We recently connected with Jenny King and have shared our conversation below.
Jenny , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
As a child, I was teased severely in school. The negative words, jokes and isolation impacted me in a major way. I developed low self-esteem and had a very poor self-image. Throughout life those childhood experiences made it extremely difficult for me to find my voice, express myself and truly love me for me. The negative impact showed up in so many ways – let’s see…there was a lack of confidence, struggles with people pleasing, being afraid to speak up, not feeling comfortable in my skin, emotional eating and weight gain, living in my head, over analyzing just about everything and allowing negative self-talk to control my life outcomes. I lived with this shame for years and then decided that I couldn’t continue to carry this burden if I wanted to become the woman I always dreamt of. Several years ago, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery in search of freedom from the pain of my past, wholeness, healing and true peace. On my journey, I discovered the beauty in life through faith, fashion, fitness and learning to have fun.
I always had a deep longing to write and knew one day that I would share my story. In 2020, I pushed through the fear of wondering what people would think and took a life changing risk. Recognizing that sharing my story could help others, I risked not knowing how my message would be received and the following year published my first book “Live Whole, Healthy and Free!”. In this book, I share all about my struggles with weight loss and low self-esteem. I took a chance on myself despite concerns around whether I’d stumble while people were watching. Since publishing I’ve had many people tell me how much my story resonated with them and helped them on their journey. Taking risks truly helps to propel you forward in life, and I can say with confidence that I am a better person today because I decided to take the risk of being seen.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I published my first book in 2021, my primary goal was to help others especially women on their personal journey of whole-self-discovery. I wanted to encourage women to push through trauma, hurt, pain from the past, and learn to live in the moment. This mission continues to drive a need to share my story of struggles with weight loss and low self-esteem.
As an empowerment coach, I inspire women to organize, structure and take the next leap of their lives.
I do this through 1 on 1 VIP empowerment boost calls and group coaching sessions. My programming is designed to help women create strategic roadmaps for personal growth and focuses on development from a holistic approach.
I also offer public speaking and event hosting services through which I spread the same message – the choices we make determine our path forward in life.
Public speaking and writing are my gifts, and I love to inspire women to get on the journey to starting the next chapter in their life towards a whole, healthy and free YOU!!
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Yes, but before I share one of the most impactful books that I’ve come across on my entrepreneurial journey, I first want to stress how important it is to read. In my Master Your Morning Masterclass I recommend carving out time daily for reading. In my opinion, reading is one of the keys to a successful life. Reading helps you to gain new perspectives on life and develops your thought leadership skills. That said, one of my top five books of all time is “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. This book is a life changing quick read and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to improve their self-awareness. The guidance in Ruiz’s book addresses limiting beliefs and provides insightful, practical tips for shifting the narrative in life.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
The number one secret to succeeding in my field or any field for that matter is mindset. Mindset is everything! Learning to control negative self-talk is most definitely a game changer.
Mindset is a constant battle that requires intentional work because everything begins with a thought. Our thoughts evolve into what we speak, then becomes what we do and ultimately turns into the reality we live. Investing in mindset development helps with challenging limiting beliefs and unlearning things that have conditioned us over the years. Doing so yields immeasurable results.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennjennthefriend.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennjennthefriend/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennjennthefriend/
Image Credits
Aleni Barkley Instagram @aleni11_photography (headshot with white top) Raymetta Johnson-Bracey (all other photos shown)