Sunny Star: Jordan Brown

If there is any girl that is adding positivity to our lives, it’s Jordan Brown. She and I are actually from the same hometown and we found out recently that we went to all the same schools growing up. Yet it wasn’t until recently that I got connected with Jordan because I was so inspired by her mission to help young women live better lives. For her it’s all about strengthening your self-esteem.After having met with Jordan, it’s clear how at peace she is with her life. She radiates what she writes about—self-esteem, confidence, and compassion—she has it all. I’m so honored to share her interview with you today and I encourage you to pick up her book to learn more about what she says.Here is website for more information: http://girlsguidetolovinglife.com/ You can also “like” her Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/girlsguidetolovinglife?fref=tsWithout further ado, here my interview with Jordan Brown:1.      You recently wrote and published your first book, The Girl's Guide to Loving Life. What inspired you to write the book?A few years ago, I was completely unaware of where true happiness and self-fulfillment came from. I searched for instant gratification in Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, fast food drive-thrus, shopping malls, in a romantic partner, etc. Consequently, I became overweight and insecure, in credit card debt, and felt stuck in an unhappy relationship, unsure of how to be happy on my own. It wasn’t until I turned to self-help books for guidance that I got a glimpse of how to create long-lasting happiness for myself and others; I realized that everything I needed or wanted to be happy was already inside of me – I just had to manifest it! I didn’t need to fill a void inside of me with food, buy more ‘stuff’, or depend on another’s praise or opinions for my self-worth. I needed a true love for myself, an attitude of gratitude, and happiness that wasn’t dependent on outside circumstances.I started reading for hours on end about happiness, self-esteem, and personal fulfillment. All of my reading and soul searching fueled the fire inside of me and I decided to start blogging to share my ideas with others on the web. The positive feedback I received from my ponderings inspired me to pursue an even bigger project: to write a book to share my new-found insight with others. Although it took me a while to get here, I am now I am at a beautiful place in my life and want to help others reach this same point. This is ultimately what inspired me to write a guide on helping other women love themselves and love their lives.2. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing young women today?I think the biggest challenge facing young women face today is developing a negative self-image and, in turn, having low self-esteem. Studies show that 70% of girls believe they aren’t good enough and 25% of teenage girls say that they don’t like or hate themselves.  Lack of self-esteem is an underlying cause of many of the challenges young women face including eating disorders, bullying, putting themselves and others down, avoiding new opportunities/setting goals, lack of motivation to do well in school, engaging in negative behavior, and the list could go on and on. I think it’s vital to educate young girls on the importance of, and how to increase, self-esteem so that they can develop into healthy, confident, and determined young women.3.      What do you hope to achieve by writing and speaking with young women about self-esteem, confidence, and a love for life?I hope to educate young women on the profound impact attitude and self-esteem can have on their lives, by helping them change the way they see themselves and life at large. I hope to empower young women to find the courage within to unleash their full potential; to embrace who they are and choose to make the most out of their limited time on Earth. Ultimately, I hope to inspire others to make positive changes in their own lives, which in turn can have a positive impact on the lives of those around them.4.      What has been your happiest memory throughout this whole process?Two (I can't share just one) happiest memories come to mind: 1) The moment I held the first copy of my book. I was overflowing with joy – literally, I started crying because I was so happy. I did it!was all that I could think, over and over again. I was incredibly proud of myself for not only starting this project, but for sticking to it and finishing it in just over a years’ time. 2) Receiving positive feedback from readers. Whether it’s a kind comment on the Facebook fan page or a new, positive review on Amazon.com, I can’t help but smile the biggest, cheesiest grin every time I hear that my book has made a positive impact in someone else’s life. Knowing that I am pursuing my greatest passions, while helping and inspiring others in the process, brings me an indescribable amount of joy.5. What is your best advice for living a happy life, especially for young women?Be your own best friend and not your own worst enemy; lift yourself up instead of bringing yourself down. May sound silly or fluffy, but that’s what has drastically changed my life for the better! Work toward training your mind to replace discouraging, self-destructive thoughts with encouraging and positive thoughts. You can do this by becoming more self-aware and by recognizing when you’re being pessimistic, too hard on yourself, or full of fear and self-doubt. Thinking positively about yourself and about life in general doesn’t always happen overnight, but it can happen over time if practiced habitually. Ultimately, positive thoughts lead to positive actions which can result in happier, more enjoyable, and more fulfilled life.Keep shining,The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook