Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leena Jun. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leena, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My idea of purpose is intertwined with my idea of calling, and I guess you could say that I found (or rediscovered) my purpose slowly…by disengaging myself from others’ expectations/demands, layer by layer, and simultaneously nurturing my core interests.
A few years ago, I began investigating the significant intersections of my life…the roles that I cherished the most, the activities that I could get lost in, the people, experiences, and things of this world that evoked awe, gratitude, and joy. Once I had that “mapped out,” I felt prepared to explore my purpose/calling with some real intention. So I began writing. I wrote consistently for months, noting observations and fleshing out my thoughts and feelings. My goal was small…I simply wanted to build up a writing habit. About a year later, I stepped out of my comfort zone and submitted my first piece of writing for publication. It was for a small independent publisher who was putting together an anthology for the following year, and one of my micro essays about being a minority woman was accepted. I also wrote two devotionals for a faith-based publisher about forgiveness and worship, which also got accepted soon after, and I am now in the midst of a poetry project that I hope to publish as well.
Upon retrospect, I realize that until I gave myself permission to write, I often felt that my primary job was to perform in someone else’s interpretation of my life, and that my own interests could only be engaged in shallow spurts and compromised pieces. As the daughter of immigrants, I pursued external symbols of success and climbed the proverbial ladder to validate my parents’ many sacrifices, yet all the while suppressing deeper questions and suffocating other desires. By the time the pandemic hit, I had already met several of my professional goals, even obtaining a Masters degree in a previously unfamiliar field after the birth of my daughter. But continuing to ignore the parts of me that had always simmered beneath the surface also meant a continual atrophying of my soul, and how would I raise my girl to thrive in this complex world if I myself merely existed?
Writing is my love song and my rebel cry. My interior landscape expands with each word that is laid down. I’ve been told that my words have helped others on their own journeys of release, and I find that immeasurably gratifying. I also no longer self-reject, which has made all the difference. Even the most timid steps can lead to new lands, and that’s where I find myself today, grateful and content, as a writer and poet.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
What I love about writing is its versatility. I view it as both a creative endeavor and a therapeutic one. It’s grounding and reorienting all at the same time. A couple of my friends work as therapists, and both have asked for permission to use some of my poetry in their sessions with clients. One of them in particular has been encouraging me to write more poetry specifically about healing…what it can look like and how it can feel. I have a bit of a background in Psychology so I think that helps. Healing takes various forms and the actual process can feel circuitous or nonlinear, which can be quite frustrating to those of us who are extremely goal-oriented and prefer structured steps. Some of my poems address the healing process directly, and others indirectly, but I think it’s a thread that runs through all of my writing. I’m excited to see if/how I can contribute to communities dedicated to holding space for healing and to individuals committed to doing the work of healing, for themselves and for others. At some point in the near future I’d also like to continue my formal education and go for a doctorate in Psychology, but I’m not in a rush.
In the meantime, I plan on continuing to post/publish when I can, work on my poetry collection and my first book, and be available to those who are interested in doing some narrative work/coaching, which I’ve been doing informally for years. I also recently had the privilege of participating in my first reading of my micro essay from the NonWhite and Woman Anthology, which was a wonderful experience. If anyone enjoys attending live readings and wants to support smaller, more independent bookstores, Libro Mobile in Santa Ana is a great one to visit!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say the top three qualities/skills that impacted my journey are:
1. Empathy, which allows me to put myself in others’ shoes, and gives me the patience to try to see things from others’ perspectives, which engenders trust.
2. Curiosity, which propels me to move from mere interest to research/learning, and keeps me from giving up.
3. Critical thinking, which enable me to comfortably question assumptions and connections between the seemingly unrelated, reflect on my own observations, formulate opinions from various streams of data, and give me a bias towards understanding before acting.
In more toxic environments, empathy can often be dismissed or even derided as sensitivity, curiosity can be perceived as a sign of immaturity or a lack of focus, and a penchant for deep thinking can be viewed as a setback or stumbling block. But safe, healthy environments will value these qualities and encourage them. Without them, I doubt I would have been able to successfully transition from one profession to another, from corporate graphic designer to business owner to grad student to professor to academic editor and writer/poet. Regardless of profession or industry, I encourage everyone to be intentional about:
* Questioning ideas, systems, and even yourself with curiosity and empathy so that you can maintain an open mind. Open minds learn better than closed ones.
* Practicing compassion. Be gentle with yourself and with others, even if you vehemently disagree with them. Get comfortable expressing genuine remorse for any hurtful actions without internalizing shame. Be gracious when someone does the same for you. Use your words and anything else you have available to you to improve, not shut down. That can be applied to your relationships (both personal and professional) as well as to larger social structures.
* Cultivating your voice…practice writing. Writing is communicating, and it is an overlooked art and skill. Pen letters not just emails. Journal. Jot down a few lines of rhyme when you’re overwhelmed by your emotions. Offer up words of encouragement to someone who least expects it. When you disagree with somebody, write down your arguments first…draft them, think of what the other person might say, draft rebuttals…refine your stance.
Above all, read. Better readers make better writers make better thinkers make better leaders.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I don’t think it’s a matter of either/or. As a lifelong learner, I believe a commitment to learning for as long as you can, however you can, is always a good idea. Not only can we better position ourselves for future opportunities, but as we age, learning becomes an important buffer against cognitive impairment. That said, I think it’s imperative to hone our strengths and keep them fresh, but I also believe that life is exponentially more fulfilling when we invest effort in improving ourselves. New skills can open unexpected doors, lead us on surprising pathways, and show us that we are capable of more than we thought.
Once, in my early corporate years, I was promoted to a role that positioned me over a more senior colleague. While grateful, I did not understand why. Years later, I discovered that it was my willingness to learn and adapt that propelled me forward in my career. While he stalled my manager and directors had confidence in me because I was open to change and kept abreast of relevant enhancements that could help further our objectives as a team and as a company. My curiosity kept me learning, my empathy helped me connect with various stakeholders, and my critical thinking enabled me to analyze and implement best practices. I don’t think I would have had the experiences I have had or grown as much in the years since, otherwise.
Contact Info:
- Website: reveleena.com
- Instagram: @justleenaj
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/reveleena/
