Timothy White/E!On the latest episode of House of DVF, Jinna Yang was the latest Global Brand Ambassador candidate to be sent home.
I left everything to pursue the Brand Ambassador position, and I think that put a lot more pressure on myself than any of the other girls did. I had left my apartment, my job, my long-term relationship - my father had passed away and my family wasn't in the position to take care of me anymore. I was 25 and completely independent - in a new place in my life and this opportunity was one of a lifetime.
I told myself that I wasn't in the position to lose, and I took it really hard when I got sent home. But as cliche as it sounds, I truly do believe that all things happen for a reason.
The entire process was new to me - and throughout my experience in the corporate / fashion world, I hadn't been so uncomfortable because I was never truly competing with other individuals for the same position. It was a foreign experience, and a lot of the feedback I received was scattered and inconsistent throughout the journey. I realized - people will not hold your hand through this industry. You've got to develop thick skin and keep it moving.
I am grateful to have had this experience because I was able to learn more about the DVF company and brand. I'm also grateful for some of the friendships I've made with a few of the girls during my time there. I learned a lot about what it was that I wanted out of life, not only my career, and when I was sent home - it was the bump that I had needed to pursue my dreams of traveling the world.
Since then I've built a community on my blog (Grease & Glamour), and I've dedicated my life to inspiring people to follow their dreams, live with purpose, find peace past pain and to never lose hope. I'm now a contributing photojournalist for Condé Nast Traveler and The Huffington Post, and am blessed to survive by doing what I love, but more importantly the opportunity to work towards bringing a positive impact on this world. This was my dream. It is now my story.
I signed my first lease on my apartment in Brooklyn. I'm now my own boss, which is something I've always wanted to become, and it's an absolutely awesome feeling to be living my dream.
A lot of which is documented on my instagram: http://instagram.com/greaseandglamour (@greaseandglamour).
There are moments when I wish the world would stop so I could stop moving. There are moments when I get so overwhelmed that all I want to do is quit. There are moments when I am so tired that I cannot even rest. And in these moments, I look back only to see how far I've come.
And the road ahead is not short, it's not easy and sometimes I have no idea where I'm going. People have failed me when I needed them the most. Those who I never looked twice at ended up becoming the best friends I've ever had. I've made more mistakes in my life than I can count. But you've got to know that you're not alone. And even if you have no one paying your bills, no one who believes in your dreams, no one to pull you up when you are down, no one to call when you're crying yourself to sleep at night - you have to know that you are going to be okay.
And that this period of time when you think you've got it the worst, is exactly what you need to go through to find the strength to live the life you've always dreamed of - the life that you deserve. Don't ever give up on yourself. ♡
I'm grateful for this opportunity, grateful for Diane and her team inviting me into their home to learn from such inspiring individuals. And even though my journey didn't turn out "as planned," it's not about that. It's about continuing your journey, refusing to quit, and learning from it.
Big hugs to all the other girls, and thank you again!
xx,
Jinna
Tune-in for an all-new episode of House of DVF next Sunday at 10/9c on E!