We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Holt a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
One piece of advice that I stand by personally and professionally is to “Embrace age at every stage”. When we accept aging as a natural and inevitable part of life, we navigate it with more clarity, confidence and peace of mind. The struggle often isn’t aging itself, its resisting the transitions that come along with it. What I come across often is the resistance to change, whether its cognitive changes, physical changes, routine changes, identity changes, the list goes on. My goal is support with helping individuals and families navigate through those changes and support their overall quality of life! A few of the main challenges is redefining and repurposing oneself after career/retirement, grief and loss, and familial changes. Most stories often connect in the same way, and i support and get to the end result through reflective dialogue, goal setting and guiding them through rediscovering interests, values, and purposeful routines.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a multi-passionate Gerontologist, Exercise Physiologist and Lifestyle strategist who is deeply committed to aging and wellness. My journey in this industry began in Cardiac Rehabilitation, working with older adults with Chronic Disease. I later extended my work beyond the clinical side when I became interested in the psychological aspects of wellness and aging, and the motivation behind aging well.
I transitioned my Wellness based business into a lifestyle consulting firm, focused on aging, wellness and strategic support because i saw a gap; Many older adults aren’t guided on how to live and age with vitality and intentionality through life transitions beyond the physical aspect. I specialize in aging, but i do support clients at whatever stage they’re in.
I am most proud of being able to support others and to see it come full circle whether its Life Coaching, Aging, or wellness. Setting achievable goals and strategies and watching the changes occur!
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Being person centered and compassionate are helpful in this field. You have to be gentle, supportive, and an active listener. Trustworthy and personable. Really, charter traits you cant teach, it just has to be in you! The main thing is, you have to be motivated yourself and be a model for what you stand for.
Have you ever had to pivot?
One of the most significant pivots in my career was transitioning from a personal wellness brand to a lifestyle consulting firm focusing on aging, wellness and consulting. Initially my work centered around physical health. but as i worked more closely with older adults i realized their greatest challenges weren’t just physical, they were emotional, psychological, and identity driven. Retirement, grief, caregiving shifts, and loss of purpose were showing up just as strongly as the desire to be physically well. I had to make a decision to stay with what was comfortable or evolve with what i was observing. I chose to pivot. I pursued my Masters in Gerontology and expanded my services to address the full spectrum of aging, not just fitness. And that shift allowed me to solve and even deeper problem: a comprehensive approach to supporting with life transitions and lifestyle management. The result was a more well rounded business model, stronger positioning and greater impact for those i serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.retrainyourlifestyle.com
- Instagram: retrainyourlifestyle
- Facebook: retrainyourlifestyle