At our last Enrichment series event, we were privileged to have Jenn Boughey share her insights into mental and emotional health. Jenn Boughey is the founder of Uncommon Grit - a mindset coaching business dedicated to helping women unlock their full potential. 

Jenn spent a significant part of her life in corporate America but left it all to pursue her passion for counseling. After receiving her master's degree in counseling, she journeyed into her career as a personal coach and counselor. At the center of Jenn’s work is her belief in the power of people’s choices, thoughts, reactions, and internal narratives to shape the trajectory of their lives. Jenn particularly has a burden to help women know their true worth, break free from lies they have lived under, and help them find a healthier state of mind. 
 

At this event, she spoke to us about the power of our choices, thoughts, reactions, and how the narratives we tell ourselves can literally change the trajectory of our lives. In her time with us, she described how the most important story we know is the story that we tell ourselves about our lives and about the lives of others. Jenn talked about the moldability of the brain and how critical it is that we feed it positive information. If we are to live emotionally healthy lives, we must first accept that we are personally responsible for the narrative we are living in.   

We are all selling and telling ourselves stories. We are the ultimate salespeople to ourselves. In fact, the greatest story you will ever tell is the story you tell yourself.
 

While it is vital that we evaluate the story that we tell ourselves about our lives, Jenn stressed how crucial it is for us to examine the story we tell ourselves about other people’s lives. When we tell ourselves a poor narrative about someone else, we are actually negatively affecting our own emotional health. When we believe the best of others, it opens the door for the greatest relational potential with that person. 
 

What’s at stake inside of our storytelling is your greatest potential. You could be the very one in your own mind stealing your greatest potential from you, from other people and from the relationships you have. 

In conclusion, Jenn emphasized the importance of closely guarding whom we allow to speak into the narrative of our lives. She used the brilliant example of a boardroom with glass walls where many people are looking into the room but only select people are allowed inside. If we are to live out our desired future, we must have people around us that will champion our direction and the decisions we make. 

Questions to consider: 

• What are the stories you are telling yourself about yourself? 
• What are some of the stories you are telling yourself about others close to you? 
• Who are the people you are allowing to speak into your life? 
   

Designed to gather in community and learning around the elements that make us flourish, our Enrichment Series aims to educate and enrich the lives of those who attend as we hear from speakers and experts in their field. Learn more and see details for our next Enrichment Series event here. 

  
To connect with Jenn, check out her website and her Instagram.