My Story-Who is Janetha?

Hello love! I’m Janetha. I’m your friend, homegirl from around the way, your long lost big sister, or maybe I’m your Soror. I’m the author of this blog, launched in March 2023 and rebranded from what used to be called “Gracefully Broken.”

I started Gracefully Broken 5 years ago. There were thousands of other bloggers out there but I said that I would remain authentic and influence with substance, style, grace, and grit. That infamous tagline to describe my fashion, lifestyle, and travel blog for a few years. Five years later I have evolved and my blog has now developed into a brand. I’ve secured partnerships and recognition from huge brands that I never imagined. Last November I even landed my first all expenses paid press trip!

But who’s Janetha? Who is the woman writing these blog posts? Who’s the woman behind the pictures on Instagram? Here’s my story. 

I’m a country girl from rural Charleston, South Carolina. I grew up in a loving home with a tight knit family. My grandparents, whom you may have been introduced to in this TikTok, love traveling. My granddaddy owned a navy blue Ford Econoline and during the summers we’d load up in it and take I-95 to places like Disney World, New York to visit family, and Atlantic City to the casinos. One of my favorite memories is when Lady Marmalade was on the radio every 5 minutes and my cousin and I would sing it as loud as we could every single time! All the way down 95 South to Disney World. 

I was raised as an only child and became part of a blended family at age 27. I gained an older sister and two little brothers. My life as an only child was fun, exciting, and my mom and I did a lot of things on weekends together. We’d take day trips to Savannah or Myrtle Beach and sometimes we would spend the weekend in Jacksonville. My home life was full of love, compassion, and family celebrations. We celebrate holidays together as a family, enjoy summer BBQ’s at our family home on Edisto Island, and our family group chat is hilarious too!

As the oldest granddaughter I was [admittedly, I still am] spoiled. Or as I prefer to say, blessed beyond measure. I had slumber parties for nearly every birthday and for my 12th Christmas my grandfather bought me a four wheeler which I still have today. On a Sunday you would find me in church reading the morning devotional in a dress with tons of tulle and in the afternoon you’d find me on my ATV doing wheelies in my grandparents front yard. Now that I’ve grown up, I now ride my ATV as a stress reliever. I will ride to one of the most beautiful views on earth and just sit by the water. Water has always been so healing and calming to me. 

I graduated from high school as a licensed cosmetologist having passed state boards and excelling in my studies too. For one year I attended Sweet Briar College in rural Virginia. This is where I picked up my love of Lilly Pulitzer. I went on to graduate from the illustrious Spelman College where I served as a mentor to teen mothers and volunteered with organizations that served Atlanta’s most vulnerable populations. 

After graduating from college, my friend and I decided to skip rent and drive 10 hours to Miami where we survived on Burger King because we couldn’t afford anything else. I was 22 and I quickly learned skipping out on rent was something I’d never do again! I had bouts of post grad depression because my plans of going into law school were met with rejection letters from nearly every law school I applied to. 

Now I am eight years into a career that I love as a diversity, equity, and inclusion and philanthropy program manager in the healthcare industry. To date I have impacted the lives of over 50,000 people in need across the world. I am also proud of my four years of being active in my sorority, the first and the finest! I never imagined that I’d be thriving financially, mentally, professionally, and physically. 

As a firm believer in consistent self care, I’m committed to my morning routine so nearly every morning I’m in the kitchen having praise and worship while frying an egg for my infamous croissants. At least three to four times a week I’m on my Peloton. Through years of therapy I have learned that my morning routine is how I pour into my own cup. I love morning time and often enjoy breakfast by candlelight because life is meant to be lived and those sweet moments give me something to look forward to. On my weekly visit to Trader Joe’s I am usually picking up a few dozen roses or carnations for a floral arrangement. Through Girl Buy Your Own Flowers, I encourage others to shower themselves with the joy of fresh flowers. Buying myself flowers is one of my favorite forms of self care. 

When I say life is meant to be lived, I mean that. Since losing my aunt and uncle unexpectedly in April 2022, I have been committed to making every day–a great day. To be less rigid and give myself grace as I navigate entering my thirties while on a journey through grief. To be completely transparent, grief is hard and it’s ugly. My grief journey is shared on TikTok and I’ll be writing about it on my blog too. Grief taught me so much about myself and I am transparent about it. There’s no shame in grief and I refuse to let the world rush me on my journey. I hold space for my loved ones through intimate balloon releases, journaling, and tears when needed. 

I’m your friend, your confidant, your internet bestie, and I’ve shared my story with you so you have a better understanding of who I am. Most importantly, I am human. I’ve loved, learned, and experienced deep loss. I’m a firm believer that we are all so much more alike than we know. My platform is an inclusive place for all women told through my voice and the experiences that have shaped and will shape my life.

Here are few fun facts about me:

Favorite holiday: Christmas

Favorite things to do: travel, floral design, picnics

Favorite Peloton Class: 45 Minute Quiet Storm Yoga with Chelsea Jackson Roberts [see you on the leaderboard “pearlfect1908]

Favorite Color: Pink

My Chick Fil A Order: Spicy sandwich meal, large fries with no salt, large sweet tea with no ice, and exactly 7 packs of honey roasted BBQ sauce

Favorite thing to cook: Salmon

My weakness: Church’s chicken biscuits

My guilty pleasure: McDonald’s fries

My love language: Quality time and receiving gifts

How can you support?

Subscribe to my blog, share my content with your friends, and invite your loved ones to our community. Together we can show the world that authenticity always wins! Be sure to connect on TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram by following me @janethadanielle