Miss SA winners who have opened up about their mental health
These former beauty queens have opened up about dealing with the pressures of being Miss SA while balancing life.
Natasha Joubert has become the latest Miss South Africa to open up about her struggles with mental health.
The current Miss SA took to Instagram to share a teary-eyed photo of herself.
"I even look at this picture and think... woah, not a good look," she wrote.
The beauty queen went on to explain that she has been going through a rough patch lately which started a month after she was crowned Miss SA.
"I took this picture with the intent of sharing it, because surely other people also go through days of crying the entire day and can't stop. There has been a few of these moments I kept in the archives. And this past two weeks I've been feeling like I felt on this day. This picture was taken 21 Sept and felt guilty sharing it after only being Miss SA for a month. Something big happened in my family and at the time didn't have time to process as I usually would," she wrote.
"I am now Miss SA for 8 months. And still have the days of feeling extremely overwhelmed."
The 26-year-old says it has been tough finding a balance between her current role and personal life.
"Recently I've been struggling feeling happy, full of purpose, and like I have energy. I've realised how important balance is, the small things that's actually the big things. Family, my dogs, friends, doing "nothing" and sometimes just being in my feels," she wrote.
"At times you can't do it all. You can't always be a power woman, full of energy, feel motivated, feel your most beautiful and manage everyones expectations," she added.
READ: Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni opens up about feeling anxious
The former Miss Universe contestant says because of the recent challenges, her health took a knock.
"These past 8 months I have tried to be on top of it, push my boundaries, serve where I can, always be present in what I do and yet still struggle to feel fulfilled. And guess what? Still can't everyone happy!
"In the past 2 months I went for blood-work feeling like something in me is off, lol jokes on me, all my levels are normal and healthy, exhaustion looks different for everyone," she wrote.
The beauty queen also opened up about the societal pressures she has faced.
"Being in this year of my life, people will see you as an object, just what they can benefit, expect perfection and have a misperception that you don't have feelings," she wrote.
READ: Miss SA Natasha Joubert: "I felt I let the country down"
Natasha says she is now focused on finding joy and keeping a balance.
"Here's to the final 4 months of my reign, focussing on balance, firm boundaries, rest, finding joy again and appreciating my loved ones!
"I hope you learn and grow through a season of trial and turbulence. It's exactly that- a season. Work through it, learn from it and grow past it (little note to myself). Life is more than what it looks like, but what it feels like. Let's make the way it feels damn good again!" she said.
Last year Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni opened up about dealing with anxiety.
"I always take selfies when I look my best but sometimes I look like this and that’s okay. It’s also very normal to me."
She said she has been dealing with general anxiety.
"I woke up before 6 this morning feeling extremely overwhelmed by everything. I don’t know if it’s the last quarter of the year push or just general anxiety to “kill it” at everything."
The Miss South Africa 2015 winner went on to talk about the double standards that women have to deal with and how that weighs down on their emotions.
"When watching the Barbie movie Gloria’s (America Ferrera) monologue resonated with me so much because it highlighted the impossible double standard of being a woman. We have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong," she added.
"You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin…You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about your kids all the damn time…You have to answer for men's bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault,” she explained.
She said most of what was seen in the movie resonates with her.
"I resonated with many different parts to the monologue and I’ve come to accept that some days will really just give you a moerse punch in the gut. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I show up 100% for work, gym, family time etc so today I’m showing up 100% to my crying session. Tomorrow? We shall see what tomorrow brings. We trust God for the joy he brings in the morning," she wrote.
READ: Liesl Laurie on pregnancy rumours: "Stop monitoring my womb"
Shudufhadzo Musida does not want any South African child to allow bullying to determine their future.
The 25-year-old, who has been a victim of bullying, published a book that tackles the issue, especially among children.
Her book, 'Shudu Finds Her Magic', talks about how she overcame bullying with the help of her grandmother.
She says she experienced bullying in school and it almost destroyed her self-esteem.
"When I lived in the village, my grandmother made me feel like I'm beautiful inside and out," said the model in a video about the book posted on social media.
"And then you get to a place that makes you feel like you are not good enough, that makes you feel like you are not pretty enough, that makes you feel like you don't want to do this anymore. People are just mean.”
Shudu found her magic when she remembered that her grandmother taught her that true beauty flows from within.
"When she (grandmother) said "you are beautiful inside and that makes you beautiful on the outside, I think that is something that resonated with me all my life and something that made me Miss South Africa because I learned that beauty is not only skin deep. There is so much more to that and when I was being bullied, I forgot the beauty that lied within me and when I read this, it reminds me of the fact that she saw it in me and when I found my magic again, I started seeing it in myself too," she added.
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Image courtesy of Instagram.