Jacquie Grillon: Unbreakable. Turning Pain into Purpose

Jacquie Grillon is no stranger to reinvention. In fact, she calls herself the "queen of reinvention." Life has taken her through countless twists and turns, and each time she has adapted, transformed, and found a way forward. She grew up with dreams of becoming a photographer on a movie set, but that never materialized in the way she imagined. Instead, she became a mother, which required its own kind of reinvention. When she got sober, she had to start over yet again, asking herself, "What now?" and rebuilding her life from the ground up.

After working in real estate for years, the 2008 market crash forced yet another reinvention. With her savings running out, she went back to school for drug counseling while juggling waitressing and personal training to make ends meet. The balancing act was exhausting, but she did what she had to do. When the real estate market recovered, she went back, chasing the financial security it offered. But something still felt off.

Then came COVID. While others found the pandemic to be a time of uncertainty, Jacquie saw it as a pause she desperately needed. It gave her time to reflect on what truly mattered. She realized that money alone wasn’t enough; she wanted to feel fulfilled. She wanted to be closer to her grandkids in Atlanta. But Atlanta wasn’t an option—she was a beach girl at heart. So, she moved to Florida, determined to follow a new path, one that spoke to her soul.

She decided to live off her savings for a while and focus on what she loved—helping people. She pursued energy healing, teaching, and becoming a CEU provider for massage therapists and acupuncturists. She even took a speaking class, determined to share her story in a more public way. But as her savings dwindled, she faced the familiar necessity of another pivot. She entered the health insurance industry—not because she was passionate about it, but because it was an opportunity. Surprisingly, she found meaning in it, realizing that she was still helping people, just in a different way than she expected.

Through all of these reinventions, Jacquie has relied on one thing: an unwavering inner knowing that everything will be okay. Even when her mind races with uncertainty, there is a deep part of her that trusts the process. Life has always worked out, even when it didn’t seem like it would. That trust has been hard-earned through struggle, loss, and resilience.

Her resilience wasn’t born out of choice; it was born out of necessity. Life knocked her down more times than she can count, but she always got back up. She faced rock bottom, losing custody of her son and living out of her car. She has walked through unimaginable pain, but she has also found incredible strength on the other side. And that’s the message she hopes to share with others—pain is a teacher, and even the hardest experiences bring gifts if you’re willing to receive them.

Now, at 58, Jacquie is still dreaming, still evolving. She envisions herself speaking to audiences about trauma, ADHD, codependency, and recovery. She wants to help people who feel stuck, lost, or broken. She knows firsthand that healing is possible because she has done the work herself. She also dreams of running retreats, creating spaces where people can find connection and growth outside of traditional systems.

She has also come to embrace a new understanding of herself, particularly her ADHD diagnosis. For years, she thought it was something to overcome, something that made life harder. But now, she sees it as a superpower—one that has driven her creativity, adaptability, and ability to connect with others. It’s another layer of her story, one that she hopes to share to help others who may feel misunderstood.

Looking back, she says her greatest accomplishment isn’t a job title or financial success—it’s her willingness to do the deep inner work. To face her past, her pain, and her fears. To emerge from them with wisdom, compassion, and a deep capacity to hold space for others. She has learned that true healing requires discomfort, and she refuses to settle for surface-level growth. She knows that the real work happens when you’re willing to dive deep.

Jacquie’s journey is a testament to the power of reinvention, resilience, and trust in oneself. She is living proof that it is never too late to start over, to dream new dreams, and to create a life that aligns with your soul. And through it all, she is still evolving, still learning, and still saying yes to whatever life has in store for her next.

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