Erin J.

Erin J.

Washington, USA

Tell us about yourself.

Hello! My name is Erin Ji-Hae Josue; I know my social media says Erin Bear Josue well fun little fact, that is a nickname from my childhood. I currently live in Kirkland WA but my home base is and always will be Seattle WA. I’m studying Psychology and Early Childhood Development because I love how the mind works and I love working with children. Every Sunday I attend Churchome (yes that’s how it’s spelled) with my family and was I baptized in May and lead my life with my faith! I also enjoy karaoke and road trips.

What is your biggest dream?

I have so many dreams, and not all of them seem reachable, but that's not true. Hard work and dedication can help reach those goals. I hope to one day open my clinic, have a big family, becoming a model has always been up there since I was younger. Even becoming a singer is always still in the back of my mind. Mostly I dream that I can share my faith and journey with others and pray they can learn something from it as well, no matter what their background is.

What does it mean to be your own kind of beautiful?

Self-love, it takes a lot of strength and courage not to compare yourself to others to look in the mirror and want to see something else, someone else. When you learn to love yourself, you finally see what you want to see in a mirror, in others, following your heart leads to happiness and joy. Everyone is so uniquely beautiful we create our definitions of the word, and that is so beautiful in itself.

Tell us about your modeling experience.

I have done a few photo shoots with my aunt and always loved candid moments she would capture of me laughing or jumping over a bush. My friends do quite a few fashion shows, and I had always dreamed of being able to walk down a runway with them. I didn’t pursue anything until I found Hannah Noelle and realized maybe I do have a chance.

What is your dream brand to model for?

I love American Eagle and how diverse their models for Aerie are. A majority of my closet is from AEO and would love to one day work with them. I am also a huge fan of Adidas and didn’t think I could own so many sneakers until now.

How would you describe your fashion style?

It depends on the season, my mood, and the weather. I range from my Grandpas sweaters to casual street wear to sporty. My favorite look when going out with friends is always dark blue or black jeans with a t-shirt and many many layers of jackets.

How important is self-awareness and confidence to you in your everyday life?

So incredibly important in our everyday lives, even taking 10 minutes at the end of the day to reflect on current events and how you honestly feel can make such a difference in the long run. Being able to admit "hey I didn’t have a great day let’s try and make it better tomorrow" helps your self-awareness even if you don’t notice it in the moment. I usually will have a sit down with my family and tell them that I haven’t been feeling so great and would love the support until I can work it out. Confidence is something I have trouble with sometimes or even all the time, and I’m sure many others do as well. Rewarding yourself for small tasks is a huge mood booster, even if it’s just putting mascara on. Take a look in the mirror and hype yourself up for the rest of the day!

What makes you beautiful?

What makes me beautiful? My flaws, I struggle with them so much to the point where yes I do sometimes hate them. That doesn’t mean I can’t also love them. I am Chinese, Korean and Filipino and I always hated that my skin was either too dark or not light enough. I didn’t fit in any category. My stretch marks give me confidence, but they also hurt it on low days. They prove my body has gone through a lot of changes. My ethnicity makes me beautiful in a way that I accept who I am in this life, my faith builds my trust in God and that he has a plan for me. I was put on this earth for a reason, I was given this body for a reason so I might as well love it. I know you hear it a lot, but YOU are BEAUTIFUL. Don’t ever think flaws don’t point out your beauty because they do.

What would you say to another girl your age who is struggling with their confidence?

That we have all been there, we are just starting to have these doubts, or they’ve been there for a while. It is a process that takes time it won’t always be easy, and we will struggle with it every day of our lives. You have support, and I support you, you truly are beautiful and sometimes that isn’t the answer you want to hear. It’s OK to have these doubts but don’t let them consume you, grow from them, become better than them. If it’s someone else putting you down know it’s not because of who you are, smile and show them that their words mean nothing when your confidence is everything. Kill every negative with a drop of kindness and a little goes a long way.