Episode 12 - Jordan Danielle: Moving Without Self-Concsiousness

Jordan shares about their healing journey into the movement art space, the rituals they use for self-love and pleasure, and how the body’s sense of safety can support fertility.

[ID: Headshots of Josie (@intersectionalfertility) and Jordan Danielle (@jordir0c) on a tan background. Text reads: The Intersectional Fertility Podcast Episode 12.]

This is a conversation rooted in intuition, worthiness, and a true bounty of connection and movement. At the end of the episode, Jordan leads listeners through a grounding practice to instill greater peace and ease in mind and body.

Jordan is a multitude of intersections. They are a fluctuating flow of love, evolution, and acceptance. They are a Trans GenderQueer Black Being, Artist, Curator, Birth-worker, Sibling, and Gender expressive sun.

God Morning by Natalie Lauren: https://open.spotify.com/track/03UO77f0ccKwUjn46ArnSW?si=FfyKuymQQmyCUekb6sFfCQ&dl_branch=1

Email: asyouare.space@gmail.com
Instagram: @jordir0c
Venmo: @jordan-simmons
CashApp: $jordir0c

Episode transcript:

Disclaimer: This is an automatically generated transcript edited to be more readable. It may not be 100% accurate.

Josie (00:00): I'm Josie Rodriguez-Boucher, and this is the intersectional fertility podcast where ideas and identities intersect to deepen our understanding of fertility and ultimately our whole selves. 

Today I'm speaking with Jordan. Jordan is a multitude of intersections that can be somewhat described as the fluctuating flow of love, evolution and acceptance. A trans, genderqueer Black being, artist, curator, birth worker, sibling and gender expressive sun, S U N not S O N. They're continually expanding and evolving into loving versions of themself. To show up in the most meaningful and present way in all of their work and life passions.

(01:07) Welcome to the podcast, Jordan, thank you so much for being here. 

Jordan (01:12): Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me. 

Josie (01:14): Will you introduce yourself and share with us your pronouns and where you're located in the world? 

Jordan (01:22): Yes. What's up, as you've heard, my name is Jordan Danielle. My pronouns are they/them/king and I currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah. The land of the Goshute, Paiute and Shoshone tribes here. 

Josie (01:40): Nice, I would love to know a little bit about your story, about how you came to be a movement artist. And do you also, you also do DJ work, right? 

Jordan (01:55): Yeah, yes.

Josie (01:58): Okay. Yeah. Will you share with us about like how you came to do those things and what they mean to you?

Jordan (02:04): Like as soon you said, I was just like, oh man, the files, is it enough time? 

Becoming a movement artist, so I mean, like dance has kind of always been a part of my life since a very young age. And I don't think that I like, really came into it for myself, in wanting to be a movement artist, I think probably until like more so like my teenage, like my teenage years.

And it's just kind of been a place for me for healing and rediscovering and play, imagination and. It just created like movement just created like a really like holding and loving space for me that I needed a lot of as my younger self that I didn't really necessarily feel I was getting, or it was just kind of lacking in the ways that I needed. 

(03:16) And I think at that point, For me, I've realized that I really wanted and needed movement in my life and wanted that to be in my life for a really long time and just thought it would be cool. And it's always like a revisiting thing. I think about, like, I was just thinking about this, like the other, like today, today, literally.

It's always, you know, in every place that I keep going. It's just always like, A rediscovery for myself of like what I want it to look like. And it's shaped, it's changed and shifted so much since like I've started moving, and just allowing myself to evolve and what being a movement artist looks like for me, cuz it's changed.

Josie (03:58): Mm oh, interesting. How's it changed? 

Jordan (04:01): The way that my movement has changed has also changed the ways in which I want to show up as a movement artist in, in what realm that I want to show up in. At first I was just like, yo, I just wanna do tours. I wanna, you know, like, Move with these artists and like do all these things and be this professional, dancer.

And I've really had to deconstruct what being a professional dancer meant for me, a professional movement artist. And like what people like see that as, and how I define that for myself. Right. I've tried a bunch of different things, companies, living in LA. 

Josie (04:44): Oh, wow.

Jordan (04:45): And Jersey, and traveling to New York often and just like finding different pockets, that I thought that I might want to try and realizing what felt best for me as a movement artist.

And so, I love doing freelance work. I wholeheartedly want to create my own work more, and also like traveling and dancing, like within like the battle scene world. It just holds me differently. There's still things that I appreciate of like, more commercial things and things like that.

I think, you know, like it could definitely be an avenue in my life, but, the way that I move and the way my movement holds me is. And what I need from it and what it gives to me, it just looks and feels very different and has shaped my, my thoughts and perspectives on kind of where I wanna take that and what I wanna do with it.

Josie (05:51): Right. 

Jordan (05:52): Yeah. 

Josie (05:53): Oh, that's so cool. And I also love the term movement artist. I had never heard that before, before I met you, and I, how is that different from being a dancer? Like, do you take classes or did you take classes or is it just like more of an intuitive movement? 

Jordan (06:12): I guess, when I think of dancer, you know, I feel like people think of you as, or could think of you as, someone that does just a certain style or it's like, "yo, you do choreography?" like strictly like maybe hip hop choreography, or like you do like jazz or you are like a ballet dancer, you know, like something that's like very specific.

I guess in the ways in which I think about movement artists and what that means for me is just like, it's my movement. I love the simplicity and just like the vastness of what movement can look like and be, and it not necessarily be attached to anything 

Josie (06:58): Uh huh. So it's like your signature, almost.

Jordan (07:02): Yeah. It's like, you know, your essence, what you've been building. And I love that because like I've said, my movement has shifted so much, like in my life. To where you can see hints and little nuances of things that are foundational, but at the same time, you just really see me because I'm creating or taking whatever it is that I've learned and like expanding that for it to be whatever it is that I wanna be, whether whatever I want it to be, whether people, you know, like in a certain more structured. Avenue will be like, oh my God, like that just looks wrong. And I'm just like, but it feels so good.

Josie (07:44): I love that. Yeah. And for anyone listening, who has not yet seen Jordan dance, oh, it is incredible. It's incredible to watch. You are so inspiring whenever I watch you dance. It just feels like that energy. Like you said, it's like your essence is showing up and it's so clear and it's also contagious.

It feels like, I start to feel like, well, maybe I could move, like maybe I could dance or do some, you know, kind of move my body in that way. Which takes a lot for me to feel that way. Cuz you know, I feel self-conscious in moving. 

Jordan (08:27): That's understandable. I tell people all the time, you know, they're just like, "oh, I don't know how," I'm just like, "yes, you do." You've been moving since day one. 

Josie (08:35): Right. 

Jordan (08:36): You don't have to look or be anything. One of my favorite things, I'm such a people watcher. I love, it's one of my favorite activities is to, is to watch people. And maybe it's just like my libra nature, like of just being an observer, but I can go to the park and sit and be that weirdo that's just on the bench and just watching what's going on. Cause it's so like, it's so entertaining. 

Josie (09:01): Yeah. 

Jordan (09:02): But just, you know, like you pick up different things and that's like, I've had people that I've learned from where they look at something they're just like, "oh, what inspires you?" That they're just like "everything," because there is something in everything.

And it doesn't have to be so stark, so straight line. I love going out and sometimes I don't even dance. Sometimes I'll just go out and, like I said, watch. And it's my favorite thing to just see people just go so hard. It's like, yo, and, and I feel that because it's like, it's so real it's so just very, just them. It's just really beautiful to like watch. And there's, I get stuff from people when I'm out all the time, I'm just like, yo, that right there? That's tight. I'm gonna have to take that. That's crazy. 

Josie (10:06): Yeah. Oh, that's so interesting. It reminds me of how musicians kind of pick up inspiration for songs like anywhere. 

Jordan (10:14): Mm-hmm yeah.

Josie (10:15): Yeah, that's so cool. And you talked about, what is it called? Battle dancing? 

Jordan (10:23): Oh yeah. Just like, battle scene.

Josie (10:25): Battle scene. I don't know much about it, but I've seen a little bit of what you've posted and I feel like my first, sort of introduction to that type of style of dancing was from watching Pose. Is that similar or no? 

Jordan (10:41): So in a way, yes. Well, I shouldn't say in a way yes, because like yes. When they go out to these balls, that is their way, mostly, like they battle it out, on the dance floor. So even within, you know, A lot of more street style or underground styles that like have come up more into like mainstream and into this light of the world and stuff. This place. (laughter) 

They battle it out. So it's like sometimes, it'll be like two or three people. Two or three people, sometimes four at a time, once they get their scores, and get down to like the last two or sometimes, you know, like even the last three, they have that just like back and forth of where, you know, they are showing their best self, their skills, their, all of the things, that they came to present.

And you know, they get trophies, they get titles, they get you know, recognition. They get just, you know, all of those things.

Josie (12:04): That's so cool.

Jordan (12:05): And it's just really nice because like, it's really, what's the word I'm looking for, rooted in community. 

Josie (12:12): Mm, totally. 

Jordan (12:14): And I think I'm just such a sucker for it because it's kind of what I've been in for like a really long time. Before I started becoming a part of different scenes or actually really going to like actual dance battles. Ones that are like specific for things it's like me and the homies back on the east, you know, like we go to parties and we have these groups based on who lives in Piscataway, who lives in like new Brunswick who lives here. 

And we have these dances that we do, and we battle it out whenever we go to to parties, just like with friends. Whether it's that we're doing those moves or, we've learned like popping from YouTube or, you know, just watching a bunch of like BET, like music, videos and stuff, and just incorporating like those things and having a good time, I mean, there's a lot of things that we've learned through culture that definitely was ingrained like in that.

But before I really actually started going to more specific things that were actually like, okay, this is an actual dance event, a dance battle event, you know, like it was just ballroom hall parties and things, and it was really nice. It was just a sense of like community that, it's just so inviting and so loving. And I love that. Like anywhere that I go, that I've traveled to and I've been in that realm, it's just felt like home. 

(14:00) Josie: Yeah, that's so cool. I love that. And then how did, did DJing kind of emerge out of that? Or was that a separate path? 

(14:10) Jordan: I love music, I grew up in a household with parents that listened to things from like the twenties. Yeah. Um, my dad has a vast collection of music. And I feel like, yeah, it just kind of like came to my homie. My homie was one of the DJs, my homie Freeman. He goes, who is freeze, DJ freeze back in Jersey. We were chilling at his house one day. And I was just like, dude, I really wanna learn.

And he just set me up and was just like, yo, just like, this is, this is how it is. And I made a 45 minute Jersey club set that day and it felt so good. And then it hadn't been present in my life for a really long time. And then it came back into my life. Actually, when I moved here to Salt Lake, I came here for an immersive dance theater project and the character that I was playing was a DJ. And so I was just like, all right, this is perfect. Like, this has been on my mind. This is a great gateway for me to like, get back into it. And then I took courses here at the HERC and it's a hip hop educational nonprofit, that teaches kids the four elements of hip hop.

And so, they had DJ courses there. So I went and I took a course, just like a turntable course. I'm actually having, I'm going to do like a sweet session with the guy that taught me scratching. He's so awesome. Scratching, yeah. Scratch flow in miles.

(16:04) Josie: That's so awesome. Wow. I love that. I love hearing about industries and fields that I am so unfamiliar with. It's just like, it's a whole other world. 

(16:14) Jordan: It's a whole other world and it's so it's, it's so crazy, but it's so fun. It's really fun to just like play music that maybe people haven't heard in a while, or to create like, experiences.

 I haven't been doing it for long. It's been kind of like in and out, but it's been more consistent recently in the past couple of months. And that's been feeling really that's been feeling really good. I was having a conversation with one of my friends who's also a DJ and we were just like, "yo, I just wanna create experiences."

Like, it's really nice to create an experience like a set to where all people really have to do, you know, is just listen, there's a specific thing I came with, like these vibes and I feel like this would really add to what it is that like this is, you know, that's really, really nice.

Josie (17:15): So cool. So cool. Well, every time I see you on Instagram dancing and DJing, you look like you're having so much fun.

Jordan (17:24): Because I'm hanging out with my friends. Like that is it. That is like, the major thing is just like, yo, I just want to have fun with my friends. Being out here, I have like such a huge support system and it's really nice.

Like, I didn't expect this to be here at all. Like when they were like, "yo Jordan, you trying to come to Salt Lake? You trying to come to Utah?" I literally looked up a map because I'm like, I've never uttered the word Utah in my life, you know? And I'm just like, where is this place? And looked up a lot of things. And I was just like, dude, I'm not trying to come to Utah for eight months. 

And like, I came here and it was perfect divine timing, and things just lined up really beautifully. I got really lucky. I'm here by myself, came here in the wintertime disgusting winter season at that year. I met incredible people two weeks in, a month in, and we just be having fun. 

Josie (18:41): That's so cool. Yeah. I agree with you about Utah, Salt Lake City. I would never think that that would be a welcoming place. Yeah. 

Jordan (18:51): It's very interesting. Like people come here and they're just like, yo, I did not expect this from this place either.

Josie (18:59): Yeah, you've really opened my eyes to that part of the world. Cuz I've thought of it as a very conservative kind of scary, scary place in a lot of ways for queer folks. 

Jordan (19:09): Actually when I looked it up it's like one of the largest LGBTQ plus like, 

Josie (19:15): Really? 

Jordan (19:16): I was just like, dude, that, like what? I mean, that was a few years ago. I haven't really checked the internet on it since then. 

Josie (19:24): But you're there, I mean, your lived experience.

Jordan (19:26): I mean, you know, it is a very white place. It's a lot more just like, gay men population, you know? But it's changed a lot since I've been here. It's growing a lot more people. I've been seeing a lot more, just a lot more people like out. A lot more queer folks that are just like out here, just like this pride was absolutely insane. It's the first pride that I ever attended.

And I've been here for like four and a half years. Missed each one. And the amount of folks that was out was ridiculous. I was like, okay. 

Josie (20:15): That's so cool. 

Jordan (20:16): Yeah. 

Josie (20:17): That's so cool. And I bet post pandemic, it was extra intense. 

Jordan (20:21): Of course. Yeah. Everyone was like, what vaccination? Done. Masks? Get out the window. Like, it's a very interesting and very special place. 

Josie (20:36): Oh, that's awesome to hear. I'm gonna, now I have to go back to Salt Lake. 

Jordan (20:40): Come visit. 

Josie (20:43): I will. Oh, cool. Okay. So I wanna switch gears a little bit and tile of this into fertility. So I know that this isn't necessarily your focus, but it is my focus. And, most of my listeners are, who are listening, are in the process of conceiving and something that I teach my patients and talk about a lot in my online programs and such, is how important it is to create a sense of safety and peace and calm in the body. 

It's what allows your body to conceive, really. Because it sends signals to your brain, which sends signals to your hormones to keep everything, you know, in a fertile place, because it's like, we're talking to our reptilian brain when we're having those feelings of calm and safety in our body. 

(21:39) We're saying, you know, the baby will be cared for baby will have shelter. Baby will have food, like green light, go ahead, have a baby. You know, so. So many of my patients and folks that I work with are so highly stressed, especially, you know, people of color and especially queer and trans and non-binary folks. There's just a whole other multiple layers of stress there. And so what I work with primarily is for people to calm down and to like, you know, create this sense of safety, which I think you have to have in order to move your body and to be, you know, in this dance world and dancing and being a movement artist. 

So that's where I see the connection between fertility and what you do. So I would love to, yeah, I would love to know if you have any advice or what do you do, or are you even aware of creating safety in your body or those feelings of peace and calm?

Jordan (22:43): Yeah, I think it's an everyday practice. I have been just becoming more aware for myself, I think on a consistent basis of creating just like a more like loving and embracing and easy flow. And like, it's not always, you know, it's work just like anything else.

And I think for me what, and, oh my God, this is so crazy because I just sessioned with my brother on Sunday and I had just like this thought come to me and it was just like, yo, you can only rely on outside things so much. You really have to go inside. And like trust yourself and believe yourself, and see yourself as worthy, and see yourself as loving, and see yourself as all of these things as you are.

(23:54) Because from there, you know, like in that movement, you're no longer in the mind, you're in the heart and you're in yourself, you know? And that, for me, it was like, my brain was just going back and forth, like having like this insane conversation and battle within itself of like me in the process of watching and not comparing myself, or not fearing fear of trying something different, or not being stressed about just like, is my movement good enough?

Can I, you know, like whatever to literally like back and forth of constantly going between that and telling myself like, yo. Move with love, do it with love from a loving place. Like you have everything that you need. Like yo, it's okay. You don't have to stress yourself out because there's nothing to really be stressed about because you're okay.

Like in this moment, you're okay. Just lead with that. It's a constant thing. In thinking of just like linking that with the movement of fertility and things like that, you know, like your body has to be in a state of, in a state of calm in some way, shape or form, to be able to allow yourself to be.

(25:33) Tell your body and your mind that it's okay to have these things. And it's okay to recognize it and be like, okay, I'm a little stressed right now. And like, this doesn't feel good to me and it's not of me. And so what is of me? And a lot of the times, like for me, it takes taking a break from whatever it is that I'm doing, you know, and allowing myself to go do something else or get horizontal or, you know, ask myself.

What's really been beautiful for me lately is asking myself the question of what is coming up for me right now. Because in writing about it and not just like, thinking about it, you know, but actually like, getting it out. Going on a walk, going to sit by water, I go to a Creek often and just sit, and just let my mind just like flow and just see like what comes up, because you know, like you can feel it and you can feel like where it's at.

And it's not always easy creating that space in this world. With all of the things that are just like lack of, or, rooted self-esteem or like, not having a strong sense of something and it's of self in some way, shape or form, because of some outside thing of saying, you know, you need to show up in this way, or this is the only way to do this, or this is, you know. And then on top of all of the things that people are just trying to do to just live. 

Josie (27:24): Yeah, totally. Oh, I love those suggestions. I love something that I've learned from my therapist actually is to Change the physiology when you're feeling, you know, stressed or stuck or, you know, kind of when things aren't moving, you know, it's like to just get up and go do something else.

Jordan (27:45): Yeah.

Josie (27:45): Just literally move your body and do like a different activity. And I also loved your advice on getting it out, like journaling. I recommend that practice all the time to just get it out on paper. So it doesn't like set up, you know, in your mind. 

And then, the other thought I had while you were talking was, it sounded like the practice of being in the present moment, like that's where your power is. And it feels like, to me that feels like a meditation technique. So to access that present moment, you know, can not only help to like shift things, but also to help you move and, you know, do that movement in a way that feels like it's from the heart. So I love that those are beautiful, beautiful pieces of advice.

Jordan (28:35): I just wanna say like, no matter what, movement is movement, even if it's not necessarily like in a dance or whatever kind of way. You know, like just writing your hand is moving. You're shifting and you're growing in that moment away from whatever it is that you are letting off the off onto the paper, you know?

It took me a minute to like really find and understand journaling. I'm like, oh, I like need to write every day. And then I was just like, "yo, this is not working for me." But like in those moments of being like, okay, you know, something is coming up for me. I need to write.

Josie (29:27): Totally that literally just happened to me yesterday. I've been having, I kept, I had this theme that kept coming up in my life, like over the course of a couple weeks, like I kept getting triggered in the same way. And I was like, "why is this coming up for me? What, why is this happening?" 

And I sat down, I wrote about it for like two hours yesterday, which I haven't before then I hadn't journaled in months, you know. And I just had all these aha moments. And I was like, oh, like that was at the root of that trigger for me. So helpful. 

Jordan (30:01): Yeah, that's nice. 

Josie (30:02): I would love to know if anything, I mean, you kind of talked about all this already, but if there's any new thoughts that come up about this, what inspires you to move? And then moving without self-consciousness or, advice to others on how to move without self-consciousness.

Jordan (30:20): Moving without self-consciousness I think, and this just happened Saturday because it's been, I mean, Sunday, because it's been such a practice. Such a practice for me, I think moving in the self-conscious honestly, really is wholeheartedly, like believing in yourself.

Like ultimate, not on some, you know, like egotistical way or anything of that. It's just, you know, you are so sure and just grounded and just like in yourself that like, it doesn't matter. Even if you have a self conscious thought that comes across, you're just like, okay. And keep it, you know?

Because there's no, there's no way to never not have a self conscious thought. You know, like we're human beings. Our mind goes through so many thoughts a day. Like we have so many thoughts a day and, I think the real work and it's it's hard as hell, is like keeping yourself in a positive, in a positive light, even if like, things are like, you know, acknowledging, but then still having like a very strong, like sense of like self. 

Josie (31:55): Right. almost like you're an observer of yourself. 

Jordan (31:59): Yeah. Because it's like, you know, what was it like, you know, when you think about emotion or something like that. You know, like when people say, "yo I'm angry," like, you are not your anger, you know. It's something that you're observing yourself being, you know. Or like, it's okay, you know, you get to take yourself apart from that.

You aren't that, you know, this is what this is, it is separate of you. And so like, in that way, I wholeheartedly believe that. It's just like, honestly, really embracing, like embracing all of you and embracing all of you and just like, truly like believing, like whatever. Whatever it is, however you are, whatever it is that you do, just like double down on yourself.

Like, no matter what, this is happening in my life right now, but you know what, I'm acknowledging. And it's gonna be okay. You know, like I'm gonna get through this. It's only gonna make me stronger. 

Josie (33:16): That really, that really resonates with me. I'm also wondering if you have any sort of, I wonder, like if you have any sort of pleasure rituals or where do you find pleasure and joy, or do you have any sort of self love rituals?

Jordan (33:35): Yeah, for sure. I love buying myself flowers. I have just been just really honoring what it is that I need. Probably more recently than ever like asking myself like what it is that I need and, just doing that, whatever that is, whatever that is. I had this thought the other day, it was just like, yo, a lot of the things that I have been doing have been bringing me like a lot more joy.

Well, a lot of joy just like day to day. Whether it be simple, whether it be like, you know, something of like a gig of like some sort. But to really, I've been learning to love myself in the way that like, I work in things in that nature of, sometimes sporadic kind of chaos, but then sometimes also just like really structured moments of like inspiration for me of just being like, okay, like I had this thought and just do it.

That's been bringing me like a lot of joy. I take myself on walks. I walk a lot. I take myself on walks. I like having just kind of like jam sessions. I'll just like put on music and lay on the floor, and listen to music for hours. I don't know. Just like really listen to like what it is that I need in the moment. Sometimes that's like driving two hours and going to submerge myself in water. 

(35:19) Sometimes that's like, cooking myself a meal that I haven't had in a long time, or just taking my friend to dinner because she's like screen printing all night. Yeah. I give myself hugs. I give myself kisses, like, you know, just, I take time.

I take time with myself, like in the morning. And throughout the day of just like, recognizing like that I'm present, that I'm here, that I am someone. And just allowing myself to just kind of sit in that.

Josie (35:56): I love that so much. I love, giving yourself hugs and kisses. That is so lovely. 

Jordan (36:03): It's so weird. Like I, when I did my training with mama glow last year, I don't know why, but I think, you know, I just hadn't really hugged myself in a long time. And maybe it was just because I was getting hugs from other people, but like in a moment of, you know, like worldwide pandemic situation, um, one of the things that like we did when we had class was like, give ourself a hug. And I was just like, yo, this feels really nice. 

Josie (36:42): Totally. Oh, I love that. So beautiful. I love that practice. I'm gonna start doing that. Okay, so I would love, if you're open to it, I would love for you to lead me and my listeners through some sort of grounding exercise, where we can learn to generate feelings of peace and safety in our bodies, and create a vision for what we want, what we wanna create, whether it's a family or whatever, anything else.

(37:16) Jordan: Yeah, yeah, let's do that. Alright. Let me get comfy. 

(37:22) Josie: okay.

(37:32) Jordan: Hi everyone. Thank you for showing up today, in this moment, in this time. in wherever it is that you are, whether it be morning, afternoon, or night.

I just want you to take just a little bit of time to find a comfortable space to settle in.

Find a comfortable way to just sit and be. Whether that's laying down, whether that's your legs crossed in the chair and just sit for a second. Allow your eyes to softly close. If that feels comfortable to you allow your arms to rest. 

(38:45) Allow your legs to be heavy your feet, to fill the floor and just take a few normal breaths here and say, thank you. To yourself, to the loved ones that surround you, whether it be family, friends, chosen, family, pets, plants, whatever that may look like and feel like for you right now. Just take a moment to just be and appreciate yourself.

Just another few deep breaths here. And while you're breathing, I just want to set an intention for the rest of the time now that we're sharing together.

(40:12) I am anything in everything that I want to be and need to be for me at any moment.

I can create peace.

I am of love. 

I am of love.

I am at love. Go ahead and make some heat in your hands. Give a nice little rub through and just place. Right over your heart.

(41:26) And if you like, you can place one, right, right. At the bottom of your, of your solar plexus. 

Right at your solar plexus, which is right underneath your belly button, whatever it is that you want to create. Whatever it is that you want to build, whether it be a family, whether it be a career, whether it be a home, whether it just be peace in your body and in your life, first know that you deserve everything of that.

(42:22) You deserve everything of that. And know that in those moments where you feel like you can't, I'm telling you right now that you can.

In these moments, allow yourself to just take a step away to be present in the moment. Or to sit in it for a second. That's okay. 

That is okay. The shift will come. The love is there. The healing is there and you are worthy of the things that you desire. You are worthy of the things that you desire.

If there's ever a doubt in your mind, just take a look in the mirror at yourself and tell yourself that you are worthy of the things that you desire. Embrace yourself. Give yourself some love. Give yourself some peace.

(44:21) Every day is a new day for you to show up for yourself in the ways that you need to, you are of love. What you want and need in your life is on its way.

And always give yourself a moment to pause and rest and take a breath. Acknowledge. And tell yourself again that you are worthy of the things that you desire.

Where your hands are placed. Right now. Just take a deep breath here. Let your belly breathe. Take in air, fill it up. All the way, and take a sigh out.

(45:49) And when it feels good to you, I wanna welcome you back into the space, whatever thoughts, whatever visions. 

Of what that looks like for you, how you need to hold yourself in those spaces, allow yourself, give yourself permission for each and everyone, because you are deserving of love, and you are deserving of the things that you desire. Thank you.

Josie (46:30): Jordan, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much. You are an incredible human being and example for all of us. I just adore you and your work that you're doing and Ugh, just thank you for this conversation today. I learned so much. 

Jordan (46:50): Same. Thank you so much. It's really beautiful to hear your perspective on the intertwining of our two worlds. It's really, really beautiful. And thank you for allowing me to have space to also just show up and be more confident in things in, in like what I'm doing and sharing my voice. It's an honor.

There's this playlist that I have been pretty much listening to like, every morning, or have been listening to every morning for like a good month.

Josie (47:27): Oh, cool. 

Jordan (47:28): And one other thing that has really held me, that I do for myself is I wake up and I just put on music and I dance. Sometimes it's Vogue music, sometimes it's house music, sometimes it's whatever love I've been waking up to love songs for the past two weeks. It is called Handle with Care, by Natalie Lauren.

And it is literally has been my saving grace in very, just like, what am I doing? Like, I don't wanna get out of bed today days. 

Josie (48:12): Right. 

Jordan (48:14): And the first song is just called God Morning. And like, I sent it to all my homies and I was just like, did, this has changed my life. Like when I wake up in the morning and I play this song, like, it just, there's this one line that just says, you know, like it's just about showing up for yourself, like today, like I'm gonna call for myself today. And like that has really held me in a lot of ways. 

Josie (48:41): Oh, cool. Oh, thank you for sharing that. I'm gonna, I'll put the link to it in the show notes for this episode so everyone can listen. I can't wait to listen. I'm gonna go listen to it as soon as we get off.

So Jordan, how can, where can people find you? How can people support you and your work? All that good stuff. 

Jordan (49:03): All that good stuff! Okay, so my Instagram page is, @Jordir0c that's J O R D I R 0 C. That is my main situation right now. My email is in my bio if you ever wanna connect, have questions where you just wanna say hi, that is the best way to find me and to reach out to me if you ever want, and a great way to just find out how to like support the things that I'm doing as well, too.

Always up for it. You know, I am a trans Black queer artist so, um, my Venmo and cash app are also in my link on my Instagram as well too. But I'm just gonna throw them out there to something that I don't normally do. It's like, building a relationship, a new relationship with just like money. Things in that nature, which is a great everyday practice for me as well too. My Venmo is @Jordan-Simmons, and my cash app is $jordir0c, the little dollar sign and Jordi r0c. 

Josie (50:25): Okay, perfect. I'm glad you said that, cuz I was gonna say it if you didn't, 

Jordan (50:31): It's such like a yeah. It's, it's really a practice. I'm in the process of, um, I feel like so many things I'm relearning and re-loving myself in so many ways that like, sometimes I like try to avoid which I feel like sometimes, you know. 

Josie (50:50): Totally, yeah.

Jordan (50:52): But, really working at the root of just like finances and things like for me, like what that looks like it's very, is deeply rooted in a lot of things and I'm just like, okay.

Josie (51:03): Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yes. I agree. Yeah. And it has a lot to do with self love and you know, it's another form of energy really? 

Jordan (51:13): Mm-hmm it is. It is. 

Josie (51:16): Yeah, I love that. Thank you.

Jordan (51:18): Thank you.

Josie (51:22): If you want to learn more about how to give yourself the best chance of conceiving, having a healthy pregnancy and baby or babies, head over to intersectionalfertility.com/fertile, and put your name on the waiting list to be notified when Fertile registration opens. Fertile is a queer trans and non-binary centered five week online program for people with wombs to reclaim power over their fertility journey and conceive using the whole self fertility method.

Thanks for listening to the intersectional fertility podcast. To get customized fertility recommendations based on your whole self fertility method element, join my mailing list at intersectionalfertility.com, and get immediate access to my two minute quiz. If you like the show and want to hear more tap, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a review.

(52:22) It really truly helps. The intersectional fertility podcast is hosted by me, Josie Rodriguez-Bouchier, and produced by For the Love Media with original music by Jen Korte.

All content offered through The Intersectional Fertility Podcast is created for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.