We have a bunch of amazing experts giving advice about the topics we talk about on our Wellness app.
Let’s meet Jacqui Jones, who has qualifications in child and adolescent welfare, teaching mindfulness meditation and positive psychology.
“I have always felt driven to help and hopefully empower our younger generations and over the course of my career, I have always been involved in either direct work with children and young people or through my involvement in education and training,” says Jacqui.
“After experiencing some mental health challenges of my own, later in life, this made me want to understand more about the human mind and I also trained to become a meditation teacher. These days, I feel very grateful that my personal and working life blend together so well and I absolutely love what I do!
“I really do enjoy helping others tap into their true potential through various tools such as meditation and visualisation. I think there is so much that we haven’t been taught about the power of our minds and we all have the ability to create enormous change, if we want to.
“I like to share my own story, in the hope that it inspires others to overcome their own self-doubt and step into the best version of themselves possible. I think life is a wonderful journey and we are here to learn from each other as much as we can.”
What are the common health challenges you come across?
“I think it’s very easy to become a victim of our own habits and programming. Fortunately, with increased self-awareness we can start to make big changes through taking relatively small steps,” says Jacqui.
“For example, by tuning into our bodies and the way that we feel, we are better placed to understand if we are ’emotional eaters’ and eat as a result of feeling a certain way.
“Self-awareness and the desire to want to change is the first step but stepping outside of your comfort zone is also a huge part of it.”
What are the most common problems you face at work?
“I think in every aspect of life there is always going to be people around you that tell you ‘no’ or that critcise your ideas. I have learnt over the years that it takes a lot of courage to be creative and to persist with your ideas,” she says.
“If your heart is set on something, use this as motivation and always keep your end goal in mind. There is a great quote that says: “Man who says it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it.” Or in this case, the ‘woman’ doing it. Keep following your heart, it knows the way!
“Meditation has literally been life changing for me. It has not only helped me build my mental fitness, but it has opened the doors to a spiritual life that I am just so grateful for. In terms of overall wellbeing my ‘go to’s’ are:- (1) sleep (2) staying hydrated (3) connecting with myself through meditation (4) connecting with nature (5) connecting with others!”
What is your favourite quote?
“To be kind, honest and have positive thoughts; to forgive those who harm us and treat everyone as a friend; to help those who are suffering and never to consider ourselves superior to anyone else: even if this advice seems rather simplistic, make the effort of seeing whether by following it you can find greater happiness.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
What are the most common mistakes or misconceptions people have about your area of expertise?
“That I must feel happy and positive all the time; which of course, is not true! I still have my ‘up’s and downs’, it’s just that I am alot more self-aware now and have learnt to ride the emotional roller coaster of life so much better. I
” am also very good at reminding myself that nothing is permanent, so whenever I find myself in a challenging moment, I know that it won’t last forever.”