Meet Our Muse: Joss

ANOTHER INSTALMENT TO OUR MUSE SERIES. MEET JOSS. JOSS IS A TELEVISION PRODUCER AND CREATOR OF SEEK MINIMAL – A BLOG ON CONSCIOUS LIVING.

We're so excited to get to know you and introduce you to our community – how would your best friend describe you in a few sentences?

“Honest, gives the best advice, loyal, funny, driven, brave...”.

New experiences, slightly outside of our comfort zone, can be both scary and liberating – we heard this is your first time being photographed barefaced and in lingerie. We respect you so much stepping outside of your comfort zone  – how does it feel to partake in something that unnerving to you?

It definitely isn’t easy. There’s something about having a photo of myself in a bra and underwear, or in a bikini out in the universe that gives me a feeling of anxiety. I can get pretty self conscious when it comes to my body; I don’t usually wear tight clothes, and I always wear one-pieces to the beach. However; doing this shoot has molded my way of thinking - that our bodies are beautiful. I’ve come to realize that our shapes don’t define us and being able to show off yourself confidently is an incredible thing.

You mentioned that you are struggling with acne – something that we've all struggled with to some extent, so we know it can be disheartening, painful and all around difficult. It can also become something that alters our confidence and self-image – what does acne currently mean to you right now? Has it changed the way you see yourself?

I’ve been battling with acne since about 14 years old. I’m talking cystic, horrible acne. It’s completely affected my self esteem and confidence which is upsetting to look back on now. My skin is by no means ‘flawless’; I have texture issues, deep scarring, and I constantly get breakouts that time of month. I still struggle with being confident because of my skin, but I’m really trying to overcome it. I try to look in the mirror and see that there are so many other qualities I have that I can show for. I try to not let my skin define who I am, and trust that people are looking inside of me, and not at me. I try to look at my accomplishments and realize that my mind and personality got me where I am, not my skin.  

Through your current journey with acne, the process of this shoot, or throughout life – do you ever find yourself being self-critical? Are there things that you alter in your environment, or in your life to generate positive energy for yourself?

Oh 100%. I only recently became confident enough to go outside in public without any makeup on; I’ve been self-critical of myself my entire life.

I truly try to feel beautiful from within now. Once I embraced that mantra, it was only then I started to become confident. I try to now be mindful of what food I’m eating, what books I’m reading, the people I choose to spend my time with, finding workouts that make me feel good, and making sure I’m happy with the kind of person I am and what I’m doing with my life.

In your daily life, you are a full-time television producer and run Seek Minimal - so cool and inspirational! How has your full-time job prepared you for your side hustle?

Working in the television and digital media industry has taught me everything I know about starting Seek Minimal. I’ve learned to create compelling pieces of content, create and maintain meaningful relationships with people and brands, and it gave me the proper discipline I needed to create a platform from the ground up.

Let's chat about Seek Minimal, for those who aren't familiar with it – what is Seek Minimal and how did it come about? How do you manage to balance both your day job and managing Seek Minimal?

 Seek Minimal is a digital publication where the conscious shopper can discover sustainable brands and improve their mind, body, and spirit. We support creators who share the same ethos on ethical products and give them a platform to be heard. Our goal is to share what we care about to help you lead an open-minded, happier, and more conscious life.

It all started when I was looking for linen bed sheets. I truly didn’t know a lot about this world, but I came across a ton of ethical brands. I eventually fell down the rabbit hole and found myself following a lot of conscious lines and saving their products. When it became too much to sort through my screenshots and differentiate between beauty, home goods, and clothing, I realized there should be a place that exists where you can find all of your needs, and just know they’re sustainable.

Managing both my career and side hustle takes a lot of discipline. I’m constantly on my email, writing, and pitching, but I love what I do! Because I’m so passionate about what we stand for, it’s exciting when work comes through.  

What is your current personal growth goals?

Trying to be a better person. For the longest time my goals were always to ‘make more money’, find a better job’, ‘start your side hustle’. Although those goals still stand, I think I’m finally in a place where I can take the time and focus on my well being. Taking the time to meditate, travel, and be comfortable in my own skin is important to me at this time in my life.

When do you feel most empowered?

When I see that Seek Minimal is growing. There’s no feeling like seeing an idea you’ve created become something that people care about. If someone emails me, comments on our Instagram post, or simply says they love our aesthetic, that makes me feel amazing and more empowered than ever.

Which of your physical attributes do you love the most?

My lips.

Joss is wearing the Contrast Bra and the Lux High Waist Brief in White. Photographed by Olivia Lopez.