Ep 13: Pursuing Passion and Joy Outside of Work with Jae Hermann
Mar 26, 2024Episode 13
Shawnna Stiver
Ever been at a crossroads, wondering if the path less traveled might lead to your true calling? Jae Hermann certainly has—and she's here to share the twists and turns of her incredible life story. From her initial aspirations to practice law, through her unexpected detour into military service, and onto her current passion for media production and content strategy, Jae's journey is a masterclass in the art of transformation. Join us as we laugh, learn, and uncover the beauty of embracing every chapter life offers.
Jasmine Jae Hermann is an award-winning storyteller, +20 years veteran content strategist, and copy editor. She partners with wellness providers, marketing agencies, and nonprofit managers to help them clarify and perfect their digital marketing. Jae also passionately champions women entrepreneurs to embrace their creative storytelling confidence in Boss Squad—a membership community for women leaders. Jae shares free writing tips to become a more confident creator in the Boss Creator Bulletin.
Topics covered:
Jae's personal story, including her childhood love for reading and writing.
Embracing change and pivoting careers.
Challenges and uncertainties throughout Jae's career transitions.
Reframing setbacks as learning opportunities and staying true to one's passions and values.
Importance of being mindful of small expenses that can add up over time
The empowerment that comes from self-reflection and making choices that align with one's values and well-being.
Here are some actions you can take whether you have 5 minutes or 50:
If you have 5 minutes, read this article from the Harvard Business Review that talks about how your job doesn’t have to be your passion.
I want to hear from you! Share your favorite takeaways, an aha moment you had or a fun emoji that represents this week’s show, along with your Instagram handle or email address and you’ll be entered to win this month’s giveaway!
French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!
Ever been at a crossroads, wondering if the path less traveled might lead to your true calling? Jae Hermann certainly has—and she's here to share the twists and turns of her incredible life story. From her initial aspirations to practice law, through her unexpected detour into military service, and onto her current passion for media production and content strategy, Jae's journey is a masterclass in the art of transformation. Join us as we laugh, learn, and uncover the beauty of embracing every chapter life offers.
Jasmine Jae Hermann is an award-winning storyteller, +20 years veteran content strategist, and copy editor. She partners with wellness providers, marketing agencies, and nonprofit managers to help them clarify and perfect their digital marketing. Jae also passionately champions women entrepreneurs to embrace their creative storytelling confidence in Boss Squad—a membership community for women leaders. Jae shares free writing tips to become a more confident creator in the Boss Creator Bulletin.
Topics covered:
Jae's personal story, including her childhood love for reading and writing.
Embracing change and pivoting careers.
Challenges and uncertainties throughout Jae's career transitions.
Reframing setbacks as learning opportunities and staying true to one's passions and values.
Importance of being mindful of small expenses that can add up over time
The empowerment that comes from self-reflection and making choices that align with one's values and well-being.
Here are some actions you can take whether you have 5 minutes or 50:
If you have 5 minutes, read this article from the Harvard Business Review that talks about how your job doesn’t have to be your passion.
I want to hear from you! Share your favorite takeaways, an aha moment you had or a fun emoji that represents this week’s show, along with your Instagram handle or email address and you’ll be entered to win this month’s giveaway!
French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!
Welcome to French Kissing Life. I'm your host, shauna Stiver, and I am thrilled to help you discover what makes your heart race, your soul dance and your spirit sore. Every week, you'll get a fun dose of inspiration, laughter and a sprinkle of magic as we explore stories, insights and conversations that empower you to ignite the spark within, in a world that demands you be anything but yourself. This is your permission slip to be a little more you. Together, let's shed the shoulds, embrace our unique brilliance and welcome more joy. Are you ready to French Kiss Life? Welcome back to another episode of French Kissing Life. I am your unbelievably grateful host, shauna Stiver. So this is episode 13,. Lucky number 13.
Speaker 1:
And I am just so blown away by the comments and the heartfelt notes that everybody has shared with me about this show. As with everything in life, you don't really know how anyone will react, and although I didn't go into this expecting everyone to love the concept, obviously that's never going to happen in life. I think what I'm most proud of this early on is the recognition of the things that I most want to be known for. So what do I mean by that? For one, I always put my heart and soul into everything I do but to have comments that, for example, praise the quality of the show. Huge kudos to my producer, taryn, and her team on that aspect the fact that I make people feel seen that I'm genuine and that it's coming across with my guests. I am truly so proud of those things. So thank you so much for going out of your way to acknowledge that, because it really does make me feel like I'm making a difference. So if you want to share feedback in a way that really matters to the growth of the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This is one of the best ways to help a new show like this one just really continue to gain momentum and, of course, to sweeten the deal, if you leave a review right now can be anything. One sentence, couple emojis, your deepest, darkest secrets you will be entered into a drawing where you can win the minimal must swimsuit from Laundrie Swimmer. I'm going to have that running for just a couple more weeks here.
Speaker 1:
Now on to this week's guest. And you know what? I'm going to keep the gratitude going, because Jay was one of those people who sent me such a kind and generous note about how much she just loved the show, and it really meant the world to me. Then I looked at her bio and I thought holy cow, she has to come on the show. She wrote her first novel at age 12, no big deal served in the US Army, wanted to join the FBI. She was an international jewelry designer, created a modern hippie magazine. Breast implant illness survivor. Are you intrigued yet? Because I sure was.
Speaker 1:
Jasmine J Herman is an award-winning storyteller and she has over 20 years as a content strategist and copy editor. Now she partners with wellness providers, marketing agencies and nonprofit managers to help them clarify and perfect their digital marketing. Jay also passionately champions women entrepreneurs to embrace their creative storytelling confidence in Boss Squad, which is a membership community for women leaders. In today's episode we talk about Jay's journey and all the detours and pivots along the way. She shares so many great aha moments that you may have to listen to this one more than once, because her nuggets of wisdom were that good. We play a game of famous last words, since we are both word nerds, and Jay shares another one of my favorite laugh out loud confessions that had me dying. I'm thinking we may have to do a confessions episode here in the near future, so please enjoy this enlightening and fun episode with Jay Herman. Hi Jay, welcome to French Kissing Life. Thank you so much for being here today.
Speaker 2:
Oh, my god, thank you, I'm so excited to be here with you.
Speaker 1:
Yes, yes, this is going to be such a great conversation because I was telling you, when I was like looking over your bio, I was like holy cow, we have so many things in common and I just like there's so many things that I want to ask you. So let's start with you just like telling me your story and sort of like where you came from and like where you're at now and all of the fun stuff that happened in between.
Speaker 2:
Oh my, gosh, that is such a layered story. I wish it were as simple as saying I went to school and I wanted to study this and I graduated and I got a job. Yeah, no, that's not what happened at all. I went to college with the intention of becoming an attorney. That morphed into I want to be Clarice from Solence of the Lambs, which led me to the military, got out of the military, didn't pursue the FBI thing and yeah, fast forward so many years. I landed in media production.
Speaker 1:
That's amazing. So I want to go back to what you were saying about being like a kid and what your biggest dreams were. So in your bio you say I had early dreams of becoming a writer because I loved how the stories and books took me to places outside of myself and as an awkward big tooth, skinny kid I didn't fit in. But books made me feel welcome and accepted. Can you expand on that, because it's so beautiful and it's something that I can totally relate to, because I too was like just lost in imagination and stories as a kid.
Speaker 2:
Yes, so I was a shy kid.
Speaker 2:
Really I suffered from social anxiety very, very early on, did not like to be in a crowd of people, but I loved puzzles and I loved trying to figure things out, mind puzzles in mysteries, and so that's where I spent a lot of my time was reading, like Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes, which was also a piece of that.
Speaker 2:
I want to be an attorney, I want to go into law enforcement because that's solving puzzles, right, that's all being you know who done it, type of things. And so as a kid, being able to completely immerse myself in that, I didn't have to worry about fitting in. I didn't have to worry about going outside and playing with other kids and feeling awkward because I was given that space to just, you know, go into books. And then, I think later in life, when I learned how to add a little humor to the things, that sort of helped me in school a little bit and that gave me the confidence and courage to pursue things and kind of get out of my shell in that way and literally when I say that you know, small synchronicity types of events led me to worry. And now that's exactly what happened, but it started with my going within and saying you know, it's kind of cool in here. I like it in here you know I like being in my own thoughts.
Speaker 2:
I, like you know figuring out things in my own way and then you know, later down the line finding a way to do that with others.
Speaker 1:
Okay. So was that your guiding force then these like things lining up for you, because I know that you didn't pursue writing as a career at first, even though you had published a manuscript as a kid. So I'd love to know, like, what was the reason that you didn't pursue that at first? Was it that you were not feeling like it was aligned at that time? Were there reservations that you had, or was it that you felt like you needed to maybe pursue a more safe path?
Speaker 2:
It's interesting. I think it was a combination of many things and not one thing. So I had you know, my mom's example of you know, you work, you get a job and you provide right. And then I had my dad who was get your heads out of the clouds, kind of thing, and you know and be safe. But then I also learned early on that the thing that I want to do as a passion isn't necessarily what I want to try and pay the rent with. And so writing was something that I did for me, reading was something that I did for me. It was my space. I didn't feel like you know.
Speaker 2:
Of course I recognize now, so many years later, that that was my way of protecting something that was sacred and not trying to put a dollar amount to it. You know, and there's there's the adage if you're doing something that you love, then you're not working. But at the same time, the thing that you wake up to every day and you're doing, and it's sort of for someone else, that can take the magic away from the thing that you do, just for yourself. Like I'm also a salsa dancer, I love playing pickleball, I was an actress for a long time. I didn't do. I don't do those things for money. I don't do those things as a vocation. I do those things for me and so early on I recognize writing. Yeah, I love doing it, reading, love doing it, but it's mine.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, gosh, that is such a good example.
Speaker 1:
I'm so glad you said that, because there are those times and I myself as a writer and sort of that, you know, I always kind of wanted to do that there are those times where I'm like the joy of this gets kind of sucked out sometimes because I'm at the mercy of somebody else or you know, I find in marketing especially, there's this disconnect between true creativity and, like what I'm producing, because with marketing behind that, you are doing things in a way to sell products and services. So to me sometimes the true creativity is clashing with that, because if it's really just something that you're doing, because your soul is like wanting you to create, you're not necessarily thinking with a lens of marketing, if that makes sense. So I think that's such a good point, that, like sometimes, when we're, you know, like pursuing a passion, maybe we don't necessarily need to pursue it as a living, but we just need to pursue the passion as something that we can do for ourselves. That makes us feel alive and makes us feel, you know, more like ourselves.
Speaker 2:
That is very, very true. Interestingly, I feel like I'm I've sort of come full circle, in the sense of I've gone back to writing and you know, obviously from a marketing perspective, because I'm a digital marketing professional but infusing more of that early passion and helping others to you can still do that, and it doesn't have to sound, it doesn't have to be marketing speak, yeah. And so I was having a conversation with a fellow entrepreneur just the other day and I was like you know, we meet people at a dinner party. We don't walk up to them and say, hey, my name is such and such, this is what I have to say. We don't do that. We actually have a conversation with that person and really, marketing doesn't have to be any different than that.
Speaker 2:
So, without Saying, I sat down one day and said this is how I'm gonna change things. I didn't do that. It was just like, again, this culmination of where am I? Where do I want to go? What's important to me? Who do I help? How do I benefit? How can I best do that in a way that feels authentic and true to me and not trying to do what everyone else is trying to do? Yeah, that's why I feel like I am now. I've hit that sweet spot and it's like Let me help others try and hit their sweet spot too, and it doesn't necessarily have to look exactly like mine.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. And I think, like again it goes back to, you know, the power of everybody's individual stories and, like your story, although we have similarities, we are both, like, a hundred percent unique because they're totally different, you know and they're, and you won't ever meet anybody that has your exact same story, which is, you know, so like Empowering and so powerful to like know that and really step into that. So for you, you decided to pursue criminal law and criminal justice correct, and you were in search of those puzzles. Tell me what happened with that part of your story?
Speaker 2:
Nothing exciting. It was like you know big old light bulb moment or anything like that, I don't know, maybe being disillusioned by not thinking there would be easy. But yeah, there's so much in that that I could say but anyway, by the time I went, I graduated college and I did four years of military time. I was a little burnt out Because I felt at that point of course now you know, I'm in my 50s back then I felt like this is taking forever, right, so ridiculous. But literally I felt like, okay, I went to college, oh, I went, I did the military thing. Now I'm gonna have to do more school and we have to go to the Academy.
Speaker 2:
I just felt like I'll never get to the thing that I really want to do. So I felt burnt out and I was taking a break. I was taking a break from doing anything and I became a board housewife. That became my next vocation was I'm bored. What do, yeah, born housewives do? And I started making jewelry To pass the time, because I had the time and that was my first entrepreneurial pursuit was as a jewelry designer.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and I I know that you didn't like. You eventually pivoted from that, but what was it that Caused you to kind of like want to change again and pursue a different passion? So you talked a little bit in your story about the the eco and sustainability component of that and how that just wasn't really Contributing to anything good, it sounds like. Can you tell me more about that part of it?
Speaker 2:
Yes. So again, it wasn't a very conscious decision of okay, I'm gonna try something else, yeah, nothing. I feel like nothing that I've done has really been that. It's just been a series of opportunities. And so, as I was learning more about the jewelry industry and how you know, environmentally unfriendly the process of mining for gems and metals and things like that is, I realized I needed to look, take a closer look at my life and the things that I was doing. You know food and clothing and things like that and at the time, my husband was a writer and I said why don't we, as a family, write about our experience? Because, I don't know, maybe someone could benefit from that.
Speaker 2:
And so we started a blog, just, sharing what we were doing little things like, you know, choosing different options, you know, for things that we were using to clean our home as an example. And Again, it was just a series of events that I then I had a friend who was a food editor and she was like, I'm starting to explore sustainable ways of, you know, being a chef, and I was like, oh, that would be really cool, it aligns with what we're doing. Do you want to join us? I had no idea what a digital magazine was. I had no idea what a digital magazine was. I had no idea how to be, you know, an editor-in-chief or any of those things. It just kind of snowball like, hey, I have these other people you know. Then we had, like, a eco fashion editor, food editor. Why don't we do this together as a team? Yeah, that again was just the snowball effect of I'm doing this. I wonder if there are other people who would benefit from just Knowing that I'm doing this and that maybe they want to do it too.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, and so then you had this magazine. For how long did you do that?
Speaker 2:
Let's see, we had the magazine for about seven years, back when tree hugger was, you know like really strong as I whoo, we could be tree hugger yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yes, yes, yes. So then when did you pivot again and go decide to go in the copy editing and writing realm?
Speaker 2:
So this was, I think Twitter had just launched, so that's been some time ago we started to look at ways that we could get more readers and get more people involved in the magazine, and so video content became a portion of what we were doing, not just At the time blog post, but putting out written content. Then it was like, well, let's do some recording. And so we did that and it became a YouTube channel. We took a lot of those recordings and launched a radio, which was, you know, a podcast. Back in the day, and In the process of doing that and learning production and learning that side of it, I had a mentor in marketing who saw what we were doing and said you know, you're getting pretty good at this. I have a client who needs some video work done. Would you be interested? Wow, okay, and yeah, I started doing some video production for local businesses. Westfield's Sarasota Square Mall was one of my first clients. We have a. Selby Gardens was another client and I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea.
Speaker 2:
I figured it out, and that, then, is what caused the next pivot, the next change. Not a hey, let's morph and do this other thing. No, it was like, hey, we have these opportunities, we have these clients. I should probably put this under a different umbrella than the magazine. What would that be called A media company? So, yeah, going from the magazine to having a media production company was just because of opportunities that presented.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it seems to me like throughout all of your experiences and I have a similar trajectory in that, like I've done a lot of different, you know, pivots, and done a ton of different things, and there wasn't ever, you know, like, oh, here's your manual for how to do this. We're just going to like get into it and figure it out. But it seems to me that that's kind of been your guiding force throughout all of this. I'm curious what is it that drives you to do that? Because I feel like you know, a lot of people may be sort of intimidated or stopped by the idea that they don't know how to do something or that, you know, maybe taking a career change or shifting what they're going to do is very risky or scary. I'd love to know sort of like how you personally handle that in the midst of all of these different things that you've changed.
Speaker 2:
There are two concepts that I learned, probably right as the magazine was picking up steam and we were getting sponsorships. Two things, yes, and which is, you know, improv concept, that if someone is giving you something, you don't stop the conversation, right, you take it and you continue it. You keep going. And that idea of this is an opportunity. Let me see what I can do with it. That's that concept of yes and but.
Speaker 2:
Then also, probably about 10 years ago, I was in a menopause support group and one of the ladies there who I absolutely adore we were talking about life changes and pivots and I said, well, you know, you should just try whatever it was. And I said, because what's the worst that could happen? And she kind of, you know, tilted and said well, why don't we rephrase that, reframe that to you? What's the best thing that could happen? Because our minds, our bodies, the energy we attract, what we focus on, we attract where we put our attention. So that idea of what's the worst I could have well, you're almost inviting Murphy's law. If it's something bad is going to happen, you have now invited it into your life. As opposed to what's the best thing, what's the best thing? I hope that could happen. What's the best outcome, what's the best whatever that could be? Focus on those things and I feel like those two elements I've maintained yeah, yes, and this is an opportunity.
Speaker 2:
Where can I take it? What could potentially be next, what's the best thing that could be next, and see, because you know, maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, and that's okay, because everything that we do, all of our experiences, are just the foundation of what's next. There's never you completely start over and go. I'm completely scratched in the fact that I was born where I grew up, what I experienced no, we don't do that. It's always something that we're building on, even when we feel like we've learned something new, we're searching somewhere in our memory banks for something that's similar, to make sense of it, and then we build upon that.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, oh gosh, there's so much goodness in that, Especially what you said about like you know, we don't stop, like we don't stop one thing and then we lose every single lesson or thing that we learned in that thing. We carry all of that with us and I think like that, I hope, gives people this idea that, like, loosen the pressure valve on this, like you can change and do something else. And it doesn't mean whether you wanted to change a job or you were, you know, forced to change a job because you were let go or whatever. It doesn't mean that that thing wasn't for, it wasn't for nothing, it was. It brought you to this point. Right now. You carry all of those learnings and those lessons and those life experiences with you and that will shape the next thing that you're about to do.
Speaker 2:
That's exactly right, the idea of I failed at something because maybe it didn't go the way that I wanted or hoped or planned. What have you that's defeatist right? And if the concept of fail, success is what makes sense for you or for someone, then take the idea of failing forward. Yeah, yeah, right. That next thing, this thing that I loved or dreamed about or had hoped would go this way. Maybe it didn't. What can you take from that to go into this next thing? Or the next thing can be something completely different, but that doesn't mean the thing that you did before. It doesn't have value, it didn't have merit.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, 100%, and I think it reminds me of what is your relationship to that thing too, and it's not to minimize anything that anybody ever goes through, but just that it's always within your power to say, okay, what do I want to take from this thing? Okay, so I was let go from this job or whatever. What do I get to then assign the meaning to that, and what do I get to take into this new thing that is going to help me launch whatever it is that I want to do next? That's true.
Speaker 2:
There's also the idea I think if there's something I want to do, I'm afraid to do it, or I don't feel like I know where to start, or I don't have the resources, I don't have the tools, and we get into that mind loop which causes procrastination right, then it keeps us from doing the thing. But then there's also maybe that thing isn't really for you. There's that idea too. Or maybe you don't want as badly as you think you do, because it was an expectation, right. Or you're thinking what will people think? Oh, they'll think better of me if I do this thing. That's more in line with their idea or their goals for me. So not pursuing something, not taking that next step, should not be seen as a failure either, because maybe not going in that direction is the blessing that you might need at that time.
Speaker 1:
Yes, yes, I was just telling this story and I'll keep it brief kind of like getting better about what my financial picture looks like in the business and sort of just lining up where I'm spending money and where I can tighten that up. I had just sort of learned that I like to spend things as a way to make myself feel better. I'm like, okay, well, that's a problem because if you do that more and more and more than you're spending money that you don't really need to spend. And I was going to buy these socks because I said they're only $3 a pair. I really love cozy socks.
Speaker 1:
Like why don't I just buy a couple of them? Because it's only three bucks and it's like 12 bucks total if I bought like four pair. But if I do that multiple times in a month, then it's not just $12. And so I said I'm not going to do this. And I was doing some cleaning and doing this like astrology workshop and you know how, when your drawer gets stuck and you have to pull the drawer completely out and like get it back on the track, you know there were six pairs of brand new socks underneath that drawer. And so me saying I'm not going to do this.
Speaker 1:
The universe then says I am rewarding you with these pairs of socks that you have never worn and I still have the tags on them.
Speaker 2:
I love that and I'm a black fetish person, so I totally understand.
Speaker 1:
Yes, it was like okay, all right, I got the message. So sometimes, like you're right, sometimes it's saying you're not going to do something because it's you know. You realize like it was going to be somebody's expectation or it was part of a pattern or a habit, and it's like that can be just as empowering.
Speaker 2:
Exactly. I think also that there's empowerment in that right, because then that helps you to release something that's weighing you down. I mean, yeah, there's so much heaviness in the world right now, we don't need to bring it upon ourselves, especially if it's something that's not going to bring you joy. Yeah, if you're chasing something or have expectations of yourself and it's making you feel heavy and weighed it down, I would reevaluate if that's something that you really want to have in your life.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and I think it can be as simple as, like what you said does it make you feel heavy, does it make you feel light? Like that could be your starting point for that, you know, inquiry within on whether that's the right thing to do or not.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
I imagine, if we put everything through the lens of, will this bring me joy, will this help me help someone else? Yeah, maybe it can be as simple as that.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and like what would that world look? Like my gosh.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I'd buy popcorn and sit in it. I would do, I would do it.
Speaker 1:
It's right alongside. You Get to enjoy that. So you talk about how it's your belief that shared stories can save lives. Would you say that you are getting to do that now in this version of your career?
Speaker 2:
Oh, wow. I don't want to sound as grandiose as that. I can tell you that that phrase sharing stories has the power to change lives is very true for me, because at one point I was going through a terrible illness and for about 10 years didn't know what was wrong with me and had pretty much succumbed to. I'm going to die. I'm just going to be okay with knowing that I'm going to live in this much pain and agony for however many years I have left and I'm done. Yeah, I'm good.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I had a chance that I read someone's story about what they were going through and a light bulb went off and I went. That sounds so similar to what I'm going through. Let me research, and it was the turning point for me, figuring out what was wrong and coming to a solution and now back on the road to health. But I don't know if I would be here had I not had that experience of reading, listening to someone else's story who was going through the same thing, because she had the courage to do that. So if anything that I write or share has that effect on just one person, then that's enough for me. That's good enough for me.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, was that your journey with breast implant illness? Then, yes, yeah, how are you doing? Are you doing well, since that was all your surgery and everything?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, having the surgery. Well, let me go back. So this would have been July of 2017 or 2018. I forget Within just a few months of learning about breast implant illness, which I had never heard of before, and I had implants for about 21 years at that point, doing the research, connecting with support groups, finding a surgeon, figuring out my post-surgery plan all of that happened within let's see July to October. I had my surgery in October, so very, very quickly going through that process, and so since then, I still feel like I'm on the road to recovery. I don't think anyone from what I understand in my own personal experience, you don't ever fully recover, but you do get better, and I'm definitely a lot better now than I was then.
Speaker 1:
Good, good, I'm glad to hear that. It does just make me think like you. When a person shares their story whether it's you or it's me or anybody you have no control over who that can help, and that is, I think, like such a beautiful thing, because in your case, you may have still been looking for the answers of what was causing you to feel so sick, and so it's like, I think, the more we can get comfortable in being vulnerable, and sharing these aspects of ourselves for one makes us feel less alone on whatever journey it is that we're on, but also really has the potential to save somebody's life.
Speaker 2:
Yes, yes, I mean and obviously I don't necessarily think that people have that thought when they write something and they're sure something like I'm gonna save a life today, I mean you hope that what you write and share benefits someone in some way. I can say that, having been contacted by so many women after sharing my experience and that they would say I had no idea about breast implant illness, or oh my God, that sounds like my concern. Or oh my goodness, now I know what to talk to my doctor about. That's just the beginning. You're absolutely right. What people do with that information you don't have any control over. But the way that you release it because we talked about energy and how universe responds to that how you release, that is what will happen, right? So if you release it with the intention of healing for yourself and wanting healing for other people, that's how it will be received.
Speaker 1:
Yeah yeah, I love that. Before we segue into a game and our rapid fire, I would love to know if someone is maybe feeling like they don't know how to find a passion, or they're trying to maybe get a little bit more zest for life, what kind of tips or advice would you have for them in and not to like we said earlier, not to necessarily make it a career, but just something that they can feel passionate about and invite into their lives like? What advice would you have?
Speaker 2:
My biggest advice for someone looking for that passion project or something would be pay attention to what you pay attention to, right? So, in the age of influencers, we'll look to see what they're doing and who they're connected with and what are they sharing. Well, ultimately, when you consider that and it doesn't move you, then that's not for you, right. So the things that you watch and the things that you listen to, and the things that excite you and the things that bring you joy and you're like I can't wait to. That's all it is. That's your passion piece right there, that one thing that makes you feel that way is the thing that you should have more of in your life, and it doesn't have to be what someone else is doing. It can be something completely, completely out there, but if it's the thing that brings you joy and lights you up, do that. No one will be able to do it the way that you do.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, and don't have any expectations over like how that looks or like what it could turn into, or just like be in that moment and feel that joy and that zest and that passion and then just be open to what more, like how much more that can come in, mm-hmm exactly because you never know.
Speaker 2:
You won't know unless you put yourself out there and do the damn thing.
Speaker 1:
Yes, yes, yes, exactly, exactly. Okay. So we're gonna play a game called Famous Last Words, because you and I are both word nerds, we are both writers, we have that in our DNA. We are going to play this game where we have five categories and we're gonna have, I think, 30 seconds to name as many words back and forth that fit that category.
Speaker 1:
Oh God okay, and all of these categories have a direct correlation to you and something in your life. Okay, so whoever gets the last word in for that category gets a point, and then, after the five categories, we'll see who is the winner. And here's the spoiler. I'm really terrible at the games, so you're probably going to win.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I don't know about that one and I'm super happy.
Speaker 1:
Okay, let me get my timer going here. Okay, so our first category is things that are yellow, because I know that yellow is your favorite color. Yes, yellow is your favorite, okay, so do you wanna go first or do you want me to go first?
Speaker 2:
Okay, name as many things or just one.
Speaker 1:
So you'll name one, I'll name one, you'll name one, and then, at the end of the 30 seconds, whoever has said the last one gets the point. Got it okay? Okay, you go first. Okay, I'm starting the clock. The sun, bananas, cheese, ducks, crayon.
Speaker 2:
Flowers.
Speaker 1:
Let's see what can I think Butter.
Speaker 2:
Clown cars.
Speaker 1:
Oh, good one. Okay, time's up. You get a point. See, this is harder than it looks. It's hard, Okay. The next category is the earth, because I know that you are all about eco-friendly sustainability, so anything relating to the earth. Okay, you start this time. Ready, okay, go.
Speaker 2:
Grass.
Speaker 1:
Blue Trees, ocean Fish.
Speaker 2:
Round Blue.
Speaker 1:
Green, green, green Green.
Speaker 2:
Mantle.
Speaker 1:
Christopher Columbus Timer Okay, one to one. I feel like this next one's going to be really hard. Okay, the next one is book titles.
Speaker 2:
I think it's my turn to go first. I know, I know, I know.
Speaker 1:
I know I want to cheat because I have a whole thing of books. I know I have some back there too. Okay, I think it's my turn to go first.
Speaker 2:
Start with why Atomic habits Pride and prejudice. I know why the cage bird sings To kill a mockingbird.
Speaker 1:
Eat, pray, love. I know Shit. How are you really? The Bible? Oh, dang it. Two points for you, one point for me. Okay, our next category is criminal justice. So this can be anything under the umbrella the Bible, the Bible, the Bible. So this can be anything under the umbrella of criminal justice. Okay, you are leading me two to one. It's your turn to go first. Ready Go.
Speaker 2:
Law and order Gun Defense attorney.
Speaker 1:
Handcuffs.
Speaker 2:
Public defender.
Speaker 1:
Judge JL Shamar Moore, Lady justice oh crap Cops. Scales. Oh man, you got it Right at the last second. Okay, three to one. There's no chance of me winning, but we're going to do our last category, and this is, um, boobs is our last category. So this is the last category. This is, boobs is our last category. Okay, okay, are we ready for this one? Yes, okay, go. Nipples, round Utters, jelly beans, milk, braz.
Speaker 2:
Brazier no Bralet Breast implants.
Speaker 1:
Explant. I'm going to go with the blue one. I'm going to go with the blue one. Ooh, ooh, uh, dude.
Speaker 2:
You are so good at this? I'm really not, it's so hard, isn't it?
Speaker 1:
Yes, you think you're going to do it, and it's so hard when you're under the gun. Okay, so you win the game four to one. I'm going to go with the blue one. I'm going to go with the blue one. I'm going to go with the blue one One. There. At the end I would have gotten another point. Okay, thank you for humoring me, because I was telling another guest that we play games on here, because, you know, it's like an entertaining thing to do with a guest, but it's also in that sphere of play that we don't do enough as adults, and it's like a a big part of the play is so important for us.
Speaker 1:
So, yeah, yeah, we've been loving the games. Okay, so we're going to end with the rapid fire questions. I have these 11 questions for you. I sort of rotate them here and there, but there's a couple that I ask every guest, so we'll start with what is your favorite season and why? Summer? I love the heat. Ooh, you love the heat. Okay, I love the heat as well, but I love the heat. I love how it feels to be burning with Rosé shop, and so my cheeks turned bright red and I look like a lobster. So I love it, but I really need to like fix that so I could love it more. Okay, so if, have you ever had a nickname? If so, what was it?
Speaker 2:
I've had many nicknames. When I was born, my nickname was Tweety bird.
Speaker 1:
Hmm, yellow again. Yeah, because.
Speaker 2:
I was John this. My mother had some issues with her pregnancy. So yeah, there you go, tweety bird, tweety bird. I love that, okay.
Speaker 1:
So thinking about books again. If you wrote a book about your life, what would it be called?
Speaker 2:
Well, actually I am writing a book and it's it's called I'm not my boobs. Confessions of a uniboober. Oh, I love that. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:
You have to keep me posted. When that's out, we'll share it on all the things. That's such a. I'm hearing more people that have that journey and so, man, I think you're going to you're really going to resonate with people that really need that message. So that's beautiful. Okay, what is the song that, when it comes on, you immediately want to get up and dance, preferably on a table. You make me feel like dancing, oh yes.
Speaker 2:
Good one yes.
Speaker 1:
I need to throw all these songs into a playlist and share it with our audience, cause there's been so many good ones. Okay, what's one thing that you've always wanted to try but haven't yet? And this is you are somebody that tries a lot of new things, so what's one thing that you haven't done? There isn't, I mean, everything that I want to try I do.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, I wanted to try salsa dancing, so I did. Now I'm a salsa instructor. Yeah, there's anything I can think of. I love that Girl after my own heart. I'm the same way, okay.
Speaker 1:
Who is your celebrity crush? Oh, bradley Cooper. Bradley Cooper was another one that somebody said Gosh, yeah he is. I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'm not sure. Yeah, he is so handsome.
Speaker 2:
Um okay, describe your perfect meal, from appetizer to dessert. Perfect meal, appetizer to dessert. Oh Eek, let's see, can I, can I mix, cause I want sushi and I'd like some pizza in there. Um, chicken parm, oh, some enchiladas, like basically a buffet.
Speaker 1:
I basically want a buffet, but it's got to be the buffet that you get to choose the things that are on there. Yes, exactly, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:
Your own cake and cheesecake and all the cakes and Elway and blueberry pie. Yes and all of yes, all the things, my buffet.
Speaker 1:
We could be here all day naming all the things that need to be on this buffet. I love it. Um. What is a mantra, quote, affirmation or words that you personally live by?
Speaker 2:
Um, I am a huge fan of Dr Maya Angelou and I feel awful that the quote that I've been reciting for years isn't coming to me. But essentially it's the basis of you cannot die with a story left inside you, mmm, because you know, if you know, if you're familiar with her story, a big part of her life she was silent because she thought that her words had killed someone and in sharing she came out of that. You know, obviously, that awful experience, but then look at how many people that she is inspired and helped with her words.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, it's so, you know, and I say it in the very first episode. But like words just have, they just carry so much weight and I think that, like we've become so flippant with words because it's so, it's so easy now to share them without a second thought. And, you know, with technology and all of that, it's it's um, you know, we are for sure not going to run out of ways to, you know, share words, um, but I think that, like, we have a responsibility with them and I love to see people be conscious of that and, you know, be careful with their words.
Speaker 2:
Very true.
Speaker 1:
Agreed, yeah, um, okay, french kiss or French fry, french fry, the French fries, by the way, are, I think, 70 to 30 winning. There's not very many that say the French, the French kiss, I mean think about it.
Speaker 2:
salty French fry with ketchup. Come on now, that's just yummy.
Speaker 1:
I know there was one guest that I had on. She was like I cannot believe people chose French fry. I was like it's just what the people this is what the people want, I guess, I don't know. Um, okay, so if you could do anything right in this moment that would make you feel free, what would you do?
Speaker 2:
I think normally I would have said something like take my pants off, but I'm not wearing it, so I can't say that I am dead. I don't have anything for that, oh my goodness, I love these answers so much.
Speaker 1:
I never know what they're saying, and I love it when it's that kind of confession. It's the truth, oh my gosh. Oh, okay, my last question which I will ask everybody who comes on the show what does French kissing life mean to you? Oh, um, my whole conversation is about the French kiss, I mean.
Speaker 2:
I'm not sure if it's true, but I think it's true. Um, my whole concept of being a boss, I feel like, really epitomizes that, in that you have to take control and go after things and be adventurous and be bold and be courageous. And so when I heard that, I was like, oh, french kissing life. It's like, yes, be be a boss.
Speaker 1:
Be your boss, be a boss. Yeah, yeah, and I just go for it. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, I love that so much. Okay, so if anybody wants to connect with you, where can they find you? And, of course, we will share all of your connecting details in the show notes.
Speaker 2:
But Well, I have to say thank you so much for this. This has been really fun and definitely if anyone wants to connect with me. My community is called boss squad and you can find us at boss squad HQcom.
Speaker 1:
Yay, yes, I'm so glad you came on. I, when I read your story I was like she has to come on the show because, from being an INFJ to words, to stories, to you know awkward kids, I was like, oh, we are cut from the same cloth, so we've got to have a chat on here.
Speaker 2:
We're twinsies basically, we are we are.
Speaker 1:
We're twins. We're twins. Maybe I'll just take my pants off after this.
Speaker 2:
I don't know, we'll see.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for being here, jay. I appreciate you so much, and thanks everybody for tuning in. Thank you again.
Speaker 1:
One of the things I really loved about my talk with Jay is when she mentioned that following a passion doesn't necessarily need to mean that you do it as your job or career. I think that's such great advice. So sometimes infusing passion into your life outside of work can be enough zest that changes your mood and mindset. And sometimes, if you do pursue your passion as a job, it can cause you to kind of fall out of love with that as your passion. So for today's kindness and action segment, I found a couple of resources to help you determine what your passion is and whether you want to pursue that as a job. So if you have five minutes, I'm suggesting you read an article from the Harvard business review that talks about how your job doesn't have to be your passion, and then, if you have 50 minutes, I'm suggesting another article from Better Up that will help you discover what your passion is and how to create a life of purpose. And if you are a female who is either already an entrepreneur or you just want to vet a creative idea that you have and experience the synergy of connecting with other women professionals to network, collaborate and get valuable feedback and support, check out Jay's Boss Squad membership. I'll leave details in the show notes if you want to know what she has going on. Thank you so much for listening and keep sharing the feedback. As Brian Adams so eloquently crooned, everything I do, I do it for you. See you next time.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of the French Kissing Life podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. If you're enjoying the show, shower us with a five star rating and hit that subscribe button to make sure you never miss a future episode. And if you would be so kind and give the show a review, I'll sweeten the deal for you. Since you know I live for good conversation. I want to hear from you. Share your favorite takeaways, an aha moment you had or a fun emoji that represents this week's show, along with your Instagram handle or email address, and you'll be entered to win this month's giveaway. The French Kissing Life movement is gaining momentum, and your ratings and reviews play a pivotal role in propelling the show to new heights. Until next week, mwah.