By Jessica Summers
We need to inspire new leaders who can hold up a mirror for others so that they can see their own brilliance.
In August 2021, I left behind my home to start a new future, in a country I had never even visited. This radical change created a seismic shift in my life, and from there a vision evolved: The world needs new, empathic leaders—and I wanted to help them find their voice.
There are those who travel the world and those of us who stay at home. I had always been safely in the “stay-at-home category.”
But the days of endless turmoil in Spring 2020 changed me. I saw plane trails across the sky, while remaining landlocked in my garden, and I swore that, as soon as I possibly could, I would leave the country—and the town—where I had lived my whole life.
So, in summer 2021, I packed my car full to bursting, gave away everything else I owned, and put my house on the market. With my husband and 6-year-old daughter in tow, we drove 1,600 miles across Europe to Montenegro.
My family’s reaction? They were horrified. Why were we going Montenegro—a country we’d barely even heard of and didn’t speak the language. How would we live? What about our daughter?”
It was hard to explain to them why I needed to do this. I had no answers. But in my life I have made following the energy more vital than thinking and risk assessment.
The journey itself presented challenges, including negotiating the myriad COVID rules as we crossed each border. It then took another three long months before our house in the UK finally sold. It was a testing time. We had no guarantees. We have also had to make choices with a rapidity that left me dizzy. BUT we have had mind-blowing experiences.
I realized I had to step up and truly commit to my life—no one was going to do it for me. If your main aim in life is to be comfortable, safe and secure then you must slowly kill the wild miraculousness of you.
The move has had a dramatic effect on my career direction, too. As a hypno-psychotherapist, I had already noticed that once clients admitted they wanted more and committed to living a bigger life—one that was uniquely “them”—their symptoms went away. Stepping onto this path myself has opened up a whole new direction for me, too.
Inspired by my journey, I was suddenly gripped by the desire to undertake a grueling 28-day challenge I named TRUE GRIT. The plan? To undertake a high-intensity exercise program for 28 days—not for vanity’s sake, but because I had a theory: If you choose one thing that makes your hands shake and your palms sweat—and you fully commit to it for 28 days, no quitting—then it will install the element of true grit into every area of your life. It proved to be true!
The results were remarkable and life-changing for everyone who took part. People moved homes, met new partners, wrote and published songs and, above all, faced their demons.
I’m aware that there are some people out there who consistently start but don’t finish, choose less than they’re capable of, step forward then step back and hide. They generally live life feeling like they are never going to make it. Yet, these are the leaders of the future, and they need a unique community where they are free to become all they can be. I wanted the challenge to encourage people to step up—and it was incredible to witness this in action.
But I don’t want to be anyone’s guru. We really don’t need that kind of leader now. We need people who can hold up a mirror for others so that they can see their own brilliance. I take part in the challenges along with the participants to help them truly commit to themselves and become leaders of their own lives.
They have to see my willingness to not know what’s going to happen next—my vulnerability—because I’m the biggest control freak there is. So if I can do it, believe me, anyone can!
This is what will create a better world: the space of vulnerability.
I am excited to expand this unique brand of mentorship, coaching and free community challenges to develop effective, powerful and autonomous empathic leaders. My hope is that these quietly courageous people will go out there and show the world how it’s done!
I want to help the empaths, imposter-syndrome sufferers, perfectionists and intentional underachievers. This one’s for you! Being a leader doesn’t require followers—it means stepping into ALL you can be. It’s simple and unique to each person. When we do that, everything works in our lives.
We stop trying to solve small problems and get curious about what kind of world we’d like to create in the future.
And the community element of the TRUE GRIT challenge is indispensable to this. We do it together and that’s what makes the difference. It seems magical things can happen when you shake up your world. You don’t need to move halfway around the planet to do it. But maybe it helps
Jessica Summers is an intuitive life coach, empathic energy coach and inspirational speaker who helps empathic entrepreneurs and coaches connect with their authentic voice and big mission, allowing them to transcend the marketplace, becoming much needed thought leaders. She lives in Montenegro with her husband and young daughter. Explore her world here: https://www.jessicasummershypnogenics.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-summers-hypnogenics/