#158 - What if your moments of greatest confusion were actually doorways to your most authentic self? Giovanna Silvestre's remarkable journey proves exactly that. From the high-pressure halls of Hollywood to the difficult decision of walking away from her family's beloved Italian restaurant, Giovanna's path shows how embracing uncertainty becomes your greatest strength.

With refreshing candor, Giovanna shares her descent into depression after attaching her self-worth to external validation—her Hollywood career, the family business, romantic relationships. The turning point? A disciplined approach to rebuilding herself from within through yoga, meditation, and gratitude practices that culminated in a profound spiritual awakening. "I woke up one day and literally felt like I was on Molly," she laughs, describing the natural high that forever shifted her baseline of inner peace.

The conversation takes us through her creation of the "Confused Girl in the City" blog, where weekly adventures from bungee jumping to flying trapeze taught her that confidence comes from stepping outside your comfort zone. We journey alongside Giovanna as she develops a crystal-inspired yoga clothing line that sells internationally, then follows her intuition to Bali and Berlin—spending two years abroad to write her new book "Confused Girl: Find Your Peace in the Chaos."

Giovanna's wisdom resonates deeply: "Confusion is the fuel for your self-discovery journey." Her story proves that when we remove the shame from not having all the answers, we open ourselves to living the life we truly desire. If you're feeling lost, uncertain, or simply curious about your next steps, this episode offers both comfort and practical guidance for transforming your confusion into clarity.

Ready to embrace your own journey? Pre-order Giovanna's book before May 13th at confusedgirlinthecity.com and enter to win a two-night oceanfront stay in Maui!

Visit LandPirate.com to get your gear that has you, the adventurer, in mind. Use the code "Journey with Jake" to get an additional 15% off at check out.

Visit geneticinsights.co and use the code "DISCOVER25" to enjoy a sweet 25% off your first purchase.

When David Schafran felt his life spiraling into depression and emptiness, he discovered an unexpected lifeline – salsa dancing. That first night on the dance floor sparked something profound: "It makes me feel so happy because it's so joyous and flavorful and juicy." This moment of clarity eventually led David from his high-stress tech startup in Boston to the vibrant streets of Medellín, Colombia, where he immersed himself in dance for five transformative months.

David's story challenges conventional thinking about wellness and healing. Despite practicing meditation and yoga, these solitary pursuits weren't enough to lift him from his emotional fog. What he desperately needed was connection, expression, and embodied joy – elements he found abundantly in the salsa dancing community. As he puts it, salsa offers three essential gifts: "joy, flavor, and affection."

This revelation didn't just change David's personal life – it birthed a mission. Through his company Soma Loco (meaning "we're crazy together"), he now creates personalized dance immersion experiences that help others discover the same transformative power of movement. Whether you're an experienced dancer or someone who believes they have "two left feet," David's approach proves that dance isn't about performance but feeling. The results speak for themselves, with participants describing the experience as genuinely life-changing.

Ready to discover how movement might transform your life? David's journey reminds us that sometimes healing isn't found in stillness, but in rhythm; not in isolation, but in connection. As he advocates, dance isn't just fun – it's medicine that should be taken seriously as a path to well-being. Follow your curiosity to somoloco.com or @dancesomoloco on Instagram to learn how you might find your own rhythm.

Want to be a guest on Journey with Jake? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Visit LandPirate.com to get your gear that has you, the adventurer, in mind. Use the code "Journey with Jake" to get an additional 15% off at check out.

Visit geneticinsights.co and use the code "DISCOVER25" to enjoy a sweet 25% off your first purchase.

Bonus 8 - Dr. Douglas Brouwer's journey from Western Michigan to the world and back again offers profound insights into how travel shapes our spiritual lives and understanding of home.

After spending 40 years serving as a Presbyterian pastor around the globe, Doug's adventures took him from maximum security prisons in Philadelphia to a church in Zurich, Switzerland, where he learned German at age 60. His travels weren't merely about seeing new places but about finding deeper meaning and connection with humanity.

The conversation explores Doug's most profound travel experiences, including walking 500 miles along the Camino de Santiago at retirement age. Despite averaging 17 miles daily for 28 days with everything on his back, it was the first night—stranded on a mountainside between France and Spain—that taught him the most powerful lesson about his own limitations. Yet he persevered, meeting fellow pilgrims from around the world who, regardless of religious affiliation, participated in the ancient spiritual rituals along the path.

What makes this episode particularly moving is Doug's reflection on the true purpose of all our wandering. After visiting 48 states and countless countries, writing a book called "The Traveler's Path," and experiencing diverse cultures, he found that his heart's true home was back near Lake Michigan where he began. "All of this moving around, all of the searching that people do, I think, is a search for home," he shares with emotion. "Where is it that I belong?"

Whether you're planning your next adventure or questioning the meaning of your travels, this conversation will challenge your perspective on what makes journeys worthwhile.

Visit LandPirate.com to get your gear that has you, the adventurer, in mind. Use the code "Journey with Jake" to get an additional 15% off at check out.

Visit geneticinsights.co and use the code "DISCOVER25" to enjoy a sweet 25% off your first purchase.