Meet Jackie Gronlund | Author & Podcast Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jackie Gronlund and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackie, what do you attribute your success to?
For my business to be successful, I need to personally be at a place where I’m continually growing as a human being. The main focus of my business revolves around mental health and personal growth (I would argue that even it wasn’t this would still be vital), so the people who are inclined to want to follow and listen or read more are most likely on that journey as well. If I want my content to be worth these people’s time and attention, I can’t bullshit them. I have to actually be doing my own work, asking my own questions, and growing as well in order to produce authentic content that is true. People are too smart to not notice if I’m not when that is the point of the content I’m putting out into the world. It’s incredibly important to recognize that your audience is smart and they can smell bullshit. If I’m putting out work that is about conversations around eating disorders or rape culture, I better be doing my own work to understand those things first, before opening my mouth.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an author, speaker, and podcast host of The Unity Project with a focus is on embodiment. I’m extremely passionate about discussions around bodies and how society has shaped how we view them. My hope is to expand the conversations out there about the relationships we have with our bodies.

My two most recent projects are my podcast and my third upcoming book (The name is undecided, so we’ll just refer to it as TUP Book).

I’ve wanted to start a podcast for a long time, knowing it would be called The Unity Project, but didn’t have a clear idea about what that meant until I left treatment for my eating disorder. In treatment, it became clear that most, if not all, of my questions there, went back to the relationship that I had with my body. It wasn’t a question I was used to, and definitely not one I was comfortable with. But the farther I went into healing, the more important it was proven to be. I was desperate to continue having conversations around this post-treatment, which led to my decision to start The Unity Project podcast and make it about the relationships that we have with our bodies. My hope for my podcast is that it will continue to spark these conversations in everyday life for my listeners and myself, paving paths for us to continue to untangle the messes that lead to disconnection in the first place. I believe that when we are living a life with the goal of connection to our bodies, true connectedness to each other will be inevitable.

Now, books!

I didn’t know I was going to be a writer, growing up I wanted to be a dolphin trainer. But the more I started paying attention to the world around me, asking questions that felt important, and recognizing my own voice and power, writing became my most precious world. When I wrote my first book, Be Free, I had no idea what I was doing. I am so proud of myself for being brave enough to try, to learn, to not be afraid of failing. It was in my second book, Finding Home, that I believe I truly became an author. I learned incredible amounts about what it means to tell a powerful story during that process and grew so much as a writer.

My most recent book, I believe, is my most powerfully written piece of work yet. I’m the proudest of this one and the most excited to share because I trust the person I’ve become in the story. This is the book where I’m finally asking the right questions, and finally stepping into my power. The stories I share in it, about trauma therapy, eating disorder treatment, and falling in love with my soon-to-be wife, Kailey, have transformed my life in the most magical and wild ways. It is through these stories that I have become my truest most beautifully and untamed (s/o Glennon Doyle) self. That is the book I want to put out into the world.

It took a lot of learning and unlearning to get to where I am now. I for sure went through all the phases of trying to be what the world wanted me to be, or what the internet seemed to care the most about, which ended up bleeding into my personal life as well and made me really sick. I didn’t know where I fit, what message I wanted to share, or what I even cared about for the longest time. I think it was when I started paying attention and caring offline and when I started doing therapy for REAL, that I found the answer to those questions. Once I started creating art and content and conversations about those things, that was when I found the people who cared about what I have to say, which I believe is a success.

Some important lessons I’ve learned through this are:
Know when to be quiet.
Know when to ask questions.
Know when you don’t know, and be ready to learn.
Know the difference between what you believe, and what the world wants you to believe.
Don’t use people. Not even a little. Nobody deserves that.
Write. Every single day, in a journal or a google doc or something, just write.
Don’t be afraid to write badly.
Be proud of you.
Know your worth.
Don’t listen to narcissistic assholes who make you doubt any of these things.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh there are some very important stops that we would need to make if my best friend came to visit me in San Diego.

Coffee is always and forever a must when starting the day, so I would take them to what I believe is the best spot in the city, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. Specifically the original location in La Jolla, the baristas there are the absolute kindest and I’ve met so many interesting people there just by hanging out. I have never not felt right at home, and their coffee is fair trade and delicious. We could grab some breakfast there too, then take that super long three minute drive to the beach.

A must visit beach we would visit is La Jolla Cove. I’d take my bestie for a walk up and down the coast where we would pass seal beach, and if we’re lucly, catch a bunch of those cuties sun bathing. Then, we’d sit on one of the rock cliffs and watch the waves, maybe do a little yoga, and read a book to start the day.

Once we’ve caught our fair share of the ocean, I’ll probably be craving some poke for lunch. There’s places to get that all over, but one of my favorites is over in Pacific Beach, PB Poke house. That’s where all of our raw fish dreams can come true.

There’s lots of fun shopping to do in Pacific Beach, which we’d definitely check out next. I’m a huge fan of any kind of thrift shop, so I’d take them to the Buffalo Exchange just a few blocks up the road. You never know what you’re going to find in there. I also love Pangea Outpost, that’s where we could find pretty much anything we’d want to shop for: Clothes, homegoods, books, games, jewelry, joke gifts, socks, etc. We’d need some time and spare change to hang there for a while.

Later on, I’d love to take my best friend back to La Jolla to have dinner and watch the sunset from Trilogy Cafe. That’s a spot we would for sure have to come back to another day for a unique yoga class, a coffee, or any other meal. Trilogy is one of. the coolest places I’ve found.

The next day, I would want to take them to Point Loma. Bird Rock has another great location in Liberty Station that we could get our morning coffee, Breakfast Republic for the fanciest brunch we could imagine, and some increible places to explore. I love Moniker General. I’ve found the most unique pieces of clothing there from brands that I love, and brands I’ve never heard of. We could then walk a few steps to the other side of the building and grab some drinks at Moniker Coffee Co. That place is beautiful, and they also have a bar that offers incredible zero proof cocktails as well.

Before heading out, we’d have to get some sushi at Ikiru, take a last gander through the public market, and head to Sunset Cliff. We’d hike along that ocean view trail and hopefully catch the most beautiful sunset we’ve seen so far.

The next day, I’d take them across the bridge to Coronado. We’d grab our long boards and roller skates and head out on the Bayshore Bikeway for a while, listening to the Bleachers or Muna or something like that to get the party started. There’s so much to explore in Coronado, but a couple of the must visits are Bay Books Coronado and Emerald City Surf shop.

The rest of the trip would look a lot like those few days, but in some different areas around San Diego. Bookstores are my favorite places in the world, so we’d spend a good amount of time in Diesel in the Del Mar Highlands town Center, and D.G. Wills Books. Diesel is one of my favorite indie book sotres with an incredibly beautiful selection to enjoy, and D.G. Wills is one of the more unique, increidble places to get lost in. They have a mixture of new and used books, with some older than I’ve ever seen. I’m a huge history nerd, so I could get lost in there for hours if I wanted to.

We can’t forget dessert. Nobody can. I found the best gelato I have ever tasted in Bottega Italiana in the UTC mall. They have the flavor, wait for, pear. PEAR. I am obsessed with all things pears (hello Genovia), and this is a dessert a will never forget and continue to go back and beg for.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The main person who I will always thank is my partner, Kailey. She has continued to love me through every phase I’ve been through, encourage growth and rest when needed, and has been the most supportive human being I’ve ever met. I love you, Kailey.

I’d also like to thank my therapist who has worked with me over the past few years in the most patient, honest, and compassionate way. She has shown me that I have everything I need already, and walked with me through the process of uncovering what that is.

Finally, the most badass of all badasses, thank you, Glennon Doyle. For so many obvious reasons. Everything you say and write has helped me grow in the most beautifully important ways.

Website: https://linktr.ee/jackiegronlund

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackieg.tv/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackieeg7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackieeg7

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LPlbo9VTdYyVbq8khBClA

Image Credits
Engagement Photos By: The Hendrys