We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Gonzalez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jennifer, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
My confidence and self-esteem generally come from exploiting and capitalizing on my own insecurities. This is my method for turning insecurities into superpowers because it opens the door to connection, which is where all confidence and self-esteem live in perpetuity. I created a colonic brand that speaks to bathroom insecurities, which I struggled with as a little girl. The overwhelming response I receive from my audience and clients who feel encouraged to identify and overcome their own bathroom anxiety as a result of my content is very validating and certainly self-esteem building!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Doody Free Girl began as a blog in 2012 when I was working as a colon hydrotherapist in NYC and I noticed a recurring theme amongst my female clients: they all had bathroom anxiety that originated from childhood or a first vacation with a new boyfriend. Blogging instantly became a passion of mine motivated by the catharsis of the writing process and reinforcement from my readers (I didn’t expect anyone to actually read, nevermind benefit from my writing!). I looked forward to writing every single night knowing how good it made me feel and also feeling a sense of responsibility to an active audience. Eventually, I appropriately used the name Doody Free Girl for my current colonic practice that I opened up in 2015. I feel truly blessed and honored to have the ability to guide clients and readers into embracing their God-given right to healthy bowel movements and a healthy relationship with their miraculous bodies.
My service-oriented business is quickly becoming a product-oriented business as I look forward to offering bidets, enemas and potty training books in the very near future!
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?
A quality I believe that has been most impactful in my journey is literally following my gut. When something feels good in my core, I know I’m on the right track despite what anyone says. Period. Learning to trust your gut is an invaluable quality I believe everyone must hone to make the most beneficial decisions both big and small for oneself. Only through trial and error will you sharpen this instinct.
A skill that was most impactful for me was practicing colonics on myself as a means of really learning what a potential client is experiencing. It is in my nature to use myself always as a petri dish until I feel confident in my ability and belief before promoting any service or product. I recommend always finding a mentor you trust and respect to guide you through your journey. An apprenticeship is an ideal exchange between two people where the student gets invaluable insider access and this offers the mentor the opportunity to teach their craft and in turn, spread the value of their life’s work.
Area of knowledge is huge. We are in the era of knowledge where we all must remain humbled by the fact that no one knows everything and we all have so much to learn from and teach each other. Continuous study of holistic, alternative and even mainstream practices is something I’m passionate about and allows me to constantly exchange potentially useful and healing information with my clients. My advice to everyone on their journey is to keep learning for your own sake as well as the sake of others. Learn from your elders. Learn from your children. Learn from your clients. Learn from nature. Keep learning. Keep growing.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, I allow myself to take a break from thinking, preferably in nature either with friends and family or alone. This could mean taking a yoga class, listening to music, dancing, surfing, going for a walk, skateboarding, watching Netflix, meditating, any self-care practice (acupuncture, facial, massage). I recently read somewhere that engaging in hobbies where you easily lose track of time is truly the way to tap into presence and ultimately Source energy, which is the ultimate flow of creativity, abundance, and connectivity with purpose (that is my understanding of my truth anyway!).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.doodyfreegirl.com
- Instagram: @doodyfreegirl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoodyFreeGirl/
- Twitter: @doodyfreegirl
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/doody-free-girl-jersey-city
Image Credits
Ylva Erevall (@ylvaerevall) Ashley Jacklyn (@jacklynlune.photos)
