We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Dahl. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.
Jessica, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
I’ll never forget that day at the high end hair salon in LA that I worked at years ago. I gave up my life in Seattle to pursue my dreams as a celebrity hairdresser & a fitness trainer. One day, a really talented hairdresser and clothing designer walked by me, stopped, and then with a grouchy face asked, “why are you always so smiley?” I said, “well life, is good, why not?” he said, “well it’s weird.” then walked off. In that moment things began to change for me.
I sat down, looked around, and realized no one was smiling that day. (i’m not saying people there never smiled), yet it put into perspective what my reality was. Everyone here worked so hard to become something and here I was really desiring to live a joy filled life, actually love my life and also bringing meaning behind it.
That night I went on a run by the beach in Venice to clear my head. I ended up at the Venice pier and with no one around I closed my eyes and then asked God to help me to meditate. I had never meditated or slowed down enough to do that in my life. I was an always on the go person. In that moment as I listened to the waves crashing, feeling the breeze on my face, I heard a voice, “Be still and know that I am God.” In that moment I opened my eyes as I thought someone was next to me saying that. No one was there. I then felt the most incredible, indescribable amount of peace I had ever felt in my life.
After 5 days of locking myself in my room to get still, listen, and really ponder about my life and what mattered to me, all I could really understand was this.
I wanted to travel the world and help people.
It was such a strong deep knowing, even though it didn’t really make sense how it would happen.
After I mentioned to my dad and one of my other good friends, I found what I was envisioning and looking for.
There was a program that was taking a backpack and a tent around the world for a year to serve the less fortunate from building orphanages, to teaching English, to working with those enslaved in human trafficking, and more.
I felt it in my bones, my body was pounding as I knew this is what I needed to do.
So I made a decision and I sold everything from my life in LA, spent 4 months to prep, fundraise $17,000 and head on this exhibition.
It changed my life.
After that year, after learning so much about myself, about others, God, humanity, the world, cultures, and so much more…
All I wanted to do was bring peoples’ gift to light! If they only saw that they mattered, if they knew they were worthy, if they understood that they have a purpose in this world and how to live a fulfilled life no matter what your story is, your background, or what you think you’re capable of.
From there I started my first non-profit, that led me to my next non-profit, then to create a couple social impact businesses.
Ever since then, it’s led me onto the most magical, wild journey that I have seen, tasted, experienced how blending your own gifting, living your purpose, and then impacting others with it, while making an income is possible!
I now love teaching others about this possibility!
Now I have the opportunity to coach people how to love their life from a holistic approach and create impactful businesses! There is nothing like it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Sure! Well I got this from my bio on my website at www.Jessdahl.com!
Jess Dahl is a Life Purpose, Business Coach & Retreat host for Women, Leaders and Teams to align with themselves & their business through 1-1 coaching & masterminds, workshops, speaking, she’s a published author, podcast host on the Say Yes Anyway Podcast, and co-founder of a non-profit called, Wholeness Journey- A yoga retreat/service trip, whose mission is bringing healing, identity, wholeness & purpose to women, children & families who have been affected by trauma, human trafficking and ultra impoverished locally & globally by yoga and wellness practices, art therapy, storytelling and empowerment experiences.
Jess Dahl is also a team coach that supports companies with their leadership, employees, and team to uplevel their well-being to reduce stress & burnout, build confidence, create healthy company culture, and gain vitality personally and as a team.
Jess has a unique way of making you feel like anything is possible! At a young age, she started writing down her dreams of helping others live out their passion with purpose. Jess’ social entrepreneurial spirit led her to become a hairdresser for 11 years, a fitness trainer & certified yoga instructor. After some clarity on what mattered to her in life, she sold everything and went on a year long mission trip around the world teaching team’s health and fitness while traveling, and helped with projects to fight the injustice of human trafficking, help build orphanages and work with the most impoverished communities. Combining all her experiences and heart for people, all of this has led her to where she is today.
When she’s not changing the world, you can find her hiking, traveling (probably chasing the sun), dancing, exercising, and trying something new with my friends and family.
One of the really fun things about my business/non-profit is that it has cultivated an awesome team from all over the world. This team comes from either experiencing a life changing Wholeness Journey experience, a mastermind or coaching program, retreat, and they have been impacted by the work and so they wanted to help. Because of this, it’s attracted really radical, fun, loving, purposeful and impactful humans around the world! The work we get to do doesn’t actually feel like a job, it feels like a dream. The reason is because we focus on our personal dreams, and we create a team environment to create experiences and roles that allow this to come alive. Our team lives all over the world: I am in Spain currently, team members in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the US, UK and more! I mean, the more you expand, there more responsibility, and to be honest I don’t love the micro details of peoples’ to-do lists, so I have other people help managing, yet I love empowering my team in what they’re best at and focusing on their personal, mental, emotional, spiritual well-being so that we have an incredible team and company culture!
Those that have joined one of the programs or experiences are now a part of a bigger/global community of more purpose-heart driven leaders!
If you are a woman who feels at least 3 of the questions below, I want to invite you to join our Dreams to reality Mastermind that you can find at jessdahl.com that starts October of 2023.
1. Do you have a business, non profit, project or idea in your heart that you want to express to the world, yet don’t know how to even start?
2. Do you feel you are seeking a deeper sense of personal alignment & purpose?
3. Do you desire a sense of community and like-minded women?
4. Do you feel like limiting beliefs, self-sabotage, & imposter syndrome keep holding you back?
5. Do you already have a business or non profit venture that you are doing yet you feel like all the ideas, possibilities, and vision are so much that you need support in the best actionable steps now! You’re ready to make this work!
6. Do you feel like you know know what to grow in your leadership and take your idea and have accountability to take the steps of action?
7. Feel it’s time to leave your 9-5 job yet it’s scary!
8. Do you feel you have a hard time prioritizing yourself & feel overwhelmed, burnt-out and need your energy back?
9. Do you wonder how you can make an impact, while making an income?
10. Are you ready to take action in your dreams and launch them into reality?
I can say that I truly love my life and love what I get the opportunity to do and experience life with those that matter most to me in life! Everyone has that ability, it takes willingness and then aligned action! Go listen to my Say Yes Anyway Podcast and Reach out to me on instagram @jessdahl_ or email me at jess@jessdahl.com if you want to be a part of this beautiful movement and programs!
Rooting for you!
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?
I think many people get tripped up or have imposter syndrome becasue of not having past experience. What I have learned is to NOT LET THAT STOP YOU!
If you are early in your journey remember these are the most important skills you’ll need because you can go anywhere from here
1. A growth mindset- ability to take feedback and grow, learn, shift as you go. If you are stuck in your own ways & controlling what “works for you” then you’ll always stay in the same place. Lean into how you can continue to grow your body, mind, heart, spirit, and any business =/life tasks along the way.
2. Adaptable & resilient- No matter what, when you’re starting off, you will have to pivot many times. You will have to trial & error many things. So become adaptable to what is working, and let go of what is not working is important. If life throws a certain kind of curveball, get back up and keep going. DO NOT GIVE UP. Be consistent in showing up for yourself and others because this is how you’ll build resilience to take on anything that comes your way.
3. Be kind- Life is about relationships. You never know where one relationship, conversation, connection can lead. You never have to be fake even if you’re having a bad day, yet the way you treat others is a reflection of what is going on inside of you. Keep focusing on how you can treat others as if they’re the most important person in the room and you will always have a powerful impact to be remembered by. It will all be worth it in the long run. And being kind is free, it takes nothing from you to be kind.
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?
Of course I am always looking for ways to collaborate!
This is one of the pillars of life that I have because in community, connection and collaboration we go far! If you try to do everything alone, you don’t get very far.
It takes a village to make this world a better place, so why not do it together? I know that we all have different giftings, if we try to be all things to all people, it will never work. So be and do what you are good at and then let others be and do what they are good at and then work together!
These are ways I am always looking to partner up AND I am always open to suggestions, opportunities, and more, just send me a DM on Instagram @jessdahl_ or send me an email at jess@jessdahl.com
1. Collaborate on programs: can be business programs/masterminds, personal development programs/masterminds, wellness programs/masterminds- I have led many types of group programs, and masterminds and always open to co-create
2. Collaborate on retreats: I have led many types of retreats from leadership retreats, co-ed adventure + purpose retreats, wellness retreats, spiritual/faith based retreats, mission trip experiences, Camino de Santiago retreat/trip, ALL both INTERNATIONAL/LOCAL. – I am open to collaborate on a retreat you already have or co-create together!
3. Conferences/Events: I have created many types of events such as leadership events, wellness events, impact/social good events, speaking at conferences, leading workshops/experiences and I am open to collaborate on events or conferences you may have or co-create together
4. Collaborate on referring clients- I have a referral program for those who send ideal clients my way. If you are interested in $ by referring someone or if you have a referral program that I can send ideal clients/customers your way, I am happy to!
5. Podcast collaboration- I have a podcast called Say Yes Anyway Podcast and always looking for aligned guests for the podcast OR to be a guest on podcasts!
6. Brand/company partnerships- Anything related to wellness, empowerment, impact, entrepreneurship is my jam! Reach out if you have a brand or company and would like to collaborate- always open for fun ways to implement more together!
DM me on instagram @jessdahl_ if any of these look like a potential, or email me at jess@jessdahl.com
Looking forward to collaborating to make more of a ripple effect on this planet!
Contact Info:
- Website:www.jessdahl.com
- Instagram: @jessdahl_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicadahl.2442
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-dahl-22651337/
- Other: Podcast: Say Yes Anyway Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ipzcrlxlrmyOG2kN80CJr?si=aaa78bf0b9864125 Non-Profit: Wholeness Journey www.wholnessjourney.org
Image Credits
Julia Schweiss Christina Wolf
