Girl on Fire: Jenna. Anchor Yourself In Your Body
Jenna Roze, from Red Bird Acupuncture, shares her secrets to live a happier life, everyday: “We all struggle. The important thing to remember is that this state is temporary.”
When I first met Jenna, I must admit, I was in the shits. I was having a full on and never-felt-before anxiety episode. I thought I was going crazy, literally. I was confused and puzzled on WHY this was happening to me.
Jenna is an acupuncturist. When she treated me I shared thoughts and fears with her that I hadn’t shared with anybody else. She listened, and slowly but surely made me feel and BELIEVE I was going to be ok
Jenna Roze, R. Ac. Owner of Red Bird Acupuncture Clinic. Vernon, BC. Her passion for physical, mental and emotional health led her to complete a 3 year Diploma Program in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at Pacific Rim College. Its traditional and poetic components create a path to breaking the patterns of illness ingrained in the body. She uses compassion, humor and wisdom to empower patients about their health.
On Morning routines…
Jenna likes to keep it simple. A walk in Nature is her way to start the day. Walking in nature alone, or with her dog, makes her feel connected and grounded with her body, reminded about all the beauty in the world and appreciative about the simple things. “It is easy to get caught up in the “doing” and not the “ feeling”, she says.
“Seeing the beauty in nature and seeing the way it changes is so inspiring…this connection with nature feeds my soul”
How do you “top up” your energy throughout the day?
“ It links to my morning routine for sure”. Engaging with her patients and hearing their stories also plays a huge role. “I enjoy spending time with people so I do get energy from being around them, especially when they come with something they want to change. My mind is always trying to find new ways to inspire them and I often ask myself what can I say to help them think in a different way. These interactions spark my inspiration and my love to help them connect with their own bodies and healing. I also use essential oils and herbal medicines to keep grounded and focused throughout the day.”
What was the one thing you have done in the past that has helped you to overcome an especially difficult time in your life?
“ It happened a long time ago. My dad started to taking me to a guided meditation group when I was 16 years old. I felt so blessed because growing up I really felt a loss of meaning and connection, nothing felt important… I wanted to find it [the connection] and I didn’t even know if there were more people feeling the way I did. At the meditation group it was the first time I really focused on connecting to myself and connecting with my body, my breathing. The first day of meditation was such an intense experience I couldn’t get up out of bed the next day. I was so exhausted. It was like everything I had been hiding from suddenly had blown up and I couldn’t look away. My dad and my sister took me again to talk with the leader of the meditation group. I had a hard time talking about my feelings …. Learning to speak and listening to my body was the beginning of my journey”
The major lesson Jenna learnt back then and stills applies is
“It is ok to feel crappy sometimes. Give yourself time. Ask what do you need to process? What do you need to see? What truth do you need to acknowledge?”
Business
Independence and freedom are perhaps two of the most influential ideas we weigh at the moment of deciding to quit our job and create our own business. We ultimately want to be free, to do things our own way and not to have a boss telling us what to do. However, Jenna is quick at explaining that in reality she is in charge of everything, and her pursuit of freedom comes with great responsibility.
Why did you decide to create your business?
“ With acupuncture in Canada you can kind of work /contract under a naturopath or chiropractor, but even then you don’t have your own business. I’ve always been fairly independent. That is my natural self. I also feel very strongly about my creative ideas and how I want them to [unfold], and I can have difficulty with authority. I don’t mind being told what to do or how to do things if it comes from a place that I can understand and feel respected, but so many times I see authority figures ask you to do things because they are on a power trip… or they ask you to do things in a way that is not your natural way of doing them. They want you to follow their process and not your own”
What is one of the biggest challenges you faced while creating your own business?
“ There are a few parts to it. One of the most challenging things is really learning how to talk about what you do, to be really confident and not allow people to bring you down with their judgements of what you do, especially in the business of alternative medicine. A lot of people who work in the alternative health industry have a hard time talking [about what they do] without sounding wishy washy. I spent a lot of time practicing talking about what I do”
Jenna worked hard on developing her confidence as well. Being an introvert seems to clash with the notion of being a great public speaker. However, by recognizing this trait in her personality she was able to address it and work at it. She found that one of the best ways to build up her confidence and her public presence was to put herself out there. The good old sink or swim technique. She joined the local chamber of commerce and started to network. Every interaction she held with a stranger was a chance to reinforce her confidence and develop her speech’s clarity.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
“ To take the time to breath and don’t get caught up with negative self-talk. To take a step back and feel your body, our body grounds us, it connects you with your true spirit rather than going to the monkey brain…be gentle with yourself. I was so harsh on my self… I would never treat anybody else like that, so why would I do it to myself?”
I find this just so remarkable. It is such an amazing advice. Negative self-talking floods us everyday with insecurities. It can keep us from enjoying our lives to the fullest, and it can blind us to being appreciative of how immensely lucky we are.
Last book you read?
“Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel. I loved Life of Pi (written by the same author). A hundred pages later nothing was happening… it never went anywhere… Not really good.” ;(
Favourite dish?
“Chicken Korma. I love Indian food! It is so soft, warm and gentle. This is what I want my life to feel like”
Next place you would like to visit?
“ I love south east Asia! I spent three and a half moths there when I was doing my Diploma of Acupuncture and I would love to go back to Malaysia and Thailand. One place I would like to [visit] that I never been into is Japan. There is this amazing ski resort there named KIRORO, I can just say it over and over again. I love winter and skiing and there are beautiful hot springs there I want to visit. ”