Jedidiah Jenkins

Jedidiah Jenkins, an acclaimed author known for his insightful memoirs, dives deep into personal identity shaped by faith and sexuality. He explores the nuances of preparation for intimacy while navigating social norms. The conversation touches on finding common ground with differing beliefs and the emotional journey of retracing his mother’s walk across America. With humor and heart, Jedidiah shares how memoir writing has helped him understand complex family dynamics, and the vital role of therapy in overcoming shame and fostering connection.

New York Times bestselling author Jedidiah Jenkins shares his journey of radical vulnerability and the power of sharing your truth. He discusses disembodying as a coping mechanism, the concept of the soul, and the importance of deep conversations. Jedidiah also explores finding peace and acceptance, embracing change, and the connection to something bigger. The podcast ends with a reflection on the magic of being alive and the importance of balance.

Jedidiah Jenkins, a former lawyer turned adventurous author, dives deep into the essence of life in this captivating discussion. He explores the transformative power of storytelling and personal experiences, emphasizing authenticity in our narratives. Jenkins reflects on navigating social connections during the pandemic, the complexities of identity, and the underlying influences of societal pressures. He shares insights on mental health, community, and the importance of genuine friendships, all while highlighting how these themes weave together in his latest New York Times bestseller.

Jedidiah Jenkins, a travel writer and author of bestselling books, shares his journey of purpose from cycling 10,000 miles to exploring meaningful living. He discusses the evolving concept of purpose across generations and contrasts it with modern challenges like mental health issues and social media pressures. Jenkins emphasizes the importance of creation over consumption, advocating for intentional activities to find fulfillment. He inspires listeners to embrace lifelong learning and curiosity as vital paths to discovering their true purpose.

The late Anthony Bourdain once said, “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks – on your body or on your heart – are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.”I think this quote beautifully captures the ethos of today's conversation. Travel as an agitator of self-understanding. A template to deeply explore the deep intertwined relationship that lives and breathes in that beautiful space between adventure and identity.Our cipher for this transcendent voyage — how exterior horizons influence scrutiny of our interior landscape — is many things: author, global adventurer, social entrepreneur, human rights activist, lawyer, filmmaker, and magazine publisher.But labels fail to capture what makes Jedidiah Jenkins special. Let's just call him beautiful human.I can’t quite recall how today's guest first came across my radar. What I do remember is happening upon his rather stunning Instagram feed as he neared the end of a spectacular bicycle-powered journey that took him from Oregon to Patagonia.Each photograph more arresting than the one prior, every image conveyed it’s own story that perfectly informed an engaging larger narrative. But it’s Jedidiah’s accompanying entries — beautifully composed, contemplative and quite poetic — that set his feed apart. Writings themed less by place than interior geography, it’s Instagram as dynamic journal — an experiment in blogging that camps out hundreds of miles beyond any travelogue, blog or vlog you’ve ever before seen.I was hypnotized. Who is this guy?A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Pepperdine University School of Law, Jedidiah began his professional career as one of the founding leaders of Invisible Children, the small non-profit that overnight became world renown courtesy of a little social justice campaign you might have heard of called #Kony2012– a campaign that redefined internet virality.The progeny of adventurer journalist parents who quite famously graced the cover of National Geographic walking across America in the 1970’s, I think it’s fair to say that despite his desk-bound legal career, Jedidiah and the outdoors had a little destiny to sort out. And so, to celebrate his 30th birthday, Jedidiah quit the job he loved to unconsciously follow in his parents’ footsteps, scare himself, embrace the unknown and, like a character out of a Mark Twain novel, light out on the territory.Three years ago, I invited him on the podcast to share the story of his sixteen-month, 10,000 mile journey. To date it's one of my favorite conversations in the history of this podcast. That day I made him promise to return upon completion of the book chronicling that experience.Today is that day.This week marks the release of To Shake The Sleeping Self*. It's everything I hoped it would be. On the surface it captures his epic bicycle expedition in vivid detail. But beyond the literal, it's an elegant polemic about the search for identity, the cultivation of community,Enjoy!Rich