Meet Jenna Hernandez

We were lucky to catch up with Jenna Hernandez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

My peak moment of self-confidence and self-esteem came after hitting my lowest point. The pandemic, a toxic relationship, and burnout from constantly helping others left me feeling lost. As a school counselor, I often encourage my students to advocate for themselves and embrace their emotions, but I realized I wasn’t living up to that advice. I felt like I was being fake, which drove me to work hard on fixing my broken parts so I could continue helping my students authentically. While my students often thank me for the kindness, love, and care I show them, during this time, it was me thanking them. They helped me find myself again and learn how to love this new me.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Over the past four years, I’ve discovered many different versions of myself on this journey. The most transformative moment came when I took a solo trip to Hawaii for half the summer. As someone who has always loved to travel but never ventured out alone, that experience felt like the missing puzzle piece. It was my own version of Eat, Pray, Love.

That trip opened my eyes to the fact that while not every day is a good day, there’s always something good in every day. It confirmed my deep love for travel, which led me to pursue opportunities that keep me connected to that world. As an educator, I often preach the importance of self-care but had been guilty of neglecting it myself. I never felt the true power of self-care until that solo trip to my favorite island. It was so transformative that I knew I wanted to make it a consistent part of my life.

This realization pushed me to start my own travel agent business. Initially, I did it with the intention of promoting self-care, self-love, and confidence travel to other educators, knowing how tough the world of education can be. But it quickly became so much more than that. It’s now a huge part of who I am. The roller coaster of losing and finding myself, being a school counselor, and embracing travel all came together, forming one cohesive version of me.

For a long time, I felt like I had to compartmentalize my passions creating different accounts and blogs for mental health, self-love, education, and travel. But the truth is, I am all those things wrapped into one.

I am in love with traveling, learning about different places, and most importantly, stepping into different oceans and checking off items from my adrenaline junkie bucket list! While I focus on being a travel agent for all, I’m incredibly excited to announce that I am planning an Educator Summer Holiday Trip! There’s nothing like the feeling educators have on that last day of school, and it’s time we celebrate it together.

Connecting with other educators on social media has become one of my favorite things because it’s such a supportive space to learn, decompress, and lift each other up, no matter where you’re from or what grade level you teach. So, I’ll soon be announcing an All-Inclusive Caribbean Island Educator Group Trip this summer for any educator who wants to join me!

We build amazing friendships online with our educator community, but rarely get to meet in person! This trip will be the perfect opportunity to make that happen.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Self-awareness was an area of knowledge that had a significant impact on my journey. Understanding where I was lacking in confidence and acknowledging that I wasn’t living up to my own advice was the first crucial step. Recognizing my emotional state also helped me work on fixing those “broken parts.”

A key skill in my journey was resilience. Navigating burnout, a toxic relationship, and the pandemic required me to stay resilient, learn from setbacks, and keep pushing forward despite the challenges. There were many times I was ready to give in and accept that state of mind and life, but something bigger in me refused to allow that. Adapting to my circumstances allowed me to grow through them and reach a better place.

Lastly, my passion for connection and self-care was another area of knowledge that greatly impacted my journey. Embracing travel and prioritizing self-care not only renewed my energy but also expanded my perspective on life. I’ve channeled this passion into creating meaningful experiences for others, especially educators, through my travel agent business.

My advice to others early in their journeys is to be truly honest with yourself. We often get consumed by trying to live a lifestyle that suits everyone but ourselves. Enter your “you era” and embrace both the lows and the highs. Try a little bit of everything to figure out who you are in the moment. Find your passions and what makes you uniquely you. Use the mistakes you’ve made as a guide for how to navigate future situations. You’re not the same person you were yesterday. You’re a new person each day. Work on that person every day. Although the road to self-discovery has many bumps, the journey is unlike any other, and your story has an incredible purpose.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

In my journey, I am looking to connect with educators and travel lovers who share a passion for self-care, adventure, and personal growth. I believe in the importance of both mental health and travel as forms of rejuvenation, especially for those in high-stress fields like education. I’m seeking to collaborate with individuals who are passionate about:

Educator Well-being: People who understand the unique challenges educators face and are passionate about supporting their self-care through meaningful travel experiences.

Travel Enthusiasts: Travelers who see exploration as a way to expand their perspective, whether it’s solo travel, group trips, or experiential learning.

Mental Health Advocates: Individuals who value emotional wellness and are dedicated to helping others find balance through life’s ups and downs.

If you’re someone who wants to inspire others through travel, support educators with mental health and wellness initiatives, or even collaborate on retreats and group trips, I’d love to connect! You can reach me through my social media platforms, or by email, and let’s start creating something transformative together. Your insights, ideas, and passion are what I’m looking for to grow this community of educator travelers. Let’s collaborate and make a difference in the lives of those who do so much for others!

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