Episode 55 - Your Truth Is Your Medicine: A Journey of Transformation with Janne Robinson
Have you ever felt that gnawing sensation that something in your life needs to change, but you can't quite name it? That feeling—the one that whispers "not this" when you look at your current reality—might be the most important messenger you'll ever receive.
In my conversation with Janne Robinson, poet, author, and self-proclaimed "supernova," we dive into how these quiet (or sometimes loud) internal nudges are actually your truth speaking—and why listening to them might be the most revolutionary act of your life. From her dramatic transition from curdled-coffee-drinking condo saleswoman to internationally acclaimed writer living by the ocean, Janne's story isn't just inspiring—it's a roadmap for what happens when you finally stop outsourcing your power and start honoring what you know deep down to be true.
Topics Covered
In this deep conversation with Janne Robinson, we explore:
- How feelings are often the first messengers of change
- The courage required to start over and create a new life
- Synchronicity and serendipity on the journey of transformation
- The complex reality of following your dreams (bears included!)
- How hormonal health connects to perceiving our truth
- Staying connected to your truth in a performance-oriented world
- The importance of community in transformation
- Janne's upcoming free 10-day "Meet Yourself in Truth" experience
Listen to the Episode
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- YouTube
Timestamps
[00:02:49] Adrenal gland anatomy and function
[00:03:35] The HPA axis explained
[00:07:38] Seven-step stress response cascade
[00:10:26] Adrenaline vs cortisol functions
[00:12:59] Blood sugar's role in stress response
[00:15:14] Modern lifestyle vs ancestral stress patterns
[00:17:21] Cortisol's circadian rhythm
[00:19:15] Estrogen's influence on stress resilience
[00:23:10] Allostatic load concept
[00:27:14] Stages of HPA axis dysfunction
[00:30:10] Second wind phenomenon and sleep disruption
[00:32:54] Categories of stressors
[00:37:15] Problem with "managing" vs repairing stress
[00:41:21] "Your body cannot heal if it doesn't feel safe"
The Feeling That Precedes Change
Janne's transformation began 12 years ago when she was working as a bartender and condo salesperson in Edmonton, Alberta. The catalyst wasn't a dramatic external event, but rather an internal feeling:
"I started to feel, actually Iris, it was wanting to sleep all day. There was this... it's interesting how our vices and way we try and numb or avoid... For me, 12 years ago I was in Edmonton and I was bartending and serving, and I just felt like I had completely outgrown every part of my life."
This feeling was the first information signaling that change was needed. Janne describes experiencing apathetic sadness, exhaustion, and a sense of being trapped in her life—what Louise Hay describes as the emotional root of depression.
The pivotal moment came while she was sitting in a condo show suite at 3:45 PM, looking down at a cup of curdled coffee:
"Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how we can eat the shit sandwich of our life for so long, and then there's a moment where we're like, 'I can't do it anymore. I can no longer eat this shit sandwich of my life.'"
The Courage to Make One Choice
Rather than trying to overhaul her entire life at once, Janne made one clear choice: to move from Edmonton to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. She wanted trees, wildness, and the ocean—a completely different environment from the industrial, freezing city she'd been living in.
"I didn't even know where in BC it was gonna be, but I knew I needed to move to BC. And I called my mom, and as I was sharing this with her, I said, 'I'm also gonna start writing, and I don't know fully how to make a career as a writer, but I'm gonna start doing it.'"
What followed was a remarkable synchronicity. As Janne was on the phone discussing her plans to move to BC, a woman walked into the show suite—not a potential buyer, but someone who owned a cabin on the Sunshine Coast. When Janne shared her dreams, the woman offered her cabin as a place to stay.
But synchronicity doesn't always guarantee a smooth path. Janne reminds us:
"Sometimes you don't get helped out and then you have to fight really hard. And it's a combination. But in this moment it was beautiful."
The Reality of Starting Over
While moving to a cabin in the woods might sound romantic, Janne doesn't shy away from sharing the challenges. There were bears tearing the siding off her cabin, a wood stove she didn't know how to use properly, and the profound isolation of living alone in the wilderness.
She also reveals a deeply personal challenge that coincided with her move:
"I was in a very new relationship with somebody who was not a good relationship, and I realized I was pregnant... I had an abortion in this cabin in December. Heavy rain. Didn't know a single person outside of D on the coast. And my initiation into my new life was incredibly challenging."
This part of her story highlights an important truth: following your intuition doesn't guarantee an easy path. The hero's journey includes trials and initiations that test our resolve and deepen our commitment to the path we've chosen.
The Transformation of Wholeness
One of the most fascinating aspects of Janne's story is how one authentic choice led to a cascade of changes throughout her life. After moving to BC, she also:
- Went off hormonal birth control, reconnecting with her natural hormonal rhythms
- Stopped straightening her hair and wearing makeup, embracing her natural appearance
- Began connecting more deeply with nature
- Started writing prolifically (14-17 articles per month)
- Interned with a filmmaker she admired
These changes weren't just external adjustments but represented a deeper reunion with her authentic self. As Janne puts it:
"Once you start to feel how good it feels to start to respect and really honor and make choices that honor the truth that you're feeling inside, then you start to see everywhere else. It's like when you clean out one messy drawer in your house and you're like, 'Oh, that feels good. Where else should I be cleaning up?'"
The Connection Between Hormones and Truth
During our conversation, we touched on how hormonal health—particularly going off hormonal birth control—can profoundly affect our ability to perceive our truth:
"Birth control numbs like a part of yourself that is true. Your hormones inform what you want and what you feel and how you perceive the world around you, and that's kind of like blurry on birth control."
This connection between our hormonal health and our ability to perceive our truth is rarely discussed but critically important. Our biochemistry affects our perception, and when we artificially alter it, we may inadvertently dull our intuition and authentic desires.
Staying Connected to Your Truth in a Performance-Oriented World
One of the questions I was most curious about was how Janne stays connected to her inner truth in a world that rewards external performance and conformity. Her answer was both simple and profound:
"When I'm not listening to that truth, I feel a little like disassociated and weird... I don't feel well in myself when I'm not listening to that. So I come back, I come back to this because it's what connects me and makes me feel grounded."
She also emphasized the importance of not outsourcing our power to external authorities, even well-meaning ones like coaches and mentors:
"We outsource our power a lot... I need the coach or the guru or I need the thing to tell me. And when I work with people I say, 'I'm gonna say all kinds of things, and some of it might be really helpful... But you need to learn to listen in here and run every fucking thing I say through the sounding board that is you.'"
This internal discernment is essential for authentic living—knowing when to take advice and when to trust your own inner knowing instead.
Truth as a Verb, Not a Destination
What became clear throughout our conversation is that finding and living your truth isn't a one-time event but an ongoing practice:
"It's about learning to listen to this compass inside of who we are or our north star or this feeling. And I feel like truth is a...sometimes people won't say it's intuition, but it's like this piece inside that we hear and then we need to continue to fire a synaptic response... to learn how to hear, integrate, and then take action. And that's something we gotta do for our whole lives."
Janne emphasizes that truths come in both macro and micro forms—from major life changes to simply honoring what kind of breakfast you truly want on a given morning. This ongoing relationship with truth requires continuous attention and commitment.
The Invitation: Meet Yourself in Truth
For those inspired by Janne's journey and wanting to deepen their relationship with their own truth, she's offering a free 10-day experience called "Meet Yourself in Truth" from June 2-12:
"It's this 10-day totally free experience. It's about 12 hours of teaching. So I do three full curriculum workshops that are two hours each, where I also start with the very first things in my journey and how I was running away from myself."
This experience includes curriculum on identifying vices, recognizing masks, finding your voice, and living with integrity. It also includes hot seat coaching where participants can witness others' transformations while gaining insights for their own journey.
Janne emphasizes the unique power of community transformation:
"There is a type of healing and transformation that only happens when both being witnessed and witnessing because you alone in a room could move through something but then still have a story and shame that it's just you.
Key Takeaways
- Your feelings are messengers: Often, the first sign that change is needed comes as a feeling rather than a clear thought
- Start with one clear choice: Sometimes changing one fundamental aspect of your life creates space for everything else to shift
- Truth requires courage: Following your authentic path often means facing fears and stepping into the unknown
- Your body knows: Our physical sensations, feelings, and hormonal balance affect our ability to perceive our truth
- Change isn't always easy: Authentic transformation typically includes challenges and initiations
- Community matters: While individual reflection is important, healing in community offers unique benefits
- Truth is ongoing: Living authentically requires continuous listening and adjusting, not a one-time decision
- Don't outsource your power: Learn from others but always filter their guidance through your own inner knowing
- Small truths build confidence: Honoring small truths (like what you truly want for breakfast) builds the muscle for bigger truth-telling
- Your truth serves others: When you honor your authentic gifts, you serve not only yourself but all those who need what only you can offer
About the Host
Iris Josephina is a functional hormone specialist, entrepreneur, and coach, passionate about cyclical living and running a business in alignment with natural rhythms.
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