Where did your name come from?

My name is Jena, and it’s pronounced “Jenna.” The amount of times I was called “Gina” by substitute teachers really confused me as a kid! My name is Jena because originally my parents were thinking about naming me Genesis. I wouldn’t not consider myself religious, and honestly, I’m not sure if my parents really would consider themselves religious anymore either, but I definitely believe in a higher power.

Genesis refers to the origin or beginning of something, and me arriving in their lives as their first (and only) child was definitely a new beginning for my parents. When I was young my dad was in a band, and he wrote a song called “Jena Says,” which was a play on Genesis as far as I know. I should probably ask to hear this song, or at least read the lyrics at some point.

I’ve always had this dream of starting a podcast, and I’ve always said it would be called “Jena Says,” because it gives homage to Genesis and new beginnings, but it also gives me freedom to talk about any and all topics, rather than being limited to one genre. I know I’d talk about my healing and spiritual journey, but I’d also love to talk about dental insurance being horrendous and relationships and happy things! I’d also love to have friends and guests on to discuss topics that they feel passionate about!

It’s something I’ve had in my heart for a while, and I’m working on trying to get past self-sabotaging habits and breaking through perfectionism. I’m recognizing that I just need to start doing something regularly, even if it’s just writing up a paragraph or recording for five minutes. Cocoon season is right around the corner, so as I hibernate in my home, maybe I can dive into this dream.