So how breathtaking is Aja Naomi King on Nylon's February cover? (Correct answer: EXTREMELY!) In her interview, the How To Get Away With Murder and The Upside star talks about the trials of being black in Hollywood and her mission to "amplify" the stories of complex women.
The beautiful cover story, penned by Fariha Róisín, is definitely worth a read. But what I'm actually here to talk about is this behind-the-scenes video that recently dropped, where Aja opens up about her experience with anxiety.
View this video on YouTube
(I also stumbled across Aja's PHENOMENAL speech on imposter syndrome at this year's Essence Women In Hollywood event and it's a must watch.)
Career growth and success made the 34-year-old actress question whether her mental health concerns were valid. "I started feeling like, 'Oh, I don’t have the right to worry or be anxious because I have all these wonderful things,'" she told Nylon.
In sharing her own "struggles or difficulties," Aja hopes that she'll inspire others to do the same and ultimately challenge the feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt that things like social media consumption often provoke.
"That kind of self criticism and self doubt and just feeling like you’ll never achieve [what other people have]," she continued. "That’s the kind of thing that’ll shut you down and stop you from being grateful for what you can achieve and what you can go after."
Unplugging from technology and enjoying the outdoors are some of the ways Aja puts her anxiety and worries in check, along with reminding herself that her feelings are universal. "Everyone is human," she said. "We all go through things, so you are not alone."
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO VULNERABLE, AJA!!! XO
