Jacqueline Whitney had a plan for her life. As a teenager, she was great at school, great at volleyball, and knew those would take her down her dream path. Everything changed when a series of injuries affected her ability to exercise for more than a few minutes and to be able to focus on her school work without needing to nap.
Jacqueline had to learn how to deal with this sudden pivot. She turned to writing, and then eventually to Instagram, to communicate her story, her loss, her pain, and her questions. And one by one, a community of thousands of people experiencing similar struggles began to show up.
Today, though she’s still in the midst of her recovery process, Jacqueline uses her time and energy to encourage her audience by sharing her writing.
In this conversation, Branden and Jacqueline discuss the process of learning to feel things deeply, becoming empathetic, and the nuances of sharing your story with the world.
“I promise, you’re not the only one feeling what you’re feeling. Share your story even while it’s still messy.”
— Jacqueline Whitney