Jen Curnutt shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jen, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
That’s easy. Being outdoors in nature. There is something healing about getting outside and surrounding yourself in the beauty of the world. Whether it’s going for a hike or simply enjoying a good book in the shade of a tree, time slows in nature and roots you. There is nothing like it when you need to find yourself by getting lost.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a Southern California native freelance writer and travel blogger who moved halfway across the country in search of new adventures and experiences a few years back. I love getting out in nature, unplugging from the world, and experiencing unique destinations while meeting interesting people.
My entire life, I’ve been surrounded by photographers, artists and writers starting with my maternal grandfather who was an adventurer in every sense of the word, a painter, photographer, writer and story-teller extraordinaire. Creativity flows from there to my mother and her generation, my cousins, my siblings and my son. I am fortunate in the sense that art has surrounded me my entire life and had such an impact.
What’s unique about me personally is my ability to tell a story coupled with photography of the places I visit. I not only provide travel tips, things to do and itineraries, I bring stories to life recounting the details of my experiences through words and images in a way that captivates my readers as if they are right there with me.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I think the relationship that probably had the biggest impact on me was with my father. He was a busy real estate attorney in California working incredibly long hours, always bringing work home, and stopping by his office over the weekends. Yet, he somehow always managed to find time for me. He never missed a game, a school play, or a birthday party. He was always present. I followed in his footsteps and started working in litigation at a pretty young age. I quickly realized the magnitude of his sacrifice, how difficult it was for him to work as hard as he did yet never be too busy for me.
He also taught me the importance of a true work life balance. I remember when he passed away learning that in 1985, not only did he bill the most billable hours of any attorney at his firm and spend more hours in the office than anyone else, he also took a record breaking number of vacation days that year. It was a trifecta… a way of life I have tried to emulate – work hard, play harder.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I have never publicly shared this before. Only my close friends and family know about it. I had a very abusive past relationship, both physically and mentally. It’s not something I am proud of as I often feel it makes me look weak for allowing it to happen. It is not something I enjoy talking about. However, it taught me perhaps the greatest lesson of my life. Life is too short to be unhappy. If you are in a situation that brings you more pain than joy, it is time to move on. There is an entire beautiful world out there just waiting for you to explore it. Take the reins of your life and create your own positive narrative. Get out there, live your life, heal from whatever wounds you have suffered, and don’t hold on to the bad.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. The public version of me is always smiling, loves to travel, makes the most of every day, wants to always be on the go seeing incredible things, exploring new places and creating new memories. This is very me. However, I can also be a little reserved (almost shy) and a total home body who just wants to binge watch a good Netflix series, and who sometimes feels bored, lonely, and even a tad bit depressed on rare occasions. I am human after all. I guess you could say I am an enigma and share a portion of myself with the public. However, the part I do choose to share is still the real me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
That’s a tough question. I like to think I could and believe it would not matter. However, it would definitely be less motivating than when I do receive praise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jen33travel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen33travel/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-curnutt-b0b234216/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jen33travel
