanks to strict diet and exercise. That was the start of a new chapter for Joanna.
It all began when a senior in school asked her to be a model for the clothing she was designing. “Stephanie Andrea Richards has my undying gratitude for it,” said Joanna.
Her self-confidence grew and she later joined and won the Miss Selangor Earth pageant in 2016. Her manager also made the decision to publish her weight loss story online, causing it to go viral.
“It helped me realise my mission, which was to inspire the world in whatever way I could,” she said.
The 25-year-old influencer also developed her own personal brand. As more people approached her about her weight loss quest, she wrote the e-book Live to Inspire that contained her nutrition suggestions, at-home exercises, skincare routines, and much more.
Joanna stated that she received a lot of positive comments and that it was her objective “to teach the world that nothing beats hard work and determination to accomplish healthy weight loss, like I did.”
Joanna revealed that in addition to her book, people of all ages approached her to express their own desire for modelling but were often told that they would “never” succeed because of their appearance.
At that point, she made the decision to found the organisation livetoinspire.my, where she offers modelling lessons, confidencebuilding workshops, and conceptual photography sessions.
“Regardless of age, weight, skin tone, or anything else, we embrace everyone. Many people have left their comfort zones and become stronger as a result. I’m pleased that these people are receiving justice, and I’m also pleased that they feel empowered to embody their finest selves.”
We asked her about her goals and the message she wants to send to her fans. Joanna stated that she always tries to be as open and honest with her fans as possible.
She constantly tries to educate the public about a variety of topics, as someone who has gone through difficult times in her own life.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s about school, university, bullying, or even sexual harassment. I noticed that many individuals avoid discussing sensitive issues, so I decided to shatter the barrier by engaging with my followers.
“Many individuals suffer in silence, and I hope that my material breaks the silence in any manner that I can.”
When asked about how she responds to harsh comments, Joanna acknowledged that it was initially extremely upsetting and annoying.
“It caused me to experience a lot of despair, but I eventually learned how to control them. In an effort to understand where they are coming from, I would take the time to actually respond to them.”
Joanna believes that when individuals are handled gently, their perspectives shift , but if she is unable to get someone to respond to her, she just wishes them well and blocks them.
She added that since she was a child, her father had always been a source of safety and acceptance.
She recalled: “He had many challenges in life and tried his best to support the family. I became a stronger person as I observed him overcome his own challenges. A true warrior indeed.”
The fact that Joanna never really got to spend time with her family because she was always so busy with work was one of her biggest regrets.
“I hardly get [to go] home since I’m out working, but my dad used to tell me that he missed me sometimes.
“My entire life changed last year when he passed away. He was actually my best friend, yet it seemed like I never had much time [to spend] with him.”
Since then, Joanna has tried to put her family first, and has advised her fans to do the same.
“Definitely my biggest heartbreak and lesson,” she said.
In addition to her father, music also had a significant impact on her life as she grew up. Her favourite artistes include Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.
She said: “I was able to get past my comfort zone and gain a lot of confidence because of Justin’s songs, and Chester significantly improved my mental health.
“[Chester’s own] struggle with depression made me feel as though I wasn’t struggling alone. He had been my mental health advocate since the beginning.”
Joanna also discussed how she balances her personal and professional lives. “Believe it or not, I took seven years to graduate because of all the deferrals.”
She didn’t want to miss any of the opportunities that might come her way, and she is grateful that her family and friends have always been so encouraging.
Despite the fact that she hardly has time for anything relaxing, Joanna makes sure she plans short vacations whenever she can.
She also has embarked on some new interests in life.
‘“I have always had an interest in politics and I am a proud member of Parti MUDA. It has definitely broadened my horizon and Syed Saddiq has been an amazing mentor and friend.”
Her advice to anyone who aspires to be like her is to “start loving yourself”.
“Put yourself first, focus on being a better you, and ignore what the world has to say about you. Just keep moving forward, and remember that you can go through whatever battles that life throws at you. It’s going to shape you into a stronger person someday.”