Uncoviering your Voice—or Just Fitting In?
“I tell myself I don’t know what I want. But that’s not true–I do know. I just don’t listen to that little voice.”
So began a lunchtime conversation with a woman who has worked throughout India, Egypt, Serbia, and beyond through her career in the Hospitality industry.
Over salmon toast and beet & burrata salad at her current hotel steps from the beach in Santa Monica, the topic turned from the practical (does “Zero Inbox” even work) to the profound: how to honor the complexity of our full self.
Her vulnerable comment resonated : trusting my internal voice has been hard for me.
When I left teaching to create Authentic Voice, I distrusted my intuition for a while. Although I told thousands of students to go out there and take risks, I was afraid to do it, myself. Besides, I love teaching adolescents, always have. It’s been my life’s work.
Honoring my gut meant that I could no longer afford to play it safe. Maybe you can relate?
Showing up for myself elicited so many questions from my colleagues, all well intentioned, yet destabilizing, nonetheless: “How will you market yourself? Who will pay for your services? What about health insurance?”
At first I turned myself inside out trying to sound convincing in my responses. I droned on and on, my insecurities leading the way. After all, I didn’t have a business degree. Maybe they were right: I had been rash and irresponsible—especially with a son still in college.
But I knew one thing for sure: my “fit in and be accepted voice” steers me wrong, every time.
So, to get clear, I followed my own process: I wrote what needed to be written.
When you’re ready to make whatever shift is calling you, I’m here, ready to share that process with you.
I can teach you how to meet yourself on the page. Just like Phil Stutz, PhD. says in Jonah Hill’s Netflix documentary “Stutz” (it’s fantastic—watch it now), “…nobody knows what’s in their unconscious unless they activate it, and one trick about this is writing . It’s really a magical thing. You enhance your relationship with yourself by writing.”
Writing from the subconscious is unlike all of the journals you may have kept as a young person, or the journals you might keep today.
“Remember to pick up the dog food and I wonder when I’ll be ready to return my brother’s phone call” is just fine for not letting important things like your pet’s nutrition and your relationship with your sibling fall to the wayside, but those sentences won’t get you into a relationship with your whole self.
I guide you to write from emotion, not intellect. I guide you to write your truth. All you need to do is muster up just a little bravery.
You’ll find your pen won’t stop moving as you uncover the experiences and emotions that have created your full self.
Automatic journaling is hands down the most transformational tool of my life. Otherwise, I would have stopped long ago.
Once you see your authentic voice, you cannot unsee it.
Fitting in just won’t be good enough anymore. The truth is, it never was.
Meet Jen
I find nothing more rewarding than inspiring people to value their stories and the fullness of their journey.
