Get Yourself Optimized® 543. Growing Through Trauma with Janelle Bruland
Dec 11, 2025
Janelle Bruland, an award-winning entrepreneur and author, shares her transformative journey from the brink of burnout to authentic leadership. After a blackout on a plane revealed her PTSD, she discovered how societal definitions of success overwhelm us. Janelle explains her 'Success Lie' concept and emphasizes the importance of resolving trauma for genuine growth. With poignant stories about family and faith, she illustrates the power of choosing meaningful moments, holistic healing approaches, and the significance of accepting the present.
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From Living Room Startup To 500 Employees
- Janelle started a janitorial business from her living room while nine months pregnant and grew it into a multi-state company with 500 employees.
- She loved developing people more than scaling revenue, which later led her into leadership coaching and writing.
Airplane Blackout Revealed Hidden PTSD
- Janelle lost time on a flight and later discovered a brain scan showed PTSD-like activity in her amygdala.
- That diagnosis forced her to radically change her schedule and step back from daily CEO duties to heal and realign her life.
Offload Responsibility To Reclaim Life
- Step away from unsustainable schedules and delegate or bring in partners to reduce responsibility while keeping ownership.
- Reclaim time for priorities by creating a framework and making deliberate life changes.
