Seeking Out Approval

ALL THIS TALK ABOUT NOT CARING WHAT PEOPLE THINK⠀

I was the queen of girl-group chameleons in high school. A chubby kid in elementary, I was so elated when I finally starved myself thin & I was NOT going back into that outer nerd circle. I mastered the art of fitting in—not too outspoken to draw attention, fearing criticism, holding myself back

It starts out innocently. Gaining others’ approval makes us feel good about ourselves & it’s a pattern that can continue for many years. Then, one day you wake up & realize that by constantly seeking others’ approval you have managed to create yourself a life you don’t particularly love.. or even like.

It takes determination & energy to commit to making decisions that feel innately right for YOU⠀

But it’s worth it..

To be honest I’ve had multiple days where I still get the side-eye from family & friends about my life choices. Why run a yoga school instead of just being a “good Baptist girl”? Why have an online coaching biz instead of just using my law degree like I was “supposed” to? So many times I questioned why I am bothering with entrepreneurship. Life was easier before. Safe from criticism, just blending in with my surroundings⠀

But I just started showing up everyday with the intention to make choices that feel right to me, to create a life I love & inspire some other women to do the same. My path is messy but I keep going, kept trusting⠀

Truth: I’m 40 & I still care what people think (a little). Anyone who tells you they don’t is probably not aware that it never 100% goes away. It’s hard-wired but I’m slowly, every day, letting go of the need to please everybody & reminding myself to listen to my inner wisdom

To the woman who’s reading this & feeling a connection, I see you. I know the journey you are on, I was on it too. I AM on it & I can help you navigate it all. Chasing your biz dreams is SO much more than just followers, logos, landing pages and sales. I know that stuff backward & forward, I can teach it in my sleep but I also know the internal struggle of what a woman goes through when she starts shedding judgment & living for herself.

“Care about people’s approval, and you will always be their prisoner.”

– Lao Tzu

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Jessica Depew

I'm Jess. I'm an attorney, writer, CEO, yoga teacher and a heart-centered mom of three. I'm dedicated to helping you grow your business alongside your family and be the person you most want to be. If you're curious about my background and how I came to do what I do, here's the riveting story (get your popcorn ready)... I'm a born and raised Texas girl (hook 'em!) bred with equal parts no-nonsense discipline and sweet southern charm. I'm a preacher's kid and an obsessive self-development junkie who spends time reading, teaching, writing and coaching heart-centered business women in building their online empires. Ironically, I try to spend as much time offline as possible. I love chick-fil-a waffle fries and I can rap every word of "Ice, Ice Baby" on demand. I've owned and helped run multiple businesses over the past 20 years—law firms, yoga studios, tech companies and cyber forensic startups—just to name a few. I'm honored to have been named one of Southeast TX's "Top 40 Entrepreneurs Under 40" and my 12 YO has assured me that I'm "legit pretty cool for a mom". Through years of teaching and coaching women in business, leading retreats around the world and creating life-changing programs and courses, I help women like you dream big, clear mental-emotional blocks and finally take action that creates results.