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

Jodi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

There are many things that motivate people inasmuch discourage them. There are risk-takers and those that are risk-averse. Sometimes, a person’s motivation may change a more natural risk-averse individual into more of a risk-taker. I think that’s where it began for me.

My motivations leading into adulthood were to “be more”. I would be lying if I didn’t openly admit that I wanted to prove something to myself or to the world. I moved a lot, and being a military kid there was a bit of a survival mode that kicked in more often than not. It felt as if I just couldn’t branch out as much as my heart and soul wanted to, because not only did I have strict parents, but once I would get comfortable somewhere, we up and moved again. It became this yearning from deep inside, to not necessarily find stability but be the one in charge of my life. And yet, I didn’t have any guided direction to start from. I think that’s often the case of a young adult, so I didn’t place too much pressure on myself back then.

Following this authentic place of desire for “more”, I developed this attitude of “if everyone else is doing it, then I’m doing something other”. It was becoming my actual identity. And the more I embodied this sense, the more confident I became in being “me”; leading with the heart. My entire adult journey in life, parenting, relationships, career and more is based on leading with the heart. It goes without saying that there are destined to be times of failure. But, leading with the heart takes risk! It means overriding such failures and getting back into that vulnerable space of doing. It means taking that try-again, one.more.chance, pick-yourself-up, and KEEP GOING. One thing that may not seem very risky sounding, but – moving forward at all costs – is a way to be a soft risk taker. Being idle is a guaranteed way to be “safe” but you won’t see the fruits your heart yearns for.

I can’t speak for everyone, but most people don’t feel comfortable walking into the unknown. When we continue to move forward, we are consistently walking into unknown territory. Some days it is easier than others, but we cannot learn, expand, or fulfill our hopes and dreams without getting comfortable in your discomfort. These are things we can teach to the next generation. To build a strong, empowered next generation, we need to teach that Rome was not built in a day. It’s the old Marilyn Monroe quote, “Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie?”.

To speak of all the risks I’ve taken thus far would force me to write a book, but I’m here to tell you that IT’S ALL WORTH IT. And my failures won’t cease, though my risks do become greater the more I overcome the challenges faced with them. I can say that my greatest risk has been one of absolute sovereignty. To value and keep my independence from leaning on anyone or anything has been incredibly difficult, but achievable. To know I can feed myself when jobs are lost, when places are closed and keep.going. To fight through the tears of not knowing HOW I will get through those dark places…but I keep going. The Pandemic affected the entire globe in a negative way. I used that proverbial grip to override my fear, doubt, confusion and continued to keep life as positive as possible. I started that book, aforementioned. I started a fun little enterprise in the retail sector and stood as a guidepost for so many worried about health where I saw how badly the world needed comfort.

Through all the twists and turns, I am engaging in a new direction, focusing on medical writing, wellness content and healthcare consulting. I do continue to provide patient care, though I can help so many by extending my reach beyond the clinical walls.

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.

If it weren’t transparent enough, you may have gathered my penchant for more non-conventional ways of operating. Having been in the health & wellness field for 30 years, it has been nothing short of an uphill climb with lots of amazing opportunities (because, risk!). Many close friends and relatives doubted I would be able to have a career or even an income with my path going into Eastern Medicine (natural, holistic, functional). Fortunately, many people are engaging in ways to promote their longevity and live a more quality lifestyle, rather than finding out they’ve been doing so many things without proper care and guidance, until they end up very sick.

I have my own health story in getting here, and to date, have treated well over 10,000 individuals with naturally-focused care principals. I feel that leaning into a more consultative role can help lead people into an “overall approach” guideline to getting personalized care over the course of their lifetime. I network with lots of other providers from every discipline. All of them knowing we need to come together to unify care spaces rather than separate care into the reductionistic boxes we are all accustomed to. I’d like to continue the pathways I’ve paved in helping this unification on the ground level as well as continue my work in creating and purporting new methods for standardization. These measures would enable patients to feel supported by an entire care team, which will undoubtedly lead to better outcomes in health initiatives.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

This is a fabulous question. This is a true testament of leading with the heart versus the head on that risk taking see-saw. I often joke about “Why didn’t I just go to school and become a nurse?” (With all due respect for you nurses out there), for me I wanted charge over my patients. I wanted to be able to have an unlimited wingspan in helping to the ends of my scope. Nursing is a great job to have – especially these days. Demand is huge, sign-on bonuses, great retirement plans and all that. Why wouldn’t you want to get into that field? What’s more, is you can launch with only a 4-year degree.

But you see, that “more” piece burning a spot in my heart kept overriding something so… easy if you will. “The Road Less Traveled” is my inspiration. I feel I could have done a lot of things that I would enjoy: be it in retail design, hospitality management or the food and beverage industries. Nothing that remotely puts me on a straight path! If I do the deeper dive on my WHY, it boils down to 2 things: I love people and helping them, and my intense curiosity. Granted, you can apply these things to many professions, but the healthcare industry just kept coming up and so it was.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

My training was rigorous and to be frank, it still can be. No two people are exactly alike, so providing personalized care requires something more than bare bones protocols. It is merely the starting point. I took 4 -3hour long board exams, and the learning just never stops even after that. To be successful in this field, your first and foremost requirement is passion. You also must be determined to never quit the schooling, to build yourself a talented team of mentors, and to high-level network. You 100% need to work for no pay at times. And if you own your own business, many times. No one will “see” that work and no one will thank you. You must not even expect it. It WILL payoff, because there are no shortcuts on the path of perseverance. It is in the act itself that will become your pay and pave the road to many more successes.