The best confidence and beauty lesson Yasmine Cheyenne learned thus far is to trust her intuition. It makes sense that her new book, Wisdom of the Path, out today, would be centered around this knowledge. “When I was writing my first book, The Sugar Jar, I kept writing this chapter that had nothing to do with the book,” which was all about setting boundaries. Instead of forcing it, Cheyenne used that as the grounds for this recent project.
“It’s more about forgiving yourself for the choices you’ve made in the past,” Cheyenne tells ESSENCE from her home in D.C. “I think a lot of us hold ourselves hostage based on our past mistakes. This book is about learning to garner those lessons as your internal wisdom. They don’t have to keep you from your future. They can actually help lead you to your future,” she adds. “I hope readers will realize we are absolutely limitless.”
Before embarking on a path of writing and creating content around wellness and mental health, Cheyenne was in the United States Air Force, where she served as a victim advocate. In other words, she was “a person who helped support people who were victims of crime, domestic abuse and things like that,” Cheyenne explains. “That opened up my eyes to wellness, healing and trauma. I instantly became interested in how I could help people get to the other side of really hard times.” But her passion for writing bloomed earlier—around the age of 9—eventually leading to her becoming a Journalism major in college.
In her downtime, Cheyenne practices what she preaches by watching shows, meditating, taking daily walks and maintaining her go-to beauty routine—facials and products from Sofie Pavitt, Elta MD and Cécred included. Self-care appears in the form of spending time with her community, too. “I feel my best when I’m with people I can just be myself with and have a good time with. That’s really important to me,” she says. “Also, being with my kids, doing something silly like dancing or chasing them at the park, helps me to feel really grounded and present.”
And speaking of community, that’s what excites her most about her latest venture. “I’m going to do a book tour in New York, D.C., L.A., and Miami,” she says. As opposed to connecting online she says, “I can’t wait to bond in real life with people.” During these book talks, and beyond, you can expect that Cheyenne will be keeping it real. “The main thing that helps me share vulnerably is knowing that what I’m sharing is a scar. It’s not an open wound. I’ve worked through it,” she says. “Regardless of what anyone may think, I feel strong enough to handle it.” Ultimately, she never wants anyone to feel like they’re alone in what they’re going through. “I am in it with y’all.”
