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Jennifer Fehrs

 

 

Beauty, Brains, Balance

PHOTOS BY BEN YOSEF

Some women excel in one area of life. Others somehow manage to thrive across many. Jennifer Fehrs is one of those rare individuals who has built a life where beauty, intelligence, and personal wellness exist in perfect harmony. An IPL Figure Open Pro, coach, licensed cosmetologist, engineer, and lifelong student of growth, Jennifer approaches every chapter with curiosity, grace, and purpose. In this conversation with SEAM Magazine, she shares her thoughts on confidence, embracing the aging process, finding balance in a busy life, and why true beauty has far more to do with how you see yourself than what you see in the mirror.

"This has been such a high point in my life. The emotions that stand out the most for me are fear and pure elation."

SEAM: Jennifer, welcome to SEAM Magazine! First of all, congratulations on an incredible IPL debut at the Connecticut Championship. You stepped into multiple divisions, earned your Figure Pro Card, and showed an impressive blend of strength, confidence, and elegance. Looking back now, what emotions stand out the most from that unforgettable day?
JENNIFER: First, thank you for allowing me to be a part of SEAM and the IPL altogether. This has been such a high point in my life. The emotions that stand out the most for me are fear and pure elation. Fear of many things, like blanking on stage, having an inadequate physique, falling, and the fear that I could have done something more or better.
     Pure elation came from being completely surrounded by a whole new bodybuilding community and organization where everyone feels like family. I truly felt the warm and welcoming spirit from everyone, including the promoter, Leann, the makeup artists (who, by the way, were the best in the industry), and my fellow competitors. The energy backstage and onstage was unlike anything I have experienced in my 37 years of bodybuilding.
SEAM: The title of this interview is “Beauty, Brains, Balance.” Which of those three words feels most natural to you, and which one has taken the most work to develop over the years?

"Beauty has taken the most work. I went to a Catholic high school in Connecticut, where I grew up, and let me just say, high school was cruel."

"For women over 40 who don't use Botox or fillers, etc., stop with the old-school heavy foundation, as it accentuates your wrinkles."

JENNIFER: OMG, makeup, skincare, and haircare are my favorite forms of self-care. For women over 40 who don’t use Botox or fillers, etc., stop with the old-school heavy foundation, as it accentuates your wrinkles. Look for a facial moisturizer with SPF that has some pigment to it. I love d’Alba UV Essence Waterfull.
     Also, a must-have for the makeup bag, especially for the under-eye area, is the Doll 10 Glow Under Eye Stick Concealer and Beauty Treatment. I also love a good bronzer, like Laura Geller Baked Bronze-n-Brighten Bronzer. My favorite eyeshadow is by Patrick Ta. His eyeshadows apply so well on mature skin.
     Since hydration is key for mature skin, don’t forget a finishing spray like the d’Alba First Spray Serum. Don’t forget to finish your face with a nice nude lip. MAC Cosmetics has the best lip liners and shades. Don’t line your whole lip all the way to the corners after 40, either. It makes a big difference in the finished look.
     For haircare, I have been a loyal Aveda user for years and swear by it. For body moisturizer, I keep it very simple with olive oil or coconut oil. I used to make my own body lotions with different oils and shea butter.
SEAM: You have an impressive ability to balance multiple passions and careers while still making time for fitness. How do you stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed when life gets busy?

"This pattern of doing so many things at once just repeats throughout my life and is how I stay grounded, creative, and connected to my passions."

JENNIFER: I know I do juggle a lot, and often, when I look back at certain periods or seasons in my life, I don’t know how I was able to do all those things at once. For example, when I graduated from high school, I worked a job, went to college full-time, and was enrolled in and attending cosmetology school. This pattern of doing so many things at once just repeats throughout my life and is how I stay grounded, creative, and connected to my passions.
     I am a very ultra-organized person. I have lists everywhere and for everything. Some people might find that stressful or feel like they’re always tied to a “to-do” list, but I find it gives me peace, purpose, and a sense of accomplishment when I check things off.
SEAM: You’ve described yourself as someone who enjoys learning new skills and embracing different opportunities. What keeps you motivated to continue growing instead of becoming comfortable with just one path?
JENNIFER: My husband describes me as a squirrel who always darts to the next thing, but says the difference between me and the squirrel is that I tend to go all in on the things that I dart to and try to master them, rather than just casually doing them. I guess what keeps me motivated is the hunger to learn as much as possible in the short time we have on Earth. It is crazy to think about all the fun things there are to learn, and technology today has only made that more accessible.
     As far as fitness, I started weightlifting because I was underweight, weighing around 85 pounds. Weightlifting and proper nutrition helped me gain weight, and I started competing in women’s bodybuilding, which was the only division at the time. Then I did ballroom dancing, ballet and pointe, then yoga, eventually becoming a yoga teacher and spin instructor. It seems like whatever season of life I am in draws me to something new.
     I started ballet in my 30s after my divorce as a healing mechanism. During that season of my life, ballet had a certain feel for me every time I danced. I can still remember that feeling whenever I watch a ballet variation or think about dancing again. Each season of my life draws me to something new or back to something I used to pursue.
SEAM: Confidence can come from many places. Some women find it through their careers, others through fitness, family, or personal growth. Where does your confidence come from today, and has that answer changed over the years?

"Only later in life, probably from my late 40s to now in my mid-50s, has it felt a little less difficult to feel and act with confidence."

JENNIFER: Often, I feel like confidence is something that I lack and have to work at. This is how I have felt my whole life. Only later in life, probably from my late 40s to now in my mid-50s, has it felt a little less difficult to feel and act with confidence. Sitting and thinking about this question, I believe my confidence comes through as a series of discrete, data-driven results (it must be the engineer brain) from trying so many different things over the years.
     For example, I have tried, and continue to try, so many different things. Whether I am successful or not doesn’t matter. What matters is the enjoyment, enrichment, and friendships that I receive from those experiences. I will never be, nor was I ever, an amazing ballerina, but how I felt dancing and participating in performances and shows can never be taken away. The absolute love of that art form fills my heart with happiness.
SEAM: Fitness often transforms much more than our bodies. Since beginning your bodybuilding journey, what has been the biggest change in yourself that people might not immediately notice?
JENNIFER: Having fitness, yoga, and dance as part of my core throughout my life has been transformational in that they have given me a “can-do” and “don’t give up” mindset. Success, failure, or being perfect doesn’t matter. For me, it is about the sheer enjoyment of lifting weights, dancing, doing yoga, etc. That is where I feel the surge of endorphins.
     Yes, I have acquired many trophies and Pro Cards over the years, but none of that is what creates that good and happy feeling inside. It is the day-to-day grind of getting there. Eighteen-year-old me was all about trying to lift the heaviest weights possible for PRs, spending hours in the gym, and always trying to get first place.
     Fifty-five-year-old me is grateful that my body can still move how and when I want it to and that I can nourish it with good-quality foods. I don’t take any of this journey for granted. I don’t chase heavy lifts or PRs anymore. I lift with intention and focus on that mind-muscle connection.
SEAM: Between your professional career, coaching, beauty expertise, and fitness, self-care could easily become another item on the to-do list. What does taking care of yourself actually look like when you’re not preparing for a competition or helping someone else?

"It is about taking a mindful moment to recognize that we are a tiny drop in the ocean. We need to be grateful for all that we are given and all that surrounds us."

JENNIFER: “Self-care is not selfish.” That is something I stressed in the past with my yoga students. We are human BEings, not human DOings. We don’t always have to be doing something. It is okay to sit and do nothing and simply be alone with yourself and your thoughts.
     My forms of true self-care are indulging in and practicing with different makeup, drinking coffee while looking outside, and sitting on the couch snuggling with my four Velcro-like Italian Greyhounds. I also like taking a blank piece of paper and just writing whatever comes to mind, like a stream of consciousness.
     I enjoy watching the birds outside around my backyard pond and simply paying attention to their sounds and behaviors. It is about taking a mindful moment to recognize that we are a tiny drop in the ocean. We need to be grateful for all that we are given and all that surrounds us.
SEAM: Finally, if you could leave SEAM readers with one piece of advice about embracing every stage of life with confidence, grace, and authenticity, what would you want every woman to remember?
JENNIFER: GRATITUDE. Wake up each day with a grateful heart, a clear and loving mind, and kind and caring words for others. We all have so much to be thankful for, even in our darkest moments and most difficult seasons of life. There is always something to be grateful for.
     My advice is this: Each day, when the alarm goes off, before your feet touch the floor and before you hit the ground running with everything you have to do, challenge yourself to repeat this mantra and fill in the blank with something new each morning: “Today, I am grateful for ________.” SEAM

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