Hi, I’m Jess.

My full name is Jess Genevieve Brown, hence the nickname.

It’s more than just a nickname, really. I’ve always felt like there are two versions of me. Jess shows up in the world one way, and JGB another. They’re both definitely me, but they feel like completely different identities.

Jess had a difficult childhood. She spent her formative years in an abusive home and was then sent out into the world on her own at 15, which led to many years of blindly running and numbing on autopilot.

She suffered on her own for a long time, became a full-blown alcoholic by the age of 30, lost all control and lived in fear knowing she might not survive long enough to see 40.

At 35, she took a leap of faith, got sober and started doing the work. Now, she is healing. And while all that is so positive and powerful… it’s hard being Jess. 

She lives in a highly-sensitive body, with a neurodivergent (auDHD), traumatized (C-PTSD) brain. More often than not, she is dysregulated, reactive, fearful, anxious, dissociated, shame-ridden, distracted, distrustful, moody, intense, aggressive, avoidant, and stuck in negative, self-limiting thought loops.

Now that she’s sober, she no longer has any easy-button solutions to take the edge off… which makes her isolate and hide away from the world so she doesn’t cause any harm (to herself, or others).

JGB is who I feel I am truly meant to be. Underneath all the trauma responses, I am grounded, calm, fearless, high-vibrating, filled with joy, playful, kind-natured, caring, a good listener, wicked-smart, sharp-witted, funny, infinitely curious, larger than life, and capable of anything I set my mind to.

What we have in common is that we’re both hellbent on Making JGB.

For a long time, I thought ‘making it’ meant I had to hide what was ‘wrong with me’ and prove my value by becoming a successful career person with lots of money, influence and power.

But now, at this stage in the healing journey, I’ve come to learn there is absolutely nothing wrong with me.

I have nothing to hide. All these parts of me are valid and acceptable. Beautiful and necessary. I am exactly who, where, and how I’m meant to be.

I started this blog and called it Making JGB over 15 years ago thinking that I would use it to document the process of becoming a rags to riches success story.

But now, Making JGB isn’t so much about making it in that sense. Instead, it’s the story of my journey toward accepting, loving, and integrating all these parts of myself.

To me, the process of making yourself means doing the work to heal and self-actualize so you can truly thrive as who you are meant to be (JGB) instead of living blindly on autopilot and simply surviving (Jess).

Through the process of doing the work to heal, I am showing up in service to my higher self. I am shedding what doesn’t serve me well and I am both discovering and stepping into my true identity (which is made up of all these parts of me).

It’s not always easy to walk this path, but I have faith that I am love and light. Every day I remind myself to surrender, because I truly believe I am meant to trust in this step-by-step process. One day at a time.

Through Making JGB, I intend to document my healing process – in hopes of inspiring you to do the work too.

By making a difference in ourselves, we have the power to inspire change in others.

Each and every one of us has the power to make a difference and create positive change in the world.  

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I shared the following post to the Solo Female Traveler Network right before COVID hit, and I was blown away by the result.

The response I received made me realize how much my story resonates with others.

I feel compelled to continue putting myself out there like this, not just to inspire but to provide support and encourage people to KEEP GOING.

Please feel free to reach out if any of what I share resonates 🖤