HI!!!! Thanks for visiting & getting to know me

Who is Jess?
I'm an extrovert who loves life: food, wine, travel, the outdoors, my family, people... there's not much I don't love. I'm in my mid 30's and have recently been re-born when Eddi (my daughter came into my life, although I believe she's always been here with me and supporting me to fumble through and embrace life). 

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What drives you?
I have a wonderful family and had a 'typically' good upbringing, but my entire family suffered from depression. So for much of my later years' my parents were just surviving themselves and doing the best they could with what they had at the time. In an attempt to protect me and my sister my family told me that it was normal to be depressed and want to end your life... that high school sucked, life often sucked and that's just the way it is, so that's what I believed and that's what I manifested for myself. (I certainly don't blame my parents, they're great people! They had their own shit going on and they believed that they were doing the right thing by keeping our expectations low. AND WOW THEY ALSO GAVE ME SO MANY HAPPY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES THAT I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR). 

 

My emotional struggles were also heightened by being an extrovert and always living in extremely remote places (I'm talking 20kms down a dirt logging track where the nearest house was in town 20kms away). Yet innately I have always had this deep flame and passion for life and the ability to also be overtly happy (I think that I get that from both sides of my family), so that always kept me searching and holding a belief that maybe life doesn't have to suck. This serendipitous recipe has fueled my desire to create for others what I felt I was missing for me... connection and belonging.

 
It's only in the last five years that I've been exposed to the tools of mindfulness, yoga, being self-aware and finally I'm on the right journey for me to manage my emotions and be the best version of me. (***To those that have introduced me to these tools I can't thank you enough).

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Prior to having my daughter Eddi in April 2017, I spent a lot of time working on myself so I could ensure that I was the best version of me for her arrival and the time we have on this earth together. Until recently I thought I was doing this for Eddi, to help us break our family cycle of depression and that this would be the best gift I could ever give her! But, what I've just realised is that this is the best GIFT I COULD EVER GIVE MYSELF!!! For whatever time Eddi and I have together on this earth, for the most of it I'm present, I get to completely see her for her, I get to learn from her, I get to live an already amazing life all over again with and through her. 

So what drives me... The opportunity that I may be able to support someone else to give themselves this same gift.

 

Why do you love The Grateful?
It's my baby! Eddi is my teacher and The Grateful is my baby. I get to share my beautiful baby with two of my best friends, how many people can say that? The Grateful is the creation that allows me to live my purpose... to just feel good and share the shit out of it! From any angle The Grateful just makes me and everyone feel good. 

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It's also the key to new worlds for me. Through The Grateful I've been blessed with getting to truly appreciate the world of medicine and healthcare (there's no way to really explain just how much people in that industry give and sacrifice) and I've been introduced to some of the most amazing people in the world (and many of them live right here in our backyard in Newy!) I love the way that when you share the story of The Grateful with someone that their eyes light up, then they tear up and you then get to witness their entire body and mind shift to the most beautiful place. I could go on forever, but I'd never do it justice! The Grateful is a feeling, it's a way of life, it's all of the most beautiful things in the world gravitating together and this is just the beginning...

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What is the main thing in your personal journey that you want to work on for the next year?
We (Gem, Amee and myself) recently did personality tests to better understand each other and support each other working together, as friends, as mothers and as humans. I've done many personality tests in the past, but this time my profile came back different, I'm now a protagonist which I put down to the work I've chosen to do on myself, but also the amazing people that have inspired me over my life. One of the weaknesses (or better put opportunities) of a protagonist is that we really struggle not to take things personally!!! And the more I reflect on this weakness/opportunity the more I understand how so many of my past troubles/learnings have been related to this. 

So for this coming year, and for me and for Ed (this is something I really don't want to pass onto her, exhibit A taking it personally again...) I am focusing on learning how to not take things personally as best I can.
 

Love Jess xoxo