Jennifer Newcomb
Author
Eugene, Oregon
My mission
To help people live happier lives by reducing the amount of clutter in our heads, homes and communities while preserving the planet for future generations.
My 10-Second Bio
Author of two books on collaborative divorced family relationships and one on creativity.
(The co-author of my first book, Carol Marine, is my kids’ stepmom. We went from enemies to close friends while writing.)
I’ve helped warring families end court battles and become parenting allies.
My 30-min. guest appearance on Dr. Phil as an author was seen in over 25 countries.
I actually like public speaking, except for ten minutes right before it happens.
Grew up in Madrid, Manila and all over the U.S.
I live in Eugene, Oregon, after a long stint in Austin.
My husband and I are empty-nesters.
Between the two of us, we have five(!) daughters and one granddaughter.
My Story
It all began with two obsessions: fairy tales and home.
As an Air Force/American Embassy kid, I moved around a lot. But I didn’t mind. You got to see new places and cultures. Make a fresh start. Leave the past behind (which, yes, was sometimes sad).
The constant for me was always books. I devoured entire rows of fairy tales in the library and dreamed of being a writer when I grew up. I even had my own library at home, complete with checkout cards.
Moving around so much meant that by the time I’d finished high school, I’d lived in countless houses. As a nomad, I was always fascinated by the differences my friend’s lives and mine, the places and countries we lived, and the worlds found in books.
All that variety fed my curiosity, which gelled into…
3 Themes
Cognitive Inquiry
At 19, I took my first cognitive therapy workshop and it changed my life. Insights from this work became a lifelong passion. So much of what we believe isn’t actually true! Who knew?
After my ex-husband and I divorced, I used these techniques to transcend the conflict between our two households. I will always be incredibly proud of the cooperative, close friendship we were able to create. We repaired the fracture between us and formed a bond that has benefitted our children in countless, immeasurable ways.
The 100-Year Plan
If we can work beyond our personal blind spots, we can start to solve the pressing problems of today.
We must strengthen our connections to each other and stop bonding to things. Then we can simplify our surroundings, buy and produce less, and protect our global home for future generations.
More than ever, we must get better at conflict resolution so we can work together.
It matters deeply to me that I leave a better world for my children and grandchildren.
Experimental Data Reveals the Systems
A system or process is neither inherently good or bad. It’s simply a series of steps that delivers a consistent result.
If we remove the sting of “failure” from our actions, we’re freer to experiment with new behavior and new goals.
We can reveal the inner workings of our invisible systems and see if we want to keep them or change them to feel freer and more aligned.
What might be possible?
Let’s Work Together
(coming soon!)
Resources
Fail Forward
Community
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