Janni

I love. It's what I do.

I love adventure, laughter, joy, exploration, learning, curiosity, wonder, kindness, experiences, and maybe at the top of my list is a chocolate almond croissant from Fleur de Cocoa in Los Gatos, California.

I love people being themselves. I love experiencing people being authentically raw and unabashedly themselves. I love to live vicariously through their unique perspectives.

I love a good underdog story.

The thing I know most about me is that I am eternally optimistic. Maybe to my detriment.

I wish those stuck in negativity, self-doubt, frustration, or depression could see the world through my lens. I have an eternal spirit that sees the silver lining and embraces life joyfully.

I AM SO GRATEFUL that joy and love are my default states!!

I've been through various forms of "hell", such as childhood traumas, close friends dying in front of me, others who were suicidal, sexual abuse, date rape, codependency in relationships, affairs, avoiding and escaping, family addictions that I enabled, my kids suicidal for years, financial strain, loneliness, divorce, my body revolting with significant health issues, and parenting children with special needs and learning differences.

That is just some of it, and I still say I have and have always had an amazingly joyful and wonderful life.

And here is where my awareness came in and kicked me in the ass...I can whole-heartedly share that it is possible to be simultaneously depressed and living in joy.

I didn't know I was depressed.

Depression, for me, was putting a smile on my face and being the best mom I could; it was also about losing myself in work and creative outlets; as my kids got older and I recognized the issues inside me, I recognized depression and deep loneliness and this led me to discovery and eventually to Human Design, Gene Keys, and becoming a Trauma Informed & Emotional Intelligence Coach.

Insatiable thirst.

My life is driven by an insatiable thirst for new experiences and a relentless pursuit of improvement in everything I observe.

I embrace the chaos, the rebirth, and the so-called "failures" that come my way, knowing that every challenge is an opportunity to learn and upgrade. I am constantly driven to perfect the process, the service, the product, and the experience, all while loving with the fullest capacity of my spirit.

With 30 years of entrepreneurial experience (and even longer, having been raised by two entrepreneurs), I am convinced that work, relationships, and health are intrinsically linked. Neglecting any one of these areas can have a significant impact on the others, leading to a vicious cycle of trying to overcompensate and mask insecurities. When we feel out of control in one area, we may become super controlling in another, perpetuating the problem.

Balancing Life.

I didn’t know how much I was suffering in my personal life but it was showing up in my health and in my hyperfocus on creating businesses. (Not only was I not listening to my body, I was in obsessive transference, which for me is to be DESIRE based. In Human Design, my Motivation is Innocence. I am to live in the moment and create from a place of surrender. But I didn’t know that yet!)

My journey of self-discovery wasn't easy. I had reached a point where I realized that I had changed significantly, and I chose to no longer put my own needs aside.

Letting Go.

Although the process of letting go and redefining was difficult, it was necessary to create space for personal growth, to honor my authentic self and to provide the opportunity to focus on my work in a way that provided solid results.

It involved the painful ending of a beautiful yet profoundly co-dependent 30-year marriage, as well as severing ties with unhealthy relationships and business partners. It shifted the relationships I have with my 4 children who were teens at the time to be much deeper and more meaningful. This experience has taught me to trust myself and have courage to make difficult decisions.

Key Learnings.

The key to success is to recognize and address imbalances early on, ensuring that we are nurtured and supported in a holistic way.

I’ve learned to never say “I would NEVER do that!” I’ve learned that sometimes that thing I said I’d never do was exactly what I needed to do to move forward. I’ve got stories to share here.
I am learning what it's like to blend families with my new partner and our 7 kids. We are digital nomads currently adventuring somewhere in the world.
A person’s mental health is key to their success. In my family, we have ADHD, Autism, Aspergers, learning differences, developmental delays, psychological and behavioral disorders, codependence, dissociative behaviors, attachment issues, suicidal thoughts, addictions, eating disorders, mood disorders, very high and low intelligence, and so much more. I understand the complexities and impact our mental health has on how we live out our days.
I am learning to address emotional issues head-on because my medical history is extensive and reveals a pattern of health issues that are rooted in unresolved emotional problems. Rather than facing and dealing with these issues, I resorted to masking or suppressing them, resulting in a long list of health concerns.
I am learning how to set the focus and outcome I desire for my creative expression of work - I am constantly brimming with new ideas and solutions. And guess what? Not all those amazing ideas and solutions need to be born.