Jenna is an all round kickass babe from Toronto who uses her creativity and voice on social media to inspire and empower all sorts of people about acceptance, sexuality, and anything human rights. She is also a talented writer and will be contributing more posts to Earth Mamma about self-love, healing, and not being afraid to be yourself. In the meantime you can check out her blog, where she shares her writing and does anonymous Q+A’s with people who are in need of some guidance.
Name: Jenna Nicole Allard
Age: 24
Your sign: Pisces
Where are you from?
I am from a small town called Sault Ste. Marie, but live in Toronto now.
What are your main passions? Is there one that stands out the most?
This is always a hard question as I don’t really think I have any main passions. However, I am very passionate about lots of different things. Helping people, gender equality, human rights, feminism. I really, really love helping people. I love giving advice and making people feel better. I love writing, I love photographing, I love creating. I love traveling. I’m all over the place. Literally and metaphorically.
Do you want to make a career out of any of them?
I would like to make a career out of all of them! I’m just not that sure how to go about doing so just yet.
Have you always known that you wanted to do these things?
I’ve always been a creative and I’ve always loved helping people. It’s just in my nature. Making other people happy, makes me really happy. And I don’t think I’d be able to survive without creative outlets.
Do you get to spend a lot of time on them? How do you make the time for the things you love?
I’m a busy person but I’m also an introvert. I need my alone time to recharge. Whenever I get that time, I’ll take a second to see what’s inspiring me – do I want to write, do I want to hop online and give some advice, do I want to take photos? It all depends on how I’m feeling in that moment, but whenever I am feeling it, I do what I can to channel that inspiration and just let it all flow.
Is there any new hobbies you would like to take up?
I really want to learn a new language, but me being me, I’m all over the place. It’s hard for me at times to be consistent in what I do, that’s why for now everything I do is a hobby and not a career. I’m not ready to fully commit to just one thing.
What makes you feel the happiest?
Feeling accomplished and proud of myself. Having other people proud of me. Making other people happy. Travelling. My happy places come in all different forms.
What do you do to stay feeling grounded and connected?
Talking to people online, such as any of my followers, really makes me go “hey, I am just like you guys.” I think sometimes people have an idea of who I am, but after chatting with me they realize I can relate to them and that I’ve been through similar stuff. Human connection is one of the things that makes me feel the most alive, I think. Sometimes you feel like no one has ever felt just as you do, but knowing that other people have is incredibly comforting.
What makes you feel the healthiest in your body?
I’m proud to be a vegetarian, I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life regarding my morals and my health. I’ve recently given up drinking for a while, and I feel really good. I like to get to the gym as much as I can, and now that the weather is getting warmer here I can’t wait to go for long walks. I think having fresh air flowing through my body really makes me feel healthy.
What do you do to treat yourself?
Take a me-day. Have a bath, put on a face mask, do my eyebrows, paint my nails, etc. Self-care sometimes becomes overlooked when life gets too busy, so it’s really important and nice to have a day or night to do this stuff for myself. It’s almost like a recharge for me.
What is your best advice for loving yourself?
Please be gentle and patient with yourself. Things like this don’t happen over night. It’s a learning process. Accepting yourself just as you are is an amazing and wonderful and magical thing. It’ll take time but it is worth it. Totally worth it.
What does girl power mean to you?
Girl Power to me means being the best possible woman I can be. Being the most accepting, the most open-minded and the most loving. It means sticking up and standing with ALL women – all races, all religions, all sexualities, everything. It means educating, rather than insulting. It means being strong, using my voice for the right reasons, for the things I believe in. I could go on and on and on.
Who inspires you and why?
A lot of humans, to be honest. People who are unapologetically themselves. People who aren’t ashamed to be who they are. People who stand up for what they believe in. People who have overcame hardships. People who have lost someone. I get inspired by a numerous amount of different things.
Has learning to accept yourself been a journey for you or has it come naturally?
Definitely a journey. Along a very long and winding road with tons of bumps and “wrong ways” and paths that have taken me right back to the start. I’m still on it, but I’m confident in and proud of how far I’ve come.
What are you most grateful for learning?
Acceptance. Acceptance of myself, and acceptance of others. We’re all on this planet together, we are all equals. I will always have that mentality.
This remarkable young woman has figured out a lot of important stuff at the young age of 24. I was way older before I knew and understood what she does. She is right on and I send her best wishes on her journey.
Such honesty and truth.