In the most recent podcast, we wanted to do something rather unconventional to celebrate the 200th episode of Unconventional Life. We flipped the script and put the creator of Unconventional Life, Jules Schroeder, in front of the microphone instead of behind it to discuss her incredibly inspirational and (unconventional) personal journey, her drive for creating the podcast and the little known story behind its creation.
We asked Jules what pivotal moments in her life planted the seed that led to the crazy adventure she’s been on and what ultimately was the catalyst for her to start Unconventional Life. Growing up as the oldest of five children with a father who worked in Wall Street, Jules shares how she knew she was always different. Her drive for independence was evident from a young age, leaving home at 16 and working three jobs to fund and support herself (although never cashing a single paycheck).
By the age of 18, she had a burning desire to prove herself which led to jumping at the opportunity of a business development course offered through her Economics degree at university. This opportunity – followed by the subsequent success she found in the painting industry and business worlds – led to Jules’ realization that she simply did not fit into the ‘mold’ of what everybody else was like at the business conferences she would attend.
While she had great success and managed to situate herself in this world to make a living, she maintained her non-conventional free spirit outside of this.
She talks about feeling like she did not fit into either world. Too driven and business-minded for the free-spirited “hippie” world, too free-spirited and open-minded for the business world.
This experience of not fitting a mold and wanting to do things on her own terms is one of the core principles of Unconventional Life.
An even bigger catalyst for starting Unconventional Life was the near-death experience she experienced in 2015 – the year prior to the first-ever podcast. Jules talks about the profound, life-altering and mystical experience she had whilst being rendered unconscious by the wakeboarding accident. That she was given the choice to return to her body and continue the work she had to do on this planet – to fulfill her purpose.
The accident was a pivotal point in how she lived her life – that “life before [the accident] being driven by me and life after coming through for me”.
She uses the example of the UN global ambassador for education contacting her shortly after the accident, her invitation to Forbes 30 under 30 and being approached to write for Forbes. All massive opportunities that seemingly ‘came through’ for her, putting her on the path of creating the Unconventional Life podcast.
Jules created Unconventional Life to be able to talk about the darker aspects of what it’s like to be a human and a leader.
She explained to Forbes how she wanted to tell the story of people through this podcast. How the primary mission was to tell stories so we can connect globally – across all different circumstances, situations and countries – “that we are waking up as a planet and that we need each other”. To share the reality of awakening, that with all of the expansion and mysticism of the ascension process, there are equal amounts of darkness to navigate.
To discuss the experience of “being radically in relationship with both sides”, the dark and the light.
That despite things externally moving at an alarming and impressive rate for her after the accident, “without addressing what was happening underneath it didn’t solve the very thing I was in pursuit of… that fulfillment, that feeling of wholeness.”
Her experience of anxiety when trying to integrate all of the expansion that came after the accident is not something that she believes is independent to her – that as we move towards 2020 and continued global expansion of consciousness, more and more people will be experiencing this “dark night of the soul” or navigating a tumultuous and emotionally confusing awakening.
For Jules, her whole life journey since the accident – and the podcast – has been centered around the idea of “how do I stand in my darkness and realize that my darkness is actually paving the way for more light?” This is the message that she tries to convey in all of her interview subjects, through all the struggles of the people that share their stories on Unconventional Life.
Jules predicts that moving forward, more and more people will be realizing that “being the biggest fish in your small pond is not interesting” and that globally we will realize our true nature and that there’s more to life than what it seems. That we want to create more.
Jules believes that “we are creators of our life and every moment is a choice.” She strives to share stories of people – just like you and me – who have abandoned the ‘mold’ and done things their own way – the unconventional way – to boldly pursue the life they wanted to create. She believes that “every story tells the next story” and that each person, each experience has been so important to the larger message.
She would like to thank everybody who has followed or engaged with Unconventional Life over the past 4 years and wholeheartedly extends the offer to reach out to her to share your story, your journey or your questions in navigating this journey.
For anybody new to Unconventional Life, or starting out on their journey and wanting some inspiration, Jules wants you to know-
“It’s real, keep going.”
For real-time updates from Jules follow her on Instagram.
Check out her music on Spotify and stay tuned for her newest album releasing in 2020!
