Hi Friends,
Many years ago my ever so wise grandmother told me I should take detailed notes about my life and the daily encounters of my career in order to one day write a book about it. Of course in my infinite wisdom of 26 I was absolutely certain I could never have anything interesting enough happen in my life to ever captivate an audience or have a book published. I mean, hasn’t everyone worked in a prison, taught riot suppression techniques, arrested felons, and worked to rehabilitate drug addicts by the time they were 26? Fast forward ten years and I now realize the things I once saw as mundane are far from most people’s normal daily routines. Instead of writing a book I am creating this blog site using experiences from my life and the lessons I’ve learned as a platform to encourage you that you can accomplish anything you set your heart and mind to achieve! I firmly believe this life is to be lived to create the best version of ourselves, and this is my wish for all the amazing humans I encounter along my journey. I hope some of my writings will inspire you to look inside and find all of your gloriously hidden gems that are no one else’s normal, mundane traits.
What’s in an Introduction Anyway?
As I sat down to write this first blog I thought this would be the easiest one ever. Then I realized it wasn’t easy at all. If anything can be over thought and over analyzed I am just the girl to achieve it. I quickly discovered I wasn’t sure what I wanted the world to know about me upon the first introduction.
Past introductions for me would have gone something like this: “Hi, I’m Janessa Finley. I’m a farmer’s daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, and cousin. I hold a Criminal Justice degree and a job in the same field. I am fun and athletic. I am a reader, baker, and motorcycle rider.” We all hold titles, duties, jobs, and labels. These things are only surface level and are used as masks allowing us to project into the world an image we feel safe being. In keeping our true self, our soul, covered and clothed we don’t allow those around us to get to know our authentic self. Instead we only allow others to get to know our exterior body and person.
While the introduction above does hold truths, here is a second attempt to introduce you to my soul: “Hi, I’m Janessa Finley. I am a passion driven adventure seeker, challenge accepter, and an animal lover. I am a compassion giver, charity supporter, truth seeker, and avid forgiver. I am a laughter relisher, a peace creator, and a professional life rider. I am a quirky mix of crazy contradictions. For instance, I’m a nerdy athlete and an ambitious procrastinator. Nature and music has a way of moving my soul like nothing else in this world can. I have a heart for motivating and helping others to find the self-empowerment within to be the person they feel they were destined to become.”
I invite you to take a few moments to introduce yourself to your soul, removing all the labels and masks of your typical introductions. If you feel so compelled I would love for you to introduce me to your soul in the comment section below. And if nothing more, please remember to always heed the wisdom and advice of your family’s matriarch! Thanks for stopping by.
Peace and love,
Janessa
Hi Janessa, my long time softball friend. I am Kara Schumacher, a first time momma to August, wife to Matt, silver liner seeker, cat and dog lover, risk taker, second chance giver, anxiety overcomer in training who is trying her damned best to live whole heartedly. I am so excited to go on this journey with you❤️
An amazing young woman you are! Your authenticity inspires others to open up themselves. For so many years, a single mom, although married for nearly 20, it felt single as I was the Mom, encourager, motivator, cheerleader, dad, maker, cook, bottle washer, baker, disciplinarian, house cleaner, and a million other titles. And the past 15-20 years, I became known as the personnelist, chief, terminator, coach, mentor, negotiator and found myself during this time to consume me. Now as I’m getting ready to end my professional career, I’m angry at myself for this consumption. I hope to focus beginning today, because of your blog, to be a better me, real me, the one who gives unselfishly to others but cares for me first so I can help others I love and even those I don’t know well but where our paths cross. A smile, a hug, a word, a handshake that encourages others to do the same. Keep writing my dear! You are incredible!
Hello, I’m Sharon Henderson, and I believe we may be soul sisters! I’m a gypsy and an adventure seeker completely enjoying my second “coming of age” ….the age where my children are grown, responsible men who make me very proud to be their mother, my grand children are well taken care of, smart, loved, and my presence in their daily life isn’t needed, so my inner-gypsy has surfaced and is anxiously awaiting part three of a very blessed, extremely beautiful life! Soon I will be traveling with no destination in mind to begin a photography project that currently has no name! Seeking raw beauty in store, and human form and open to learning more about myself, and this crazy life I’ve been given to live.
So looking forward to keeping up on your new blog Janessa!❤️
Hello my friend! Love, Love, Love your blog! And miss you dearly! I am a confident, loving, fun, caring, ALL IN momma and trying to figure “how to do and be just as good at everything else” wife and friend. I’m so excited to continue to read your blog, Janessa Finley. And hope some of your wisdom and motivation rubs off on me.