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Meet Marisa Jones

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Jones.

Marisa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I always looked at my life in chapters of child abuse, drugs and alcohol abuse, infertility and divorce. On the outside, I had a successful career in IT, a family, children, and my life looked perfect. Yet on the inside, I live in fear and anger, with suicidal thoughts and depression stemming from my past abuse. This mindset is what led me to a lifetime of being a bully to those around me, starting as a child and well into my adulthood.

About ten years ago, my emotional state hit rock bottom and I made a commitment to fix myself and see if I can find what it meant to be happy. I was alone and ashamed of who I was and afraid to reach out for help for fear of being judged. I began researching ways to get help and with yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy and counseling and completely transformed my mindset.

I published my memoir, The Lotus Tattoo in October 2019. When I wrote the book, I wasn’t sure who I was writing it for, but I just had this driving force to keep writing. Along with my book I’ve built a blogging platform and online community called Everyday Being. I’m partnering with non-profits, counselors, doctors, nutritionists and other healing practitioners focused on trauma to provide content and resource information to those just starting out on their healing journey.

The thought of my deepest darkest secrets being exposed with the book launch was intimidating, but also exciting. When I started telling people about my book, I was surprised to find out that so many people resonated with my stories and confided in me about their own demons and their shame and fear of exposure. Now that’s become my mission – to speak out on the impacts to our mental health after trauma and ensure that no one feels alone in their journey.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There were many struggles throughout my journey. Once I made a commitment to get mentally healthy, I struggled with how to find that help as I was fearful of telling my truth. I thought that in talking about my past abuse and current mental health issues would get my kids taken away from me, or I’d lose my job. Being vulnerable can be scary. But I soon realized that the healthier I became, it became easier to talk about what I was going through without the fear and shame behind it. Talking about it gave me the courage to continue working on getting better.

Facing your trauma is not something you can heal from overnight. There were many times I wanted to give up and go back to my destructive default behaviors. You will have good days and bad days when you are trying to overcome something that’s painful. I kept a journal during this time and as the years went by, I was able to go back and realize how much better I was getting. Eventually, the good days outnumbered the bad, and the bad days weren’t as low as they used to be.

The effects of trauma will always be with you. Depression, fear, anxiety, guilt will always be a part of life. But getting out of a victim-thinking mindset and learning how to connect to your emotions more compassionately is what can change your life. I’ve gone from reacting to situations that hurt me emotionally to learning why they are impacting me and taking positive actions to moving forward instead.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
There are a lot of people out there who struggle to move forward in their lives due to past trauma or abuse. Because of the stigma behind mental health and their fear of being exposed, they keep their secrets to themselves or get help from resources that just try to solve one problem. But true healing starts by stepping out of your comfort zone and reaching out to others who have gone through similar experiences. That’s where fear ends and healing begins. I provide those who want to heal from their past to get the help and resources they need to support them on their transformation journey. My blogging platform offers trauma resources, emotional support and mental health tips for those trying to overcome trauma.

I am a speaker and trainer, and my talks focus on domestic violence and trauma and the impact that it has to our mental health. I teach a series of workshops called ‘The Struggles Workshop Series-Letting go so you can Grow’ with modules that focus on Recognizing Patterns in Depression Cycles, Releasing Guilt, Resolving Fears and so on. In these workshops, I share my experiences with these struggles and offer ways to let go of them so one can move forward with a new mindset and techniques for managing them when they appear.

What I’m most proud of with Everyday Being is that everything we do comes from a place of truth and integrity. My story is unique and includes many facets, including domestic violence abuse, mental illness, being a bully, drugs and alcohol abuse and destructive past, while being successful on the outside. What sets me apart from others is how my message connects with so many. People can relate to at least one aspect of my story. It’s relatable. And through my transparency, I inspire those who need help, with the courage to ask for it. Because together, we’re not alone.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in good luck or bad luck. Luck is a combination of perseverance, hard work, and putting yourself out there. Everyone fails and makes mistakes. Many would say that’s bad luck. For me, it’s a learning opportunity to do better. Just like healing, we must get out of our comfort zone and get uncomfortable in order to move past it to move forward.

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