Yasmine Cheyenne: Guiding The Path To Mental Wellness And Empowerment
Updated: Jun 4
Embarking on a journey that has seamlessly intertwined her roles as a native New Yorker, Air Force Veteran, Victim Advocate, and single mother advocate, Yasmine Cheyenne emerges as a beacon of hope and transformation in the realm of mental wellness. Since the resounding success of her inaugural book, The Sugar Jar, a guided manual that demonstrates how minor adjustments in one's life can go a long way by setting boundaries and ultimately breaking limiting beliefs, Yasmine has continued on to guide titans of industry like Google and NAMI. From empowering workshops to intimate community conversations, Yasmine's holistic approach to healing extends far beyond personal growth, fostering a collective journey towards self-acceptance and aligning with purpose. As she prepares to unveil her latest literary offering, "Wisdom of The Path," Yasmine invites us to delve into the heart of her mission, where healing, growth, and collective empowerment converge.
Join Yasmine for an exclusive book signing event at "Books & Books" in Coral Gables on June 17th at 7 pm, where she'll share insights from her transformative journey and offer personalized copies of her upcoming book to attendees.
Miami Living (ML): Yasmine, it's a pleasure to have you with us today. Before we dive into your remarkable journey and impactful work, could you share a little about a moment or experience recently that brought you joy or inspiration?
Yasmine: I love this question. A moment that recently brought me joy was spending time with friends on a weekend trip. I don't think I've laughed that hard in so long. There was constant inspiration just being in their presence. It reminded me how healing being in community is, how healing laughter is, and how my creativity thrives on being in encouraging environments like that.
ML: Your journey from an Air Force Veteran to becoming a renowned self-healing workshop leader and author is truly inspiring. How did your experiences in the military shape your path towards mental wellness advocacy and self-healing work?
Yasmine: I had the opportunity to serve as a Victim Advocate in the military, a role that supports victims of crime; like domestic violence, etc. This job opened my eyes to trauma, in all forms, and I became curious about what happened to people on the other side of these experiences. How could I know that they would get the help and healing that they needed?
This job showed me that I had the capacity to hold space for really hard experiences with others, and that it didn't deplete me as long as I cared for myself too. From there, my work in self-healing was born.
ML: Your upcoming book, "Wisdom of The Path: The Beautiful and Bumpy Ride to Healing and Trusting Our Inner Guide," promises to provide clarity on the journey of self-discovery. Could you share a pivotal moment or experience that inspired you to write this book?
Yasmine: Overwhelmingly, we are so hard on ourselves; I know that I'm often my own worst critic. And I got curious about where some of that self-negativity was coming from and noticed that a lot of it stemmed from the past. When we make mistakes or when things don't turn out the way we hoped, we sometimes turn on ourselves. We start to lose trust in our ability to make the right decisions. And for many of us, we stop making decisions all together and get stuck right where we are in our lives, even if we're ready to move forward. The fear of making decisions limits our growth.
I wanted to create a bridge for people, where they could walk compassionately from their past into their present and beyond, without so much judgement and harshness. What if we looked at our past as the very lessons we needed to equip us for where we're going? What if we were kind to our past selves for doing what was best and nurtured our internal relationship toward peace? This is the foundation of Wisdom of the Path, to encourage people to be willing to try again.
ML: Singing affirmations to children is a unique and powerful method you utilize as a mother. How do you believe this practice fosters self-awareness and self-improvement in young minds, and how can parents integrate it into their daily routines effectively?
Yasmine: Singing is a wonderful way to connect to my kids and often, the songs are incredibly silly, which is great for all of us. Even though we're playing, they're memorizing these powerful words which empowers them to sing the songs to themselves when I'm not around - and that's my hope. I want the affirmations and words to stay with them so when they're in moments of being hard on themselves, they have these uplifting words inside them that can help them combat negativity.
ML: Grief is a complex emotion that many individuals struggle to navigate. Could you share some practical tips or rituals that have personally helped you and others ground themselves after experiencing loss or grief?
Yasmine: The biggest thing that's helped me with grief is allowing myself to fall apart in the arms of my community. We often feel like a burden in grief and so we try to power through on our own. But having people who can show up for you, hold you, and help you get back to yourself is amazing. My tip would be to let people know how you really feel so they can be there for you. You don't have to process the heaviness of grief on your own.
ML: Your approach to healing encompasses a whole-body and mind approach, integrating practices like meditation, yoga, and journaling. For someone who may be new to these practices, where would you recommend they start, and how can they incorporate them into their daily routine for optimal mental and emotional well-being?
Yasmine: Today, I'm a meditation teacher, but back in the beginning of my journey, meditation was one of the hardest things for me to do. I talk about this in Wisdom of the Path, but I couldn't sit still, I didn't understand intention setting, I was constantly falling asleep, and I just felt like I was doing it all wrong. The truth was, I was meeting myself right where I was at the moment and when I removed my self-imposed expectations of how I was supposed to feel, I was able to be kinder to myself.
So for those who are new to these practices, I advise going slow, start small (15 minutes or less), and keep showing up...even when it's hard.
ML: With such a diverse range of activities and passions, from guiding corporate giants to leading healing workshops, what's your favorite way to unwind and recharge outside of your professional endeavors? Whether it's a hobby, a guilty pleasure, or a simple ritual, we'd love to hear how you rejuvenate your spirit.
Yasmine: I absolutely love cooking and trying different foods, so watching cooking shows, reading cook books, and actually spending time making dishes is my absolute favorite thing to do. It's my favorite way to switch up my routine when things start to feel mundane, I try something new and poof! I feel excited about it and then I start talking about my excitement, I feel my mood shift.
ML: Finally, we'd love to hear about any exciting paths you envision for yourself ahead.
I'm really looking forward to connecting with my community IRL more. Virtual is amazing, but there's something really powerful about connecting in-person. So much can shift in such a small amount of time when we gather in community.
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Join Yasmine for an exclusive book signing event at "Books & Books" in Coral Gables on June 17th at 7 pm! It will be moderated by Barb Schmidt (Peaceful Barb) and her daughter Michelle Faros.
Pre-order link for Wisdom of the Path: