Jen
“The world is going to tell us a million things about who we should be, how we should dress, and what we should do. There is so much power in ignoring society’s standards and doing what you feel is right for YOU instead of what the world tells you.”
Jen is creative, collaborative, and perceptive; she makes space for others and always lends an ear. She courageously overcame challenges at a young age, which helped shape her empathetic nature. She has transferred her experiences and advice into writing — building a blog centered around encouraging and educating other women on a range of products, insights and life lessons. Meet Jen. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
J: My name is Jen Flanagan and I work as a PR and Marketing Specialist in Boston, MA, USA. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Gender Studies. I'm so passionate about studying the intersection of media and gender. I spent a lot of my time in uni studying how gender has been shaped over time (especially within the media) and I wrote my undergraduate thesis about women's empowerment ad campaigns. It was a wonderful project and it even won an award at the national level!
I love investing in my family and friends, traveling, self-care activities, reading, and writing. I started a blog in September (@wavesandfaves) which has been such a great way to collaborate and connect with other women while being creative.
K: Describe yourself in your own words
J: I would describe myself as an empath, a creative, a writer, and a beautiful work in progress! I never want to stop growing and evolving. I love listening and learning from others because I believe each of us has a life lesson to share with someone else.
K: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
J: I believe my empathy and genuine compassion are my favorite things about myself. I am always trying to truly listen to people when they speak to me instead of just "hearing" them. I believe there is a big difference and that this is a learned skill to constantly practice and be self-aware of so we can have better relationships with others. I strive to do this for others so they know they can turn to me when they want an attentive, non-judgmental ear.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
J: There are so many collective experiences and people who have made me the person I am today. I have experienced different forms of abuse from different men of power in my life, and overcoming those experiences and redefining who I am and who I want to be on my own terms has definitely made me stronger. I believe our trials show our true character and can make us or break us, and it's beautiful to me when people can turn tragedy into triumph.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
J: The advice I would give to a younger version of me would be to stay calm and reassure her she’s doing the best she can. Around the time I was 12 and in middle school was awful, one of the worst times of my life, because I was experiencing so much. Not only was I dealing with all of the typical puberty struggles everyone faces at that age, but I was also dealing with the abuse from my birth father, accepting my step dad as my mom got remarried, moved into a new house in a new city, started a new school, and essentially gave up everything I knew to start fresh after my mom got remarried. It was a lot to process and I think I handled it all exceptionally well for being so young. For the younger version of myself from college, I would tell her she's making a great decision by staying focused on her degree instead of getting hung up on guys, because they always come and go LOL!
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
J: Being a woman to me means staying authentic to who you are and what you want. The world is going to tell us a million things about who we should be, how we should dress, and what we should do. There is so much power in ignoring society's standards and doing what you feel is right for YOU instead of what the world tells you. I think we all need to have our own definition of what being a woman means to us in order for us to feel empowered. Coming from my academic brain when it comes to gender in society, it's important to remember that gender is a social construct. Being a woman doesn't mean heels and pink for every woman, but it does for some, and having that choice is important.
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
J: I have such wonderful women in my life who support me and inspire me, I feel so blessed! My friend Whitney always comes to mind as a woman who inspires me the most because she is so authentic and genuine. Our friendship is rooted in laughter and good vibes. We are always rooting for each other, sharing resources, and cheering each other on. We can call each other out when we need to and know it comes from a place of love. I appreciate how I can be honest and vulnerable with her without judgment. She was one of the first people I told when I was planning to launch my blog and she has supported me from day one. Now she's in esthetics school and I get to cheer her on too in her new adventure. We love each other in the present before we've reached our goals, and we love each other once we've achieved them. Those are the friends you cherish forever.
