The dream of the open road. Ahhh, what adventures await. Have you ever heard of people doing crazy things like dropping everything to head out in an RV to cover all 50 states? Well, 2 pioneering souls that blazed that path in search of stories to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit, are Jennifer and Joe Remling. Both made major changes in their lives in order to embark on a journey traveling 5,000 miles around the country in an http://www.airstream.com. Why? They longed to interview people who had successfully made life-changing course corrections.

This was a extraordinary journey for Jennifer. Formerly a corporate executive, she ran her businesses from the road while doing interviews for her book, Carve Your Own Road. Through the discovery that she could live and work on her own terms, she realized how much happier and fulfilled she was. Whether you want to leave corporate life and start your own business, or discover ways you can become an innovator within a company, Carve Your Own Road is a guide to help you redefine career happiness and achieve goals on your own terms. I asked Jennifer, (JR), to share what it means for her to follow her instincts and “run her own race” in life.

AM: Can you describe a time in your life when it was difficult for you to forge your own path?

JR: When I was really focused on climbing the corporate ladder I found it very hard to forge my own path. I have always been opinionated and had ideas of my own and found myself frustrated when I couldn’t make the impact I wanted to make in my jobs. I did have success in that world but I found myself very unfulfilled because I wasn’t living from my heart’s desire. I was trying to fit into an organization’s vision that wasn’t necessarily linked to my own. I changed jobs a lot hoping to find the right place for me. It didn’t work out, I found that I was searching for “greener grass” but was ultimately just finding different grass. So, when I took the leap to working on my own it was scary but so incredibly fulfilling! I am having so much fun now doing what I love to do and letting it evolve as it needs to. I can’t imagine living another way now.

AM: When and how did you learn to trust your instincts more?

JR: The funny answer is just by trusting them. I found that when I trusted them I saw that my results were much better and the more I trusted it the more powerful it became. I’m now at a place where I ask questions from my heart rather than my over-analytical mind and trust the answer that comes up because I know that’s the right one for me. I’ve started saying “no” a lot more because of that. I will always listen to an opportunity but I ask myself if it’s the right thing for me and when my heart says no I trust it. I feel like I’ve saved myself a lot of time by focusing only on those things that I feel are absolutely right for me. Some people view this as being selfish and I’m okay with that!

AM: What would you say is your unique ability, and how or when did you discover this?

JR: Interestingly enough, I’m finding it changing and evolving. For example, I really enjoy speaking engagements and leading workshops. Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy this or be good at it! I found that I enjoyed it literally by doing it. I was asked to speak at a big event, it was my first engagement and it was over 200 women. Very scary for someone who had never done it! But, I thought “let’s give it a shot and see how it goes” and I found that I really enjoyed it and I got good feedback. I do more of that today by leading workshops and women’s retreats. I’ve also decided not to worry about my weaknesses like doing any detailed financial stuff, I hire someone for that! The more I can focus on and develop my strengths the happier I am.

AM: How do you know when you are “in the flow”?

JR: Lately, I feel like I’m living in a highly fluid state by going with the flow. With all that’s going on in the world there’s no point trying to swim upstream. It feels like a place of ease and peace and being much more in the moment. I find that when I’m living this way things just go well. I have great experiences at restaurants and interactions with people as well as the things I’m working on seem to be easy and effortless. People and resources come easily in support of what I’m trying to accomplish. When I’m trying to force things to happen, I get the opposite results. For a “reformed Type A” personality this is a completely new way to live, but I’m enjoying it so much more!

AM: What is the single greatest piece of advice you’ve received in relation to being true to yourself?

JR: My dad used to say to me all the time while I was growing up, “Just be yourself”. He said it to me so many times it became a part of my DNA and I get what he means by it. It sounds very simple but it’s so meaningful. When things come up that challenge my sense of self I always hear him telling me that and it’s served me well.

Before founding http://www.CarveYourOwnRoad.com, Jennifer Remling was a corporate recruiting executive for high tech consulting corporations and today has her own recruitment consulting firm. A frequent speaker on the topic of professional development, Remling has been featured in media outlets such as ABC News, MSNBC.com and The New York Post.

]]>