Jessica was always the adventurous type, never one to sit still for too long. Growing up in a conservative Christian home in Ohio, she was taught to be quiet and well-behaved, but that never really suited her. So, at 26, she packed up and moved to Seattle, ready for a fresh start and new experiences.
Since moving to Seattle and then onto Bellingham, life has been a whirlwind. Jessica tried her hand at everything—career transformation coach, vegan cupcake maker, Kohls employee, pastor, food bank worker. She even had a degree in music education and could play the clarinet and piano. She loved helping people figure out their true selves and get unstuck in their careers, using her master’s degree in transformational leadership to guide them.
Then, around 30, she met her husband, Mike. He is an officer in the military with a master’s in trombone performance—yes, really. They hit it off, got married, and have been together for five years now. Mike is her biggest cheerleader, always supporting her many ventures and seeing her as the natural-born leader she is.
Despite all her achievements, Jessica often felt held back by self-doubt. Being, as she described it, “a short, fat, white woman” in a society that idolizes a narrow standard of beauty. It was tough creating a positive self-image in a world so hell-bent on outcasting every woman larger than a size 4. She’d grown up with the idea that women should be quiet and behave themselves, and it was hard to shake that off.
Jessica loved her legs and heels but felt self-conscious about her body. She often heard stories of women who did amazing things “despite being overweight,” which made her feel like those achievements were less valuable because of their weight. She longed to wear lingerie and find a perfect pair of pants, but it seemed impossible. Like those clothing items were not meant for “someone like her.”
During her Discovery Session for CRAVE, Jessica spilled her frustrations. I felt that this CRAVE Session was clearly going to celebrate Jessica’s body and journey. I wanted to help her find great clothing that would help shift her mindset about what she can and can’t wear. The thought terrified Jessica at first—posing in lingerie? But then she realized it could be a chance to reclaim her narrative and show herself that she was a leader, just as she was. Not the worst-case scenario!
On the day of the shoot, she came in excited, hopeful, and confident. She felt powerful, beautiful, and free. Each photo captured her strength, vulnerability, and authenticity. It was more than a photo shoot; it was a declaration that she was more than enough.
But that confidence came crashing down when she went home. I learned that, after the CRAVE Session, she worried that all of her photos were going to show the woman that she was so used to seeing – the one with the round face who was that worst-case scenario. She worried that maybe CRAVE wasn’t for her.
But as it turns out CRAVE Session was transformative! She LOVED her photos. She exclaimed, “I look beautiful!” The photos became a testament to her journey and a reminder that she could lead with confidence. She shared her experience with her friends, inspiring them to embrace their true selves and take bold steps toward their own empowerment.
Jessica’s CRAVE Session was a turning point. It reminded her that she didn’t have to fit into any mold to be a leader. She had always been one, and now she could see it for herself—and help others see it in themselves, too.
She is the BEST case scenario!
