We were lucky to catch up with Cherice Jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cherice, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Pregnant as a teenager and having to start her adult life as a mother was probably very scary; however, my mother completely conquered parenthood. Somehow she was able to able to parent me without her own ego getting in either of our ways. While I know she had dreams of her own that she had to forfeit, she never forced her dreams on me. She made certain that I understood my own gifts and my own passions without consideration of a desired financial outcome. Repeatedly she would validate that as long as I did what I loved, the money would surely follow. She anchored me in the belief that my gifts would make room for me.

This anchor heavily dictated (and still governs) my career choices. Because of these teachings, I am able to say “yes” to the opportunities that align with my purpose and passion and give these things my all. I also am able to have the courage to say “no” to the things that do not support my priorities.

And while I didn’t live with my father, I clung to the wisdom he imparted when we did see each other. Some of my favorite sayings are:

“Circumstances are only temporary.”
Every time I am faced with a challenge, I remind myself that challenges will come, but they must also go. So as long as I can get through, I will have an opportunity to see them go. This statement, however, also tells me that good times don’t last forever. Consequently, I try to live in the present for all of my good moments and be proactive about planning for what’s to come.

“Life is a tricky tricky thing.”
While this statement may seem so small and even a little silly – it has taught me that life is not black and white. There are very few clear cut answers. There are very few things we know for sure. Because of this, I remain open minded. I maintain the flexibility to change my mind and beliefs when presented with better information.

Cherice, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

About Me: As I travel my own self-love journey, it is my goal to help introduce others to their unique journey. When I look at you, I see me. And, because I love me, I love you. Love is my purpose.

My goals are to: Embody Love; Be Love; and, Spread Love.

​Love is my lifestyle.

There aren’t many things I know for sure, but I do know that in order to fully love ourselves, we must first know and accept ourselves. It is a journey dedicated to “unbecoming” so that we may truly become…giving ourselves permission to show up in this world without regard to other people’s opinions, perceptions, or expectations.

As I commit to guiding those who trust me, I am committed to being a lifetime learner. While currently teaching courses at a local college and serving as a trained relationship and life coach, I continue to make time to study both spirituality, yoga, and love.

I study love and pass it on. I pass on the information when I coach. I pass on the energy when I guide yoga.

How I Got Into the Industry:
Honestly…fate, passion, and purpose brought me here. I went to college for Finance and then furthered my studies by getting an MBA. At the same time I was getting my MBA, I also was taking classes to become a relationship coach. After finishing both my MBA and coaching classes, I continued to advance in my career understanding that I didn’t want to practice relationship coaching until I had been in what I considered to be a successful relationship. So, after 10 years, I began to solicit coaching clients. At the time, I was only accepting relationships. But not too long after I started, I began noticing a trend…that most relationship problems could probably be attributed to individual problems. Many people were struggling to love themselves, hence the challenges they were fighting to overcome in relationships.

Once I understood and accepted this, I started to dig deeper into what love really means. And I decided to begin doing work with individuals…leading them to deeper levels of love within themselves.

Products & Services:

Products – I have published a few tangible products with the goal of helping people to live a more love-filled life. For example, a self-love affirmation deck. I also just recently published a fillable e-journal to guide people toward self-love.

Services – 1:1 individual coaching, relationship coaching, and yoga instruction

Problem being solved: Many people don’t know what makes them happy. I help lead people to the answers within. Many people want to understand what Love is. I help lead them to the definition that works for them.

What sets me apart: I am invested in uplifting love and consciousness for my world. “My world” is not the world, but it’s the community that I am supposed to impact. Seeing my name in lights is not the goal. Seeing the soul of other’s shine is the goal. Life is short and I believe that everyone deserves to live a purpose and love-filled life.

I am most proud of: I am most proud of my clients. I am happy that they are able to consistently choose themselves. I am happy they are willing to be honest enough with themselves to do the work they need to do to find the next best versions of themselves.

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Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I often tell people that intellect alone is not enough. There are two other factors I believe are directly correlated to the success of my business.

The first is character. It is imperative that I remain true and loyal to my clients in my coaching practice. This means, their stories are never shared beyond me. This confidentialy breeds trust and the trust breeds referrals.

The second is marketing. No matter how good my business is, it can only succeed if people know about it. So, the referrals are helpful and lead the way. However, I must still also let others know what I do, what problem I solve, and how it may be beneficial for them.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I was always taught to remain humble. In school, I excelled and eventually became the President of the National Honor Society and received an academic scholarship to college. While these accolades were nice, I never discussed them, my grades, or accomplishments with anyone outside of my immediate family as I was taught to remain quiet to manage the feelings of others.

Today, I still believe that people should embody humbleness; however, I used to define humbleness as not ever talking positively about me. This, I had to unlearn. There is a distinct difference between being cocky and being confident in your abilities. Being cocky is a turn-off and an attribute I would never want to embody. But being confident can be achieved while also being humble.

So, I unlearned my incorrect definition of being humble. And, I learned that it is not my responsibility to manage other people’s feelings.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.itsloveis.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/itsloveis
• Facebook: facebook.com/itsloveis

Image Credits
For the first image (blue dress), the photographer was Melody Smith Portrait.