I am so passionate about body positivity and I was thrilled to discuss my experience empowering women and navigating the difficult journey that is self love.

As a small business owner, I’m not immune to hustle culture. Each year I’m told I need to book more clients. Post more content. Earn more money. Be grateful, yes. Be happy, please. But desire more. Do more. Be MORE.

I found myself thinking. “I am truly grateful for everything I have. Wait, I have enough.” And that led me to softly reclaim the perennial refrain:

“I am enough.”

How did Megan become a coach and a leader? How did she come up with the idea for Rockstar Camp? What were her motivations and what was the path that brought her here. I know that there is always interesting stories to hear when we ask about them. Her story is fascinating and insightful and a real inspiration for those who may still be wondering what they are going to do when they grow up. Sometimes the answers to what we want to do seem clear and then they aren’t. Then they seem clear again. Then they aren’t again. Life is funny that way. Cheers to discipline and perseverance and being scrappy! All of which Megan Jo talks about in this show.

In this podcast we listen to multiple voices from women telling their stories of vulnerability or power about their hair, how a hair cut changed their life, what other people thought about it, changes that came over time or abruptly, that impacted their life and how they felt about themselves.

What does it mean to truly listen to what another person says even when you know it will oppose your own beliefs? Especially when we are talking about belief systems. How do you learn from it? How does really listening change you?

More and more, I crave that intimacy. The raw, the real, the unrehearsed. I know I’m not alone in that desire. We spend so much time trying to achieve, accomplish, amass. We’re striving to meet standards - set by ourselves or society - and this often results in negative feelings. We judge ourselves harshly, we feel rushed and overwhelmed by life, and are often disconnected to our sense of self. The real work, I believe, in this lifetime, is to reconnect with our soul. To live from a place of integrity and hope.

Jessica is an amazingly loving happy person who also has Trichotillomania, which is a hair pulling disorder. She has battled it since she was 10 years old. Her anxiety and a belief that she would never be 'enough' was pervasive growing up and as she got older it led her to drinking to self medicate. Then there was a fateful night when her whole life was forever changed. She was drugged at a bar and kidnapped. She survived this horrible experience, but it left it's mark deeply on someone who already dealt with anxiety daily. Trying to come out from under the PTSD that she now had was an even bigger battle.

Jessica tells us a remarkable story about how she came to finally began to take her confidence and her life back through EMDR work, what the voices in your head tell you versus the truth that you have to keep telling yourself, and how every day she still works hard to believe the real truths about herself.

Go listen for yourself. It is another strong woman sharing her strengths and struggles both. Just the kind of thing that I really get into. Cause that is what life is all about. Well, that and damn good donuts.

Leigh tells us so many things about life in this podcast. Like what it’s like to put your heart and soul into your business idea. What happens when you put your head down and work your butt off for a dream? What it’s like when that dream unexpectedly takes off a light speed. How the universe can hear you. What does it mean to listen to your soul when it comes to eating? What real parental support (even when you are a grown up) looks like. How hard it is to raise a kid as a single mom. And what’s it is like to lose someone you love.

This episode is a re-release, a second telling of this story. When I first released this episode I didn’t have a producer and it ended up being quite long which I think kept some people from listening to it. So I wanted to have my collaborator, Stephanie Cohn listen and produce this episode for me. She did a wonderful job and I love the results that we created together. So here is the story and portraits again. I look forward to hearing what you think!

Jeannie had a regular life, just like all of us, until one day it changed in an instant. Her entire life hung in the balance and no one was sure what would happen. What Jeanne talks about throughout the interview are the small steps she took to put on foot in front of the other. The little things along the way that ended up being huge milestones in her recovery. Small things that were big celebrations!

Boundaries are super important and learning how to put them in place is a skill we all need to have. Come listen to the story of a journey that went to far and how she came back. How Sarah learned this lesson in a big way. Sarah tells the story of what happened to her that set into motion a string of events that completely changed her life. All because she just couldn’t find the way to say, No. It is a wild ride and a valuable lesson for anyone who listens on how far things can go without out that one word.

The theme of this podcast is, Belief. Right now in the United States we are a part of the #MeToo movement and just finished the Kavanaugh hearings. It is devastating for many many women to know that if they spoke up they would not be believed. While so many women have come forward to share their stories of sexual abuse and stand together there are still so many more that stay quiet. That live in fear lest they should be judged. Sarah was brave enough to speak up. I thank her for those of us that stay silent.

Sara was born in Calcutta, India and adopted at 6 weeks old by a family in Maine. That should have been the biggest change for her life, but it wasn't, by far. She faced alopecia as a child and then vitiligo too. Sara was super shy growing up and then found a way to deal with it. Recently she had a baby who also developed alopecia as well. All of these things taught Sara a lot. She shares her journey from India to America, sickness to health, and all sides of her personality with us along the way. Her story reminded me of that we all can learn from each other. Always. 

Love this podcast? Want to buy me a cup of coffee...figuratively? You can support Stephanie (my producer) and I here on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/thegardeniaproject

You can also advertise on the podcast now! Just head over here and send me a note!

https://www.jendeanphoto.com/the-gardenia-project-sponsorship/

Britt's story is truly unlike any I have told here before (or ever heard for that matter). It is one of an early teen life full of sadness that ends up with her being kidnapped. And then it spirals out from there. I won't say more, but this is an episode you won't want to miss. Because like all the rest of the woman who have shared their stories Britt's life now is a wonderful happy success story that she is proud of. Often though when we look back we are embarrassed or ashamed of our story. More often those emotions come from things that were outside our control, but we still blame ourselves. And that is one reason why I share these stories. So we know that we aren’t alone. That we all feel the same.

his story from a dear friend of mine may be hard for any of you that have lost a child. As Kim shares the story of the loss of her baby Garrick, I want to make sure that you have that warning before listening since it is such a delicate subject matter for those of you that have experienced this loss. However, her story is one full of love and laughter. She talks about the things she learned from her son, Garrick. How he taught her to see all the beauty in life and be grateful for it every day. How the love from friends and family really does carry you through. 

Happy International Women's Day 2018 my friends!! I am celebrating the amazing women in the world today by releasing another podcast telling the story of a strong woman! 

Today's story is one of sudden trauma, how your life can change in a split second, and how the inner voice in your head can decide a lot about the way we heal. Your entire life is hugely effected and somewhat decided, I think, by your attitude. Sometimes we forget what a huge role that voice can play. This story is a reminder of how powerful it is to keep our inner voice a positive one! 

We all learn different lessons in life and they come to us in numerous ways. Jesseca shares a lesson that she never dreamed that she would have to learn. It has taught her about love and acceptance of those that she loves in a whole new way. I respect her so much for the way she handled herself in the middle of watching her life fall apart. I also respect what she let that time in her life teach her about the world, accepting others, telling the truth, true love and kindness to ourselves.  There are so many things that life will teach us if we choose to learn them.