By: Joshua Finley
At 11, Jenelle Friday sensed a storm brewing within her—a storm she didn’t yet have the words to name. Raised in a conservative Christian household, her life looked picture-perfect from the outside. But inside, the weight of unspoken pain drove her to self-harm. It wasn’t until adulthood, when buried memories of abuse surfaced that she understood the source of her anguish.
“The moment I faced my past was the moment I discovered my power,” Jenelle recalls. Through therapy, she learned to transform her pain into purpose. Armed with emotional intelligence techniques like the butterfly hug, she began to rewrite her story—not as a victim, but as a victor. “At that moment, I claimed my power. The past didn’t define me—my choices did. And that revelation became the foundation of my life’s work.”
Transforming Pain into Purpose
Jenelle’s personal journey through trauma led her to a profound realization: healing isn’t just possible—it’s a pathway to power. Three out of five women have experienced some form of sexual harassment, yet many suffer in silence. This statistic drove Jenelle to create something different, something that went beyond conventional approaches to emotional intelligence.
LionHeartCS: Where Theory Meets Transformation
In 2023, Jenelle launched LionHeartCS, but this isn’t your typical emotional intelligence program. “Too often, people feel controlled by their emotions. I teach my clients to view emotions as data—not dictators,” she explains. Her 12-week emotional intelligence boot camp transforms EQ from an abstract concept into a tactical skill set.
“EQ is the bridge between self-awareness and transformational action,” Jenelle emphasizes. She shares a powerful example: “During a high-stakes negotiation, I recognized my stress response kicking in—shallow breathing, racing thoughts. Instead of letting it derail me, I used a grounding technique to center myself, refocus, and negotiate with confidence. The result? A mutually beneficial agreement and a lasting relationship built on trust.”
Breaking Through to Breakthrough
Jenelle’s approach goes beyond traditional coaching methods. One of her mentees struggled with paralyzing self-doubt before giving presentations. Together, they explored the root cause of her fear, reframed it as excitement, and created a ritual using “I AM” affirmations to anchor her confidence. “Now, she delivers presentations with charisma and ease, owning the room every time,” Jenelle shares proudly.
Another client, a senior executive, was on the brink of burnout. After implementing mindfulness techniques and boundary-setting strategies from the program, she not only revitalized her mental health but also led her team to record-breaking performance metrics—all while enjoying more time with her family.
Tips for Success
Jenelle’s approach to emotional intelligence is practical and accessible. Here are three of her top tips for success:
- Embrace the Uncomfortable
“Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone,” Jenelle emphasizes. True healing and transformation often require facing the parts of ourselves or our past that we’d rather avoid. By stepping into discomfort, we cultivate resilience and open the door to profound personal breakthroughs. Jenelle likens this process to strength training for the mind—temporary strain leads to lasting growth. - Challenge Negative Thoughts
Our minds often bombard us with intrusive or unhelpful thoughts that can influence our emotions and actions. Jenelle suggests addressing these thoughts with three powerful questions: “Is this true? Is it helpful? Is it uplifting?” This practice helps dismantle automatic negative thinking and fosters greater self-awareness. Jenelle encourages replacing phrases like “I can’t do this” with “I’m learning to navigate this challenge.” Over time, this cognitive shift helps develop a more positive and constructive inner dialogue. - Commit to Daily Practice
“Transformation requires consistency,” Jenelle says. The key to lasting emotional healing lies in developing and maintaining daily practices that foster mindfulness and self-regulation. She recommends dedicating just 15 minutes a day to tools like the butterfly hug—a bilateral stimulation technique that calms the nervous system—or other mindfulness exercises and journaling. These practices, done consistently, can rewire emotional responses and help break patterns of reactivity.
Transform Your Potential Into Power
This is your moment. Jenelle Friday doesn’t just teach Emotional Intelligence—she lives it, and her passion for transforming lives is contagious. Her groundbreaking approach to EQ isn’t about abstract ideas—it’s about real, actionable tools that create lasting change.
Want to master EQ? Explore Jenelle’s LionHeartCS programs that are changing lives every day. Need a dynamic speaker to energize and inspire your audience? Bring Jenelle to your stage. Ready to take charge of your emotions and your future? Schedule a one-on-one session with her now.
To learn more about Jenelle’s work and her upcoming book on emotional intelligence, visit her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Published by Stephanie M.
