Today we’d like to introduce you to Khadijah Torbert.
Khadijah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The idea of ‘Made Worthy’ came to me in a dream in 2015. I’ve always had a diary at a young age but the term ‘journaling’ didn’t register until I was an undergrad student at Troy University. My best friend Sydney S. reintroduced me to my love of journaling. It was after a break up where she insisted that I not only pray but deal with my emotions and write it out on paper. So that’s what I did, I drove to the nearest Tj Maxx that weekend and purchased a journal and so the journey to self-healing began. It was after that breakup and a few months of journaling when I distinctly remember through a dream, a whisper that I would own my own journal line, I knew that was God. Even after that dream, I said ‘okay God’ but didn’t act on it and continued to go out and purchase journals from other establishments.
It wasn’t until the end of 2019, where I heard God’s voice again (through a dream) repeat the same thing, that I would have my journal notebook line. I quickly started researching publishing companies and went to YouTube and Google to figure out what the first steps were to creating journals. Once 2020 hit, I was ready, ready to set loose the vision …but what to call it? I had no clue or idea. I pondered on the name and did brainstorms for weeks until boom, the word “worthy” came to me in a dream (again) and the next day, Made Worthy Journal Notebooks was made. It wasn’t until June that the official launching of the notebooks were done, June 1st to be exact. The significance for that is June is my Birthday month, and June 1, 2020 will forever be the birth of Made Worthy Journals. I had hoped to sell at least 50 journals in one month, but the overflow of support blew my mind, I was able to sell 70+ journals within one week and that was nothing but God.
Since the June launch date, I’ve sold out of two of the nine journals and had to restock, which was major for me. It’s so refreshing to see how something that helped me over the years is also helping others find peace, joy, even their sanity back again and it’s all because they’re releasing it all on paper. There are nine journals in all, with different designs and colors for both my ladies and men, because men journal too! The beauty in 8 of the nine journals being blank and unprompted is that it really gives a person space to write their story. Whether that’s the good, the bad or even the ugly, they’re able to document it all for years to come. 2020 is already a year to remember so why not document it all to see how far you’ve grown as an individual, a mother, father, couple, sister, or brother. Journaling is a safe outlet to just be yourself. My hope with the nine journals of Made Worthy is to make people dig deeper into themselves, release their innermost thoughts and longings, write down goals, manifest visions, keep track of fitness goals, or even use it as a way to keep their day organized. Just the name itself is a gentle affirmation to self, and I hope these journals are a simple reminder to everyone that they are already, Made Worthy.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
One of the biggest hurdles was myself. The self-doubt that came along with “will this work?” or “Will people really buy this?” Which is why it took so many years to actually get everything up and rolling. I had to get out of my own head and just take a leap of faith and go for it. Another part of having a business is being able to market it well and make sure different audiences see it. My struggle was constantly making posts to engage future customers. My business is only three months in so I’m eager to see the progress after six months after family, friends, and co-workers have supported me to see how to connect with new people and a new audience. Learning the rhythm of algorithms online is also crucial.
We’d love to hear more about Made Worthy Journal Notebooks.
Made Worthy Journal Notebooks are a line of nine journals. I’m most proud of the journal line for doing so well in just three months of its launch date. The words ‘worthy’ is something that people long for whether they realize it or not. That wants to make their worth on a job, feel worthy and enough in relationships, whether romantic, friendships, or business relations, but the thing is a person already is worthy. That’s what sets these journals apart. Some have a few affirmations on the title “you are beautiful,” “you’re worthy,” or “Galatians 6:9”, “It is well,” or even the “she doesn’t beg, force, or chase but prays works hard and has faith” journal. Little affirmations that you tell yourself can go a long way and when you constantly see something and say it, you start to believe it.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I loved to read and write. I was an accelerated reader from primary to middle school and even in middle school, I was involved in the battle of the books against other schools. I was def. a child who loved life, laughed a lot. But there were some dark times where I was bullied in middle school due to my tall skinny figure, the fact that I was an ‘A’ student, even down to the completion of my skin… those things I never shared with my parents or brother (until I was older and things were better) but instead wrote it all in my diary. It was writing and prayer that helped me through those awful middle school years. It wasn’t until I made my 7th-8th grade year when I started to get involved in sports, volleyball to be exact, where things started to change. I made different friends and that carried over to the high school. There still played volleyball, ran track, was a member of the show choir, a member of the color guard, and was a part of the yearbook staff and SGA and even made homecoming court my junior and senior year so I was a busy bee and I loved it. My parents supported everything I was ever involved in and those are the things and memories I cherish the most. It’s a blessing to always look out at them and know they were rooting for me, no matter what.
Pricing:
- Journals range from $7.99 – $9.95
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shor.by/QKHz
- Email: madeworthyjournal@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeworthy_journalnotebooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadeWorthyJournalNotebook/
Image Credit:
Kirk Jordan
Sydney Sullen
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