Jayne DeRouin is an author, workshop leader, speaker, & coach. Her mission? To enrich the lives of young women, helping them to discover their own strengths, inspire and empower them, and help them find inner clarity by connecting with themselves and each other, from the inside out. So between her and my hectic schedules, we figured out a good time for me to give her a call and ask her some questions! The questions and answers? Well those are below…
HC: What got you started in your writing?
JD: I have been journaling my whole life throughout different points in my life and through different struggles. For me, journalism releases an emotion that may be necessarily hard to express out loud.
HC: Did you enjoy writing a book?
JD: My book Keeping It Simple! Keys to Living an Uncomplicated Life, was ten years in the making. I was encouraged by my husband to write my story. It was about three years ago when I answered the call and the time was finally right. The journals I had previously written and had kept, I referred back to them and to my surprise, the answers for my book were buried within the pages. I learned that my journaling helps me on my journey, and it turn will help others. I plan to write more books in the future.
HC: Was there a specific event that made you want to help young women?
JD: In my family, I was the middle of three girls. There was a lot of labeling and struggling for a position and I was always stuck somewhere in the middle. Later on, I came to a realization as I like to say “the white part of the Oreo is the best.” In other words, I allowed the labels and outside influence prevent myself from who I really wanted to become. I had many suppressed feelings and struggles as a child and now from a different perspective, I see people in pain, especially young girls, and want young ladies to remember to stay authentic and true to yourself.
HC: What advice would you give to a female student, attending a business school which is predominantly male students?
JD: Always speak your truth, from a loving and positive place. Don’t suppress your voice in order to conform. Trust your instincts and stay true to who you are. I’m not saying don’t date or go to parties but it’s choices and temptations you make within those environments that can make you swayed from your true self. It is always important to align yourself with friends like yourself who support you in who you really are and how you really feel. Be friends with people who make you a better person with their positivity.
HC: What is your best advice about living simply in college?
JD: This is your opportunity to grow and to learn. A way to live simply is to stay grounded and recognize what is truly important. Do you have a goal? What about a goal beyond college? Don’t get lost in pressures and influences in outside sources. Don’t let them sway you too much off your life purpose and try to remember what you want your ultimate destination to be. Operate from that place of staying grounded and the reality of what you’re really here for. Remember that it’s not just about a four year college experience because in the big picture, it’s just a snapshot.
HC: Do you have any advice for young women who need a boost in self-confidence?
JD: Yes, try this little thing called daily affirmation. Fear can be a powerful mindset to live in. It can control you and hold its grips upon you. Write a positive attribute about yourself like “I am loving” or “I am capable” and carry it around with you. Read it over and over again as a reminder of who you really are. It’s the simple things and the little things that make the difference. For example, I like to tell this little story about my mechanic. My mechanic gives me a sticker for my car telling me when my next oil change is. Without the sticker, I might forget and my car will not be running efficiently. Use this as a metaphor for life-it can remind you every day what you are deserving of! By doing this, you re-train your brain and your new daily mantra. It takes ten positive thoughts to remove one negative one. By releasing to get rid of negative thoughts, you can really flip a switch in your mind to positive thoughts.
If you missed the link above for her book, don’t fret! Click here to order it now!
For more information on Jayne and her mission check out her website, and don’t forget to like her on Facebook!
http://www.jaynederouin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KeepingItSimple.thebook/info