About

Butterfly Symbolism-
Powerful transformation, metamorphosis in your life & personality
Moving through different life cycles
Renewal, Rebirth
Lightness of Being, Playfulness
Elevation from earthly matters, tuning into emotional or spiritual self

Greetings! My name is Jana.

I am a woman who wears many hats - ARMY Wife, Mother, DAUGHTER, SISTER, bubbly cycle instructor, yoga instructor and lover of spontaneity.

Two years ago, was the start of my metamorphosis. It was the moment when I began coming out of my cocoon and feeling somewhat comfortable sharing my story. Secretly, I’d battled with many things only confiding with my inner circle and myself. I hid my struggles for most of my life, especially my struggles with weight, finding my place in spirituality and maintaining my own self-care. No, no, no. Not the mani-pedi appointments, massage and bubble baths. I’m talking the DEEP inner work. The work that creates fear – the fear of facing the reality of who I really am.

I learned that I’m a lot like many. Many of us find that “work” taxing. I also learned some good habits along the way to combat that fear and face the mirror head-on. Weight management, the struggle that seemed to highlight my life daily, is more than what you eat or how much you work out. It has a lot to do with your inner workings – how you confront your trauma and brokenness, developing new, healthy habits, embarking on a path of self-awareness.

Learning this was self-discovery. And it was the birth of the blog, The Butterfly Effect.  Dealing with my bag of emotional trauma & the triggers that set me off, was how this blog came to be! It has been said that the mere flutter of butterfly wings can cause a tsunami. A chain reaction. A domino effect. The movement of my wings or the wings of those that have come into my life, can create & have a mass impact.

From Mobile, Alabama to Texas to Maryland, I’ve journeyed through the yo-yo of my weight, the complex life of an army wife (with a few deployments under our belts), faulty familial feuds, the birth and raising of our three children, the loss of life, friends turned to foes and then some. It all had a place and contributed to who I am.

Who am I now?

One hell of a personality. I will speak MY TRUTH and do so without the desire to satisfy what anyone thinks I should be saying. I’ll remain tactful and respectful, but this is my space, my story. I’m passionate. I’m expressive. I’m sensitive. As you read, I encourage you to think, laugh, cry, maybe even scratch your head with inquiry – but be present. Be here. Welcome to my world: “The Butterfly Effect.”