By Jennifer “Jen” Neitzel | November 29, 2025

A Birthday Worth Reflecting On

Today, I turn 53 years old 🤯, and instead of blowing out candles, I’m taking a deep breath of gratitude. This isn’t just another birthday; it’s a milestone of resilience, transformation, and truth. The last 12 months have been both demanding and defining. The pace of change in my professional world was staggering, and while none of it came easy, every challenge became an invitation to rise stronger, lead with clarity, and trust my own capability to do the hard things. Because here’s what I know for sure: life doesn’t always go according to plan, but it always goes according to purpose.

When Everything You’ve Built Evolves

The Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent (CNTDA) program, which I helped develop in 2023, entered a new chapter this year. Like any great idea, growth required rethinking and rebuilding. It was intense; the kind of behind-the-scenes work that tests every ounce of patience, faith, and persistence you’ve got. But challenge breeds creativity. And with Laura Biewer by my side, we rolled up our sleeves and completely restructured and revitalized CNTDA, turning it into something bigger, bolder, and more connected than ever before.

We listened to what our members told us they wanted: community, collaboration, and real human connection. The new CNTDA Skool community isn’t just a certification; it’s a living, breathing network where notaries learn, grow, and support each other. That transformation wasn’t born from loss; it was fueled by leadership. And it became the cornerstone of my professional evolution.

Healing the Body, Then the Soul

My ability to lead through change came from a foundation I began building five years ago.

In 2020, right before my 50th birthday, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and an autoimmune disease. It stopped me in my tracks, but it also woke me up. Like so many women, I’d spent years taking care of everyone else and putting myself last. My body finally said, “Enough.” So I listened.

I reshaped my relationship with food, movement, and mindset. I embraced an 80/20 lifestyle; 80% clean eating and daily exercise, 20% grace for life’s joys (because sometimes the french fries are the medicine). Every morning, I step outside for 20 minutes of sunlight, my ritual for grounding and gratitude, and I start the day with one simple phrase: “Today is going to be an amazing day.”

That small act of intention shifted everything. Within a year, I reversed my diabetes and reclaimed my health. And once I saw what was possible in my body, I knew it was time to heal my soul, too.

Doing the Hardest Work of All: Inner Healing

So began the deeper journey; untangling old patterns, healing childhood wounds, and learning to give myself the same compassion I offer others. It wasn’t glamorous. Healing rarely is. But it was real. Some days were filled with tears, others with triumph. But through it all, I discovered a truth that changed how I live and lead: The more whole I became on the inside, the more powerful and authentic my business became on the outside.

That inner strength became my new definition of success.

Rebuilding from Purpose

All that clarity flowed straight into Marketing4Notaries, which I’ve continued to grow into a space for notaries and mobile professionals who want more than business tactics; they want transformation.

Inside Marketing4Notaries, I teach my 5-Point Marketing System: Brand Clarity, Connection, Content, Consistency, and Conversion. It’s a system that not only builds thriving businesses but also cultivates confidence, direction, and balance. Those same five points became my personal compass this year. When the world felt uncertain, I returned to them because clarity, connection, and consistency don’t just build businesses; they rebuild you.

Resilience

This birthday isn’t about reinvention, it’s about recognition. It’s about honoring the woman who rebuilt with courage. The one who reversed her diabetes with discipline and grace. The one who’s unafraid to keep doing the hard inner work. The one who gets up every morning, rain or shine, and says, “Today is going to be an amazing day.” Because it will be even when it’s hard, even when it’s messy, especially when it’s both.

My Message to You

If you’re navigating change in business, health, or life, remember this: You are not falling apart; you are refining. Resilience isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about showing up stronger, wiser, and more grounded than before.

As I step into 53, I’m not just older, I’m anchored. Anchored in purpose. Anchored in truth. Anchored in myself.

So here’s to resilience that’s earned, not imagined. To healing that happens layer by layer. And to every person brave enough to rebuild their business and their soul at the same time.

The storms came, and I’m still standing. Wiser. Softer. Stronger. So cheers to 53! 🍾🥂

Here’s to resilience, healing, and the beauty of rebuilding, and to everyone bold enough to start again from the inside out. And you better believe… today is going to be an amazing day!

Related Resources

• Join the Marketing4Notaries Community

• Learn About Becoming a Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent

• Get My Book On The Move: The Relationship-Driven 5-Point Marketing Solution for Mobile Business Success