Jenna Hermans Shares Her “Chaos to Calm” Parenthood Guide
Credits:
Photography: Amy Thompson
Author of “Chaos to Calm” and mindfulness guru, Jenna Hermans is leading the way for parents in finding their peace and how to #ownyourcalm. The mother of three is a co-founder of Be Courageous, a certified high-performance coach and an experienced human resource specialist, it’s no wonder she is commonly known for being “the Queen of Calm.”
Jenna has always had a passion for human interaction and with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Jenna knew her purpose was to help people with busy lives. She wants to remind everyone tranquil and joyful lives can coexist with busy ones. Jenna shared her beginnings with Forbes, ”I have spent the majority of my life just so fascinated in humans and human development and human interactions—in the developing mind and brain—and understanding the possibilities of this human existence that we find ourselves in.”
The inspiration to write her book stemmed from the moms in her community. After moving to the Bay area with her 3 kids, people were shocked at how she could manage a household while her and her husband worked full time. No one understood how, and everyone wanted the answers. Being a parent is non-stop and can be extremely stressful which, unfortunately, doesn't leave room for much you-time, so what’s the key for unlocking calm parenting?
In an interview with Modern Moms, Jenna says, “I had more responsibilities and fewer resources than these other parents and was managing mentally better than they were. Some might call it witchcraft (j/k!), but I call it calm.” It wasn’t until constantly being asked “how?” that she decided to start writing down tips, tactics, and answers to all of her friends' questions. While she began writing with no intentions of creating a book, over a year later, the ultimate guide to peace, “Chaos to Calm,” was born.
The ultimate guide for busy parents, “Chaos to Calm,” teaches readers how to streamline day to day tasks. Through creating time and limiting stress, more time can be spent appreciating family, fulfilling needs, and creating space to live life with intention and joy. With a master’s degree in organizational management, over a decade of experience running human resources, and five years of running her own preschool, she discovered the “Five Pillars of Calm.” Each chapter covers a pillar which include efficiency, habits, communication, community, self-care, and how-tos with easy-to-implement strategic tools. In an interview with Forbes she explains, “This book is really five pillars that helps support that system, so that the parent or any busy person can feel calm and find groundedness and be able to show up as their best selves, everywhere that they want to.”
Having more time and less stress is Jenna’s goal for all mothers. Jenna expressed in an interview with Modern Moms, mothers’ needs are deprioritized which can ultimately be unsustainable for her and her family. Giving tips on how to destress and prioritize mental health and physical health, Jenna says,“With more time, we can fill our tanks with what increases our energy and vitality so we aren’t showing up empty to all of life’s stuff.” the author said. “When we have time to prioritize our mental and physical health, we can better serve our family and extended community.”
With a focus on self-care, Jenna felt it was important to include this as one of her five pillars. If you aren’t well rested or taking time for yourself, then you will lack being able to care for your family or those around you. Jenna’s “Chaos to Calm” guidebook goes in depth about prioritizing your health and spirit. Jenna shared with Modern Moms, “Self-care can look like doing a crossword puzzle before afternoon school pick up or doing a 2-minute dance party in between work calls.” the mindfulness guru said. “These small but important acts of self-care are important for bringing you joy and recalibrating you for the next part of your day.”
For all parents and parents-to-be who are struggling to balance work life with personal life, "Chaos to Calm" is your ultimate guide for all your busyness. Jenna Hermans shared with Modern Moms her one message to all her readers, “The ONE key learning I hope everyone takes away from my book is that you already have everything you need to make your life run the way you want, and that with a few small, intentional changes, you can live a calmer, more grounded life.” You can learn more about Jenna Hermans story on her Instagram, Chaos to Calm Blog, and Website.
