Today, I interview Jeff Davis. Unfortunately, Jeff's childhood was filled with bullying. He was a late bloomer, so he was the little guy surrounded by other boys who were getting tall and growing up. Because of this, he didn't have a girlfriend and he was teased a lot. He also had a lisp and a self-soothing habit of sucking his thumb, and people often beat him up, called him names, and told him he was worthless and stupid. 

Jeff's parents loved him and did the best they could, but they had not equipped him with the foundation necessary for surviving all the negativity of this world. They were kind, hardworking people, but their way of responding to Jeff was to use words they thought would solve problems but which were actually hurting him and making his life more difficult. 

The bullying and lack of support from his parents in his childhood led to very difficult high school years for Jeff. In the spring of his senior year, after being diagnosed with clinical depression, Jeff went to the garage one day, grabbed a length of rope, and headed toward a tree in his backyard, where he planned to take his life. 

Then, Jeff refers to a "spark of hope" which was present with him in that moment, telling him to put the rope down and go back to his room. He felt comforted for a brief moment. Later the spark of hope let him know that he would change lives by sharing his story about this rock-bottom time for him. This "intuitive knowing" told him that he was meant to live longer. He went up to his room and did a meditation, during which he had the most profound experience. He had the epiphany that our self worth has nothing to do with our circumstances. Today, Jeff reminds us that we can seek help, and that we have all the answers we need, deep down inside of us.

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Jeff Davis is the award-winning author of three books, in addition to being a blogger, professional speaker, and consultant. He has done keynote speeches internationally and is a sought-after expert in mental health, authentic leadership, and resiliency. He’s also a TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, and consistently featured on the top podcasts in the world. Jeff frequently speaks to and consults with schools, nonprofits, organizations, associations, conferences, and businesses. Nicknamed The Muhammad Ali of Mental Health, he’s known for his ability to shine light on challenging topics. He’s been to five different continents and has a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Originally from Connecticut, he currently lives abroad in Rotterdam, Netherlands. 

Find Jeff here: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerjeffdavis/ 
https://www.youtube.com/@jeffdavisauthor 
https://www.facebook.com/authorjeffdavis 
https://jeffdspeaks.com/authentic-leadership-blog/ 

For a free PDF copy of Jeff's Amazon bestseller "The Power of Authentic Leadership", email him at [email protected]. 

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I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. 

Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.   

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I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.