Meet Jess Dahl | Integrative Life Coach & Social Entrepreneur

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

Hi Jess, how do you think about risk?
Risk Taking is absolutely necessary for anyone who knows they are created for a life that is going to impact others at any capacity. I truly believe that is everyone.

The older I get, the more I realize I don’t know a whole lot..what I do know is that I can figure it out along the way. I can take a risk and trust that as long as I break past any fear, try something out of the ordinary, get messy, and actually take action, then there is no way to lose, only to gain.

Personally, I have been an entrepreneur & a creative all of my life that has had an idea and actually made each one happen. This hasn’t happened because I sat around waiting for the right opportunity, or sat in fear of “what if’s”, this happened because I always come back to WHY I want something to come to reality. This is what keeps me going.

When I was about 21 years old I already had an incredible career, was stable in my income, volunteering, had great community and honestly things were great. Yet there was a still small voice that kept saying “you are made for more, you don’t start here and finish here.” There more I leaned into that and once I was clear on my next step, I decided to go all in! I had a mentor, Marv who believed in me, my family and friends asked if I was sure since things were already good, and they still supported me. I took a risk to leave all of it behind to move from Seattle to LA to pursue my dreams in hair & fitness.

When I was 22 years old I had some health problems that led me asking myself WHY I was doing anything I was doing. It led me to want to travel the world and help people. So I took a risk and left what was my dream at the time to live out of a backpack and tent and serve the underprivileged all over the world for a year. I didn’t know what was in store, yet I knew WHY I was doing it. My heart was to serve others and understand cultures at a deeper level.

Fast forward a a couple years and I co-founded a non-profit having no experience of starting an actual business or non profit yet everything that I learned from the years prior when I was serving internationally. I took a risk by taking action on my dream, and one step at a time, figured out how to start a non-profit, bring on a board of directors and build teams all over the USA.

After building this organization, it was time to pass it off, as well as end my 12 year hairdressing career to follow what I know I needed to do- start my life coaching, womens retreats, and programs business. In everything I learned over all the years from those I served, the people I trained and coached, to clients in my hairdressing chair….everyone wanted the same thing. To know that they have a sense of purpose in the world and that they are worth living it fully. So this WHY is what I set out to do.

The risk of leaving behind everything I built, everything I worked so hard for, to then go after peoples’ hearts and committing to others living a life of purpose is what I set out to do.

I have learned that it is also risky to work along side others on your hearts mission. Yet it’s even more risky to do it by yourself. It is NOT possible. The only way I have been able to live the life I have, have been able to build the businesses, non profit, and movements I have is because I have decided to partner with others. It can be risky because you have to fully trust the other individual(s) with your dream, vision, finances, and everything else that comes into play! To make a real impact on the lives of others, it needs to be in community & alongside others who cheer you on, who believe in you, and who truly have your best interest and always come back to WHY you are doing anything you are doing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have shared a lot in the risk taking portion! Make sure to go there for some of this answer!

Professionally the most proud and highest excitement is the fact that the work I do is all in service to others! This is a place where the only reason I do anything is for the PEOPLE who’s lives will be impacted by it. I know that every single day that I don’t feel like doing something, strategizing or implementing, I get the reminder of who’s lives are going to be impacted and that is what allows me to show up! It is bigger than me and not about me at all.

Today the work in coaching women, in co-ed online mentorship programs, and retreats and international missions is powerful!

Professionally, I have always listened to what people need and then figure out what my own skillset is and how I can truly help in order to fill that need. I have always sought out mentors and coaches in my professional life, and that has always helped me. When certain things haven’t worked, I have pivoted. I have always built teams and figured out what a vision needs in order to make it a reality. Is it easy, no way. It is well worth it. I believe it’s about 70% feedback and then 30% implementing! Once you take action, you have to learn whether it worked or not, then you have to be willing to be flexible & pivot from there. I also know that taking care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health is the most important thing you can do in order to keep you mission and work going! Without a healthy you, it’s really hard and at times impossible. Believe me, I have hit burnout a couple times in my career and it’s taken many months or years to really heal and live with vitality!

I hope that anyone feels that their dream is possible. It does take a lot of work, a lot of hardships whether it be financially, relationally, emotionally, or with health. The unknowns are what make the story beautiful. Embrace the unknown and take the steps you know to do now. Seek mentorship and coaches that have had similar directions as you.

My current businesses/missions, Pursuing Purpose and Wholeness Journey are both really a sense of empowering people in their purpose and having an incredible community to do it with! They are spaces where every single person is loved, seen, heard and encouraged in their process. Anyone and everyone is welcome with open arms and you have an incredible story the world needs to experience. Everyone is a leader in who they are, and you’re worth it!

Currently, January 9th we have our 3rd Mentorship Mastermind starting! This is a place for men and women to show up to uncover more of their purpose, be mentored, and take action on their goals and dreams. We are still open for applications at www.pursuingpurpose.life and we just launched a merch line all dedicated for all people knowing how seen, heard, loved, and encouraged they are!

In 2022 with Wholeness Journey we have a womens yoga retreat/mission trip to Costa Rica where we will teach women affected by trauma, human trafficking, and extreme impoverished about healing, wholeness, mental/emotional health, and that they can be empowered to provide for their families live their purpose! There is room to apply for this trip at www.wholenessjourney.org

I also offer 1-1 coaching for women for:
1. Women who don’t really know the next steps with their life yet are searching & they are willing to put in the work & uncover it.
2. Women who are badasses in their life (career or whatever area) yet are run down, exhausted, and looking for health, wellness and vitality again.

I look forward to helping others live their purpose because they are so loved and so worth it!

I have a podcast called “Say Yes Anyway Podcast”, conversations from the heart with amazing, inspiring people who said YES to something in their life even when it made no sense to themselves or others. They are stories of perseverance, strength, vulnerability, and inspiration that has got them to where they are today! We hope these conversations from the heart not only inspire & spark a fire in you, yet empower you to take action in your own life too. You have a passion and purpose in you and you’re more than worthy of living them!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting LA area…this is what we would do

Sunrise Hike to Los Liones Trail with breathtaking views. We would do some breathwork and meditation on top of the mountain!
Breakfast at Great White Cafe right by the Venice sign
Rent bikes or borrow super 73 electric bike and bike all the way toward Malibu OR toward Manhattan beach area
Grab coffee at blue bottle on abbott kinney and explore that street
Drive to Echo park and ride the swan boats
Get sweetfin or thai food and do a sunset picnic overlooking the city
Find somewhere for live music jams
Go to sleep =)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
God is my number one! Without knowing that I can internally go in and connect with God at anytime is the biggest gift I have. To know that I am loved regardless of what I do is like no other.

People in my life that I have to shout out because I truly wouldn’t be who I am today without them 1. My Parents.

My dad Craig has an incredible story of triumph from supposed to be paralyzed to the perseverance he went through to come on the other end and now climbs mountains, water skiis, rides bikes for miles. He is a miracle story and he always instilled in me, never give up. When I was 7 years old he gave me cassette tapes all about dreaming. Any idea I had, he would encourage me in it! I know this has given me the confidence to go after it and to keep going even if I am afraid.

My mom, Maria. She is the most generous human. She is a servant heart, a prayer warrior, and will do whatever she can to give a helping hand! She see’s all cultures and people as being unified. Because of this I have always lived a heart of service, a desire for all people to be loved, and to keep praying and having faith through any situation, whether my battle or someone elses’.

Marv- my mentor from when I was a hair dresser. He was more than a hair mentor, he was a life mentor. He was someone that wanted others to be better than he was. Whether that was better at doing hair than he was, at doing art, making an income, telling stories, giving generously, whatever it was, he was the biggest encouragement and believed in me more than I believed in myself! Because of this it’s instilled in me that anything is possible and I desire to bring out peoples’ best because that is exactly what Marv did for me!

Thank you, each of you mean the world to me and have shaped me into a huge element of who I am today. =)

Website: www.pursuingpurpose.life

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessdahl_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-dahl-22651337/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicadahl.2442/

Other: www.YourWholePurpose.com– personal coaching/website www.WholenessJourney.org– yoga retreat/mission trip site