Confessions of a Warrior: Embracing Vulnerability
by Jessica Winkler
About the Book
“I too am a survivor of sexual violence and, like Jessica, I have built up huge walls around myself and not allowed myself to be vulnerable. I realize that, just like Jessica, I am always fighting and I have a fearless and almost reckless addiction to extreme adrenaline sports. It makes sense now that this is due to my desire to feel in control and alive. Jessica has helped me to understand why I suppress my feelings and shove them into the deepest, darkest corners, where I don’t have to deal with them. The courage she has shown … the fight … the strength … truly move and inspire me. This book has honestly shifted my focus on healing; she is the strongest woman I know. Thank you for being vulnerable, Jessica, so that others like me can find the strength to start our own healing journey.”
— Ruth Saunders, Body Builder/MMA Fighter Team Canada
About the Author
Jessica Winkler is an author, speaker, professional kiteboarder, and warrior trainer. She has won national titles in freestyle kiteboarding (tricks) in Canada, Mexico, and South Africa. She has many course racing wins in Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. Most recently she competed in big wave riding and stood on the podium in the South African nationals. Her biggest win to date is the World Speed Championships in France in 2012.
She has a passion for helping women overcome sexual abuse and assault issues through mind training and the healing power of sport. Her achievements in kiteboarding and her joy of travelling all over the world result directly from her strong mind-training practices. When she began her journey in healing, she stumbled upon the lojong warrior slogans and realized she had been living and practising them her whole life, since the time she died in a water skiing accident as a teenager to the time she narrowly survived a brutal rape in Nicaragua. Jessica’s life journey began in a violent, broken home, always on the run from her mother’s partners.
Interview with Jessica Winkler
Please share a bit about your journey to become a published author?
My journey was a quick one. I manifested Julie into my life and from the day we met it was full on. I attended her week long writers retreat in Turks and Caicos where I started and completed my book. Before I met Julie I was working with a writer and struggling to get even the first chapter done. Julie informed me I did NOT need a writer and that I could do it on my own. She gave me the encouragement and confidence I needed to write the entire thing and publish it within a month. I ended up selling 75 copies in 1.5 weeks!
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How does the writing process work for you? Do you schedule a time every day, work madly when inspiration hits or ?
The writers retreat was the best thing for me. It forced me to sit every day and just get it done. I really enjoyed having the other women around me also writing their books. The energy in the house and having Julie there for support is why I was able to finish it in 10 days.
What did you find most difficult about the writing and publishing process? What was the easiest?
The process of writing my book was grueling. I struggled having to look back on my life and dig up such terrible feelings that I so cleverly hid all my life. At some parts I actually had to have Julie type for me because I just couldn’t bare it all. VERY emotional times.
Writing a book has been the most life changing experience. After receiving the first few reviews of my book I felt a calm peacefulness that I’ve never experienced in my life. The anxiety I carried around in my life is gone. Writing this book has given me the healing I’ve so long needed.
What would you like readers to know about you?
My life has been a roller coaster ride of living my life to the fullest. I’ve done pretty much everything my heart has desired and that has lead me into some very interesting situations. Ultimately it has lead me to live in the most amazing place I’ve ever seen, Turks and Caicos Islands. I spent ten years traveling the world as a professional kite-surfer and now my book is allowing me to help people recover from trauma.
What title (or titles) have you released?
I just finished my first book. It is called Confessions of a Warrior: Embracing
Vulnerability. My book is about overcoming trauma using tools I’ve developed that lead me
to be balanced and successful as well as Lojong mind training techniques.
Do you have any new books in the planning or writing stage?
Yes I’ve started writing a fun one about my travel experiences. I’m about half way through the fourth chapter.