Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jess Marie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jess, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

A big risk I took was deciding to start my podcast. It all started with a social media post that was extremely vulnerable. I put a lot of personal information out there for everyone to see. The response from that social media post transformed into me starting my podcast and sharing vulnerable information about myself but also giving others the space to share their stories.

After watching the halftime show at the Super Bowl in 2022, many people were making jokes on social media about Fifty Cent’s weight gain. There were other people who were sharing posts alluding to the fact that he wouldn’t see their jokes but others would (such as friends/family members) who may struggle with body image issues and insecurities related to food. I am one of those individuals. I was diagnosed with an eating disorder over 10 years ago so those posts really resonated with me and also got me thinking that so many of us put things on social media not realizing the reach it has and the impact it could have on others. Our words can and do affect others.

I decided to speak on that and make a post sharing information about myself (some that people may have known and other information that people may not have known – such as my struggles with depression/anxiety, my eating disorder, having an abortion. having been in an abusive relationship, etc.). The response I got was overwhelming. People commented, sent me messages, stopped me in the community and thanked me for sharing so much about myself. I wasn’t expecting that at all!

I knew I wanted to start a podcast but wasn’t sure what I wanted it to be about – until that post and hearing from others. That inspired me to create a platform and safe space to talk about the vulnerable experiences we have been through without the fear of judgment from others.

I was never a fan of public speaking, so taking this route was terrifying, but it also made me realize it was something I needed to do. And now, I take all kinds of risks and if something scares me, I take it as a sign that it is something I need to do.

Jess, 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?

I started my podcast a little over 3 years ago after making a very vulnerable social media post where I shared a lot of personal information about myself that people are often judged about or shamed about. (It was prompted by the negative social media posts I saw after the Super Bowl where people were making fun of Fifty Cent and his weight.) Seeing those posts impacted me as I have an eating disorder and noticed that people aren’t afraid to shame others on a public platform for all kinds of things.

After starting the podcast, I decided to start my own life coaching business. I realized I was “coaching” the people close to me in my life so I decided to branch out and start offering these services to others. I started my LLC, Unapologetic Life Coaching LLC early last year. I guide others with learning how to love themselves again and embrace their imperfections. I help them with mindset transformation and daily gratitude practices. I recently added supports related to grief/loss after the unexpected death of my younger sister in August of last year. I never want anyone to feel alone in whatever they may be going through and I want people to know they can get through whatever challenges they may be facing.

I think something that sets me apart from others is that I embrace the mess. I am all about showing up imperfectly and unapologetically as yourself, whatever that looks like. I’m not afraid to share my own experiences and what has helped me get through what I’ve been through in life. I’ve been told by a lot of people that I am a “safe place” to come and talk, feel supported, and not feel judged. I also think this is something I am most proud of. I don’t feel the need to hide anything about myself. The good and the bad are what make me who I am and they’re also what helps me help others.. All of my experience has come from situations I have personally gone through and I think those are way more valuable than reading things in a book or taking a course.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have a lot of stories that demonstrate my resilience but I think one that really illustrates it is how I have used the death of my sister as a launching pad into helping others who are grieving. Grief is something we all will experience throughout our lives and there isn’t as much support out there for grief as there should be. Sibling loss is also something that is not talked about as much. There are certain things in life you can’t understand without going through them so anyone who hasn’t had a sibling pass away can’t possibly understand what we’re thinking/feeling. I have used this experience to help others who are not only grieving but especially those who are grieving a sibling.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

After ending an almost 13 year relationship I learned that focusing on myself wasn’t a bad thing. This relationship was a very toxic one and I spent far too much time worrying about the other person’s happiness, not my own. We’re taught to believe that putting ourselves first is selfish, but it’s not, it’s actually necessary. Since I started putting myself first, amazing things have happened. Putting myself first has helped me in so many ways – changing my mindset from one of focusing on the negative to making an effort to find the positive in situations. Practicing gratitude daily has also helped me recognize that no matter what is going on, there is always something to be grateful for. . Doing those things has helped me find more things to be positive about and has helped me find more things to be grateful for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.unapologeticlifecoachingllc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unapologetically_overcoming?igsh=bHd6bzFqMmMxbnNo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/166TGCoivx/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: Podcast links:

  https://www.podbean.com/pi/pbblog-vzhxc-d7e1f6

  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f90c8092-f837-49ae-8d6f-3b92d1422c8c

  https://open.spotify.com/show/4y0hzYvNRc8bNPS5luFMSJ

Image Credits

The podcast image credit goes to Sara Starchild