Embracing My Journey ~ Living with passion & purpose!

Jessica Setnick, MS, RD, CSSD, is living the life of her dreams, treating patients with eating disorders, teaching other professionals to help, and most recently, starting a career website for students and new graduates interested in the field.  As a former anorexic and bulimic I understand first hand the importance of the work she is doing and today, she shares her story…welcome Jessica!

Tell us about the path you traveled to arrive where you are today & what kept you moving forward on the days things were not going exactly the way you were hoping they would?  Knowing that no one was making me keep on this path, that I could choose to do something else… but didn’t want to. Knowing it was MY choice made all the difference. Also, I shared what was happening with supportive friends and colleagues. It was hard to say out loud that things weren’t going well when I thought that others only wanted to hear the good things, but everything sounded less bad when I said it out loud and got encouraging responses. The fact that no one else said, “If it’s that bad, you should just quit!” helped me realize that these were just the pitfalls that happen in business, nothing worth giving up over.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who has decided they would like to live in a world of their own creation?
Be kind to yourself. Changing the way you have been taught to think about things can be very painful at times. I often remind myself of this quote from The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran: “Pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” It reminds me that when I hurt, it doesn’t mean I’ve done something wrong, it means I am changing. Living life my way has meant being very scared that somehow I would be disliked by others for not following “the rules.” It can be very fearful for me to do things my own way (less now than it used to be), yet the times I did things to please others, I always regretted it.

What special things do you do for yourself daily to maintain your momentum and energy levels?
I sleep. I let myself stay in bed as much as I want, even after I wake up, without feeling guilty about it. People ask how I have so much energy. I always say 10 hours of sleep a night. I’m not recommending it for everybody, I’ve just made peace with the fact that I love to sleep! And right before I fall asleep is when I get the best ideas.

If you could spend 3 days on a deserted island with two people of your choosing, who would they be and why? My mom and dad. I would really like to hear what they have to say and vice versa, since they were so influential in who I am today and the challenges I have worked to overcome. I would like to hear their take on what was going on in my childhood, now that I am an adult and could understand it.

What is your favorite audio material and what do you enjoy most about this material?
I like different music for different moods. Alannis Morrissette songs are my favorite, though. Listening is like going to therapy. There’s so much to think about, and it’s so reassuring to know that some feelings are universal.

What is your favorite reading material and what gives it that special place in your heart?
I really like reading out of the Jewish prayer book. It connects me to generations of people and hope, which helps a lot when I am feeling alone or confused.

Who has inspired you and what is it about them that you found inspirational?
The man who carries his son while he runs marathons, Cate Blanchett’s character in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, people who care for relatives with Alzheimer’s even though they don’t recognize them – anyone who shows unconditional love – caring for someone because of who they are to you, nothing else. I love that they demonstrate that the important part of who we are is separate from our physical selves, our memory, even our sense of identity.

What do you see in your future?
I try not to look too far into the future. It has never turned out quite how I expected, so it seems that to get married to any idea of how it’s going to be may result in disappointment. I’m better at enjoying the ride than I used to be.

Where is your favorite place in the world to spend time, what is special to you about this location?
My bed! My best ideas are created there.

Who has been your greatest support system and how have they shown you their support?
My mom, my husband, my grandparents – those who regularly show me unconditional love, and that’s what I need most – to know that I am accepted even in those times that I feel terribly broken.

What / who are you most thankful for and why?
I am thankful for the gift of life, and to be able to live it in the USA. I am thankful that my ancestors had the courage to take the heroic step of leaving home and moving here so that their children could have a better future than what they faced in Eastern Europe. That was such a sacrifice, but their wishes came true. In fact, if they had not left Europe, I might not have ever been born.

What is your favorite way to contribute or give back?
My greatest hope is that my stepchildren grow up happy and healthy and with good self-esteem. Spending time with them to me is like gardening – put in the time now and it will show when they blossom. I feel that this is the best way I can contribute to the future.

Please share the top three things you feel people would benefit from doing if they truly desire to create the life of their dreams?
Go to therapy to figure out what experiences in your past are affecting you/holding you back in the present.

Be grateful that dreams don’t always come true – sometimes what happens is so much better than what you could have dreamed of.

Get help with any aspects of your business that do not have to be done by you. I would never have been able to grow my business without the great helpers I have hired along the way.

What products and services do you offer to assist others on their journey?
As someone who has found helping people with eating disorders to be incredibly rewarding, I have made it my goal to help others interested in the field to do the same. Unfortunately, traditional medical education does not include the information health professionals need to do this work, so I have developed Eating Disorders Boot Camp and Advanced Eating Disorders Boot Camp [www.UnderstandingNutrition.com] to offer this specialized training. My most recent venture is for students and new graduates who want to work in the field – www.EatingDisorderJobs.com – a website with career guidance and job postings for all eating disorder-related positions. Thanks for helping me spread the word!

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with our readers. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes, visit Jessica’s websites at: http://www.UnderstandingNutrition.com or  http://www.EatingDisorderJobs.com and connect with her today!

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald

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Caryn Gottlieb FitzGerald has been a network marketer and connector since 1990. She is a published author, her passion is writing and she spends much of her free time meditating and connecting with like minded individuals.  Caryn walked away from Corporate America in 2003, she continues to achieve the goals she sets for herself and has created the life of her dreams.  Today, Caryn assists others in creating the lifestyles they desire through network marketing, privately owned businesses and spiritual lifestyle coaching. Ready to move forward in your life?
Connect with Caryn at: http://www.carynfitzgerald.com/contact.htm
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This entry was posted on Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 5:10 am and is filed under Caryn's writing, Living the life of my dreams. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.