Namaste Jenay is Our Fave Soul-cial Influencer

Your heart is beating. It’s quick. Thumping in your chest. You think to yourself, why is this happening? But you know why. Or, at least, a part of you knows something is off. Your brain isn’t shutting off the way you thought it could. It seems impossible to control. Your breath, controlling your thoughts… or maybe just reeling them in. Reconnecting the wires that somehow got tangled up. The mind is a crazy thing, mostly because it’s up to us to control it.If anyone knows this feeling best, it’s Jenay Rose, aka: Namaste Jenay. You might look at her Insta and ask yourself, What does she know about anxiety? Pain? Suffering of any kind? But what you don’t see behind the soulful business coaches’ social handles is something that originated in affliction and intentional change in a positive direction, formulated by the simple decision to one day go to yoga class. She’s now built a career upon helping others -- specifically women -- become the “queen of their lives.”We sat down with Jenay to chat about her journey and practice in an effort to glean knowledge on what motivates, inspires, and ultimately heals. Because, as we all know, any real change starts from within. Here is a snippet of our conversation...

What was the lowest moment in your young adult life that left you questioning everything? 

Jenay: It was definitely a lifetime of things boiling up. I was at a pretty low point. I was really depressed. I had gone to work for a family member and it went awry. I had to leave. I found yoga after that and went back every day for a year. It became a safe haven and led to meditation, conscious consumerism, and starting my platform.

Sometimes when you're stuck in anxiety and depression, it's really hard to get out. What steps did you take for yourself that put you on your current path? 

Jenay: Well, first off, it’s not that we have anxiety problems, but rather perception problems. What I realized by going inward and connecting to my breath and doing all of these things is that even though they’re small, they have a big impact on how you’re able to handle your feelings. When you’re depressed and have anxiety, you’re not able to move past it -- you’re attached to the emotion and the thought.

Mindful separation allows us to separate from anxiety and depression, while having the tools to handle them. It’s finding stillness while still being open to responsibility, and then having that radical responsibility for our own feelings. 

Taking deep breaths is easier said than done. Do you have tangible steps or ways to relieve anxiety? 

Jenay: Definitely! Step 1: Move your body. We need to expel energy and move out anxiousness. Step 2: Get quiet. Journal. Experience reflective time. Sit and watch your thoughts. Sometimes it’s as simple as journaling a stream of consciousness and trying to detach. Step 3: Breathe. Take deep breaths all the way down to your belly -- try to make them really slow and concentrated. This gives the body time to absorb the oxygen that’s coming in. 

If there was one moment that really defined your journey with spirituality, what would it be and why? 

Jenay: I went on a 10 day silent meditation experience and had been meditating a lot, but what I think is so powerful about spirituality is that you can always push yourself and you can always learn from a new experience... as long as you’re willing. At this retreat you basically renounce all material items, you’re up at 4am, meditating till 9pm, and there’s no eye contact, no external output. There was a moment when I realized I am one with everything. I know it sounds ridiculous but I started balling and then started laughing and was like, “I’m fucking losing it”... but then, “I fucking found it.” And I go back to that moment all the time. 

You seem like a very solution-oriented person. How do the tenets of your business relate to the tenets of your life? 

Jenay: If you are a living, breathing person you are an entrepreneur. I started realizing this when the little squares on Instagram started becoming so much more than that. My business is my reflection of me. You have to ask yourself, “Where am I not showing up for myself?” If that’s not reflected in my own self, it can’t be in my job. 

Often on social media, we see these mindful meditators denouncing alcohol. Do you drink or do drugs? 

Jenay: Yes, if it’s not a problem for you, have your fun, but be hyper aware of what it does to you and how it makes you feel. If it increases your anxiety and stress then it’s time to reflect. Alcohol and drugs aren’t an excuse. The point is to just be present in those moments and aware of how you are feeling in them. 

For those looking to make more mindful steps towards spiritual self-development, what would you recommend as a first step?

Jenay: For mindset, it’s really about learning from someone who has the same mindset or does things you’re inspired by. There’s something so special about having support and a safe container to be vulnerable. When I was life coaching I brought my experiences and offered them to my clients on a silver platter. Anything that is going to make you better is so worth it. We have to change the way we look at self-consciousness. 

Now, for a fun question: favorite social media network? 

Jenay: Instagram. It basically gave me the opportunities that I have now. Without it, we’d be tied down to the ideas of our immediate communities. My corner of the Internet gives people the place to see something they might not normally see. 

Go-to song on Spotify?

Jenay: A kundalini song called “Bahuta Karam.” I love kundalini and sacred music. Brainwaves connect to those types of beats and helps us reprogram consciously. Music is very powerful and can be very healing. 

And for the most fun question of all: what part of your business excites you the most, and why? 

Jenay: I will be re-launching my mastermind program in August for women who feel called to become coaches. I teach them the ins and outs, step-by-step of how to start a heart-centered business using social media to make a big income and impact! Nicole Best (@nikkiibest) is currently a social media strategist for Season 3 of Revenge Body. She does freelance writing for The Fullest and Hello Giggles, and wrote a sketch show for Uprights Citizens Brigade. She’s currently working on her second book of haikus called Haikantwith(out)you, and already has one on the market, Haikantwithyou. Follow along at @haikantwithyou on Instagram for updates.