We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenna Courtot. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenna below.
Hi Jenna, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents are two of the most inspirational people in my life and have shaped me into the person I am today. They’ve demonstrated the value of family, hard work, and knowing how to set it all aside and have a good time.
One thing they’ve done right is show me firsthand how to prioritize the important things in life. From my mom sneaking over to decorate the neighbor’s yard every Halloween season with spooky eyeballs, floating limbs, and lots of caution tape… to my dad riding around their very suburban yard in his cowboy hat.. They are childlike at heart, yet wise and unafraid to stand tall in their values, beliefs, and what matters most to them.
They’ve instilled in me the importance of working for what you want while not taking yourself too seriously in the process. Balance lived out.
Jenna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Jenna Courtot, and I am the founder of Foundation Coaching. I got into the health coaching space in 2020, and have since started my business where I focus on stress and anxiety support for busy and ambitious individuals. My role is to help my clients tap into their autonomy and gain a new sense of empowerment by solving the complexities of everyday challenges. I love inviting my clients to think in new ways by asking them real, raw questions that they may not think to ask themselves.
The power of verbalizing one’s inner thoughts is something that continues to prove itself time and time again in my work with clients. More than that, the power of being truly listened to and seen can be life-altering. I am confident that the most impactful quality I have to offer my clients is my undivided attention, and that is at the heart of it all. As a Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and Certified Yoga Teacher, additionally holding a certification in teaching yin yoga, the art of slowing down is my craft.
Trusting that my clients have the answers they need within themselves strongly influences how I lead. Whether I am teaching a group yoga class or working 1:1 with a client, I place my full attention towards creating space. The difference is how people feel once they leave that space.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
To share a story of resilience, I will paint a picture of my life several years back.. A college student in over my head with no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and putting an unreasonable amount of pressure on myself to figure it out. Little did I know then, that the more pressure I put on myself, the less productive I became in figuring out the daunting question, “What am I going to do with my life?”
It’s funny looking back on how things have since played out. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses that I continuously turn to, “Lean not on your own understanding but trust in Him with your whole heart, and He will make your paths straight.” And boy, does that put it in a nutshell. When I came to rediscover Jesus in my adult years, my entire world flipped right side up and taught me the meaning of resilience like no other.
Resilience, as I see it, is the ability to be flexible, adaptive, tough, and to keep going, even when it feels utterly pointless. The stories I could share where I have had to tap into this strength are endless, but the overarching theme each trial has taught me is to continue pushing forward. Life is full of challenges, but it was never meant to be easy. When I came to this understanding, I chose to shift my focus day-by-day in order to live moment-by-moment.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
This is also a huge lesson I had to unlearn. I discovered that having a plan mapped out for everything isn’t always productive, and that getting an “A” in class will actually never matter. I learned that if I don’t have things figured out by XYZ, I’m not a failure. It’s extremely normal to not know, or to think you know only to change your mind, and that’s okay.
Looking back, every single adult in my life would tell me, “No adult has everything figured out, it’s always changing.” but I never believed them. However, I found out those adults were being honest. Now, not knowing the answers gives me something to look forward to and work towards. I’d even go as far to say, not knowing is one of the best places to be, because it means something new is emerging.
Attempting to always have a plan gave me more pointless anxiety than I’d like to admit. I now understand that giving myself flexibility in my decisions creates more room for unexpected blessings and opens a door to being content. The less I know and the more I trust, the more aligned and alive I feel in the world around me. Life truly is one giant lesson and I am sure I will be learning and unlearning for the entirety of mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fjennacourtot%3Ffbclid%3DPAAaahN95D323wAh4CLntlJ_kQHI2-ckTNFaiEKFHqZGYuzHlwJeGOSD7fh0E_aem_AZ5CO3s4MEprOtfPPE1Kr9IHKc9EeJH-tnW_njb05jt3-xwVKce6ewt55VssOAZ_sio&e=AT0aOzk6sUfSW9N7g-my6UZuKICGckZNlA956VZZ_TfcJS1E7pTp4VuglP355AGJIyodqcqeFMVZ5B92cohpw7Tbcm0i0llp3QvSf9nK7a0Bj2Cnd_2u
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/foundationcoaching?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093081566244&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/jennacourtot
Image Credits
Izabella Buzogany