Welcome to Glowing Minds!

Hello lovely! Welcome to Glowing Minds! 

I'm SO excited to be launching the GM website and sharing my first official blog post with you 😀

I'm Jen, the founder of Glowing Minds Wellness. For my first post, I wanted to share a bit about my story and background. In typical style I've written you basically a novel below (LOL)! Here is the elevator version if you don't feel like reading on:

-  I'm a Holistic Wellness Coach with certifications in Holistic Nutrition and Reiki, and have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- I worked in corporate Human Resources (specifically, Recruitment) for five years prior to going back to school for Holistic Nutrition
- I'm a self-proclaimed introverted extrovert and a HSP (highly sensitive person), and am totally embracing both!
- Podcasts have changed my life
- I used to let fear and anxiety run my life but I took back control and am now living in alignment with my true, authentic self! (I can help you get there too ;))

How did I get here? (cue "How Did I Get Here" by Odesza)

I often ask myself that question and have moments where everything seems so unreal because I am on a path that is SO aligned with my authentic self. For so long I didn’t know what I wanted to do, or rather had limiting beliefs in my head about what I COULD do. I never in a million years thought I would be an entrepreneur (it still sounds weird to say it!) because I had so many blocks in my head about what the shy, introverted and anxious me could do. I didn’t trust myself, I didn’t trust that my intuition was telling me (or screaming!) that there was something more, something better for me, a life that was aligned to my true self, and that I was WORTHY of this life. I was also way too SCARED to make any sort of change (hello fear!). I felt blocked and unhappy, and felt this way for a long time. I had sort of fallen into working in HR out of University and went with it because I didn’t know what else I wanted to do. I’m so grateful for that experience because it truly pushed me out of my comfort zone and I learned so much during that time, but I will say that I never truly felt at home or like myself working in a downtown corporate job. I always felt like I had to be someone who I wasn’t, or fit into some kind of mould. Looking back now, I know this was 100% on me… no one was FORCING me to live that life. I had to take back control.

I’ve always been drawn to doing self work- self development, self growth, or however you want to call it. I LOVE the self help section of Chapters, journalling everyday, and am so obsessed with any personal development workshop or podcast. Slowly but surely I started to understand that I could make a change in my life and found a passion for living better and healthier! Basically, all things wellness as a lifestyle. I was determined to build a life where I was HAPPY (original inspiration coming from Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Happiness Project”) and could make a living doing something I loved. I remember walking to and from work everyday listening to inspiring podcasts (it was the best part of my day! My favourite is the Almost 30 Podcast). I believe this changed the course of my life because I began to understand what could be possible for me (these podcasts truly were “expanders” in my life- see Lacy Phillips' work for more on expanders).

I came across the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and the Holistic Nutrition program and fell in love with the idea of becoming a holistic wellness practitioner. I find nutrition fascinating on it’s own as well, but to incorporate a body, mind, spirit approach seemed like the perfect fit. It also felt like such a natural complement to my background in psychology and HR. I was right! I’ve loved every moment of going back to school and know that now I am truly on a life path that is so aligned with who I am.

This isn’t to say that it’s all smooth sailing from here – it’s not! I work every single day to keep the fear based thoughts at bay (enter “I’m not worthy”, “I don’t belong in this community”, “YOU can’t be an entrepreneur, idiot!”) and retrain old thought patterns that no longer serve me. It’s work, it’s a PRACTICE… but I fricken love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So… now I’m determined to share my passion with all of you, the beautiful community around me. I whole-heartedly believe that every single one of you is worthy of living a life that is authentic and true to who YOU are. A life that is full of happiness and feels free and open and exciting! A life where you are your BEST and HIGHEST self. I believe this can be achieved through a holistic approach to wellness. When our bodies and minds are balanced, we can really thrive. Bringing the body and mind back to balance isn’t a quick fix. You need the drive and the dedication to want to live a healthier life for the long term. I’m HERE to be your guide, your motivator, your confidant, your coach! My style is very holistic and all encompassing. We’ll talk nutrition, lifestyle, personal development, mindset and beyond! I’m obsessed with brain health and believe that this is an integral part of thriving (think stress reduction, clearing brain fog, increasing memory, balancing mood, and feeling overall HAPPIER and more JOYOUS!)

My goal for the GM blog is to share a range of wellness-y goodies with you! Everything from recipes, nutritional info, green beauty and home care, to lifestyle, habit creation, mindset and limiting beliefs. I'm also passionate about sharing my first-hand, real and raw experience with you. I believe there is so much power in vulnerability because it creates an atmosphere for true authentic connection. So I plan on being vulnerable with you in hopes that we can connect.

If this sparks something inside of you, please reach out to me. I would love nothing more than to get to know you.

xx
J

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about our service offerings, you can find that here and can read more about Glowing Minds here!