Miss South Africa 2023 Natasha Joubert shared her vulnerable side with social media users, candidly stating her struggles with exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed.
In a lengthy caption on Instagram, accompanied by a teary-eyed picture of the beauty queen, Natasha stated that she took the image intending to show that “people also go through days of crying the entire day and can’t stop.”
“This past two weeks I’ve been feeling like I felt on this day,” said the business owner of the picture which she reveals was taken on 21 September, just over a month after she was crowned Miss South Africa 2023. “Something big happened in my family and at the time I didn’t have time to process it as I usually would.”
Now holding the title for eight months, Natasha shared that she still has days of feeling extremely overwhelmed, struggling to feel happy, full of purpose and having energy.
She noted, “I’ve realised how important balance is. The small things that are actually the big things — family, my dogs, friends, doing ‘nothing’ and sometimes just being in my feels. At times you can’t do it all. You can’t always be a power[ful] woman, full of energy, feel motivated, feel your most beautiful and manage everyone’s expectations. These past eight 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 [make] everyone happy!”
Natasha stated that she had even gone for blood work as she had not felt herself. “Jokes on me, all my levels are normal and healthy. Exhaustion looks different for everyone.”
Concluding her post, Natasha shared that in the last four months of her reign, she is set to focus on balance, firm boundaries, rest, finding joy and appreciating her 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!”
View this post on Instagram
Previously speaking to BONA about the criticism she faced after her win, the magazine’s October 2023 cover star shared, “When I entered and when I won, it wasn’t necessarily about what I stood for and what I wanted to do. Instead, false accusations were spread of it being rigged. It was really hard to see because I worked so hard, so why would people be invalidating that fact?”
Natasha, who entered the pageant before, said it was tough coming back. “I couldn’t engage with the organisation fully because people would say it’s unfair or I have a relationship.”
She added, “When it comes to handling negativity, I try to spread the word that people need to realise their words carry so much power when it comes to someone else’s mental health.”
Also see: Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni opens up about not being okay
