Chris Janssen
11 min read ⭑
Chris Janssen’s life revolves around empowering achievers. As a results coach with a master’s in counseling psychology and experience working with Tony Robbins’ top-tier coaching team, she’s helped hundreds of athletes, entrepreneurs, small businesses and more close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. This line of work makes total sense for Chris since she is a high achiever herself — and has faced some seemingly insurmountable challenges in her life. One such challenge was her struggle with alcohol addiction, which she writes about in her latest book, “Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want.” She wrote the book to help perfectionists like herself navigate personal and professional pressure while rewriting unhelpful narratives they’ve unwittingly adopted about themselves.
Today, Chris is getting honest about her past struggle with alcoholism, the strategies and mindsets that have helped her work through that addiction, her favorite health tips and products, and how writing, running and alone time with Jesus restore her soul.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
The meals we enjoy are about so much more than the food we eat. So how does a “go-to” meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
Tostada salad from Pancho’s in Manhattan Beach. I’m a California native. Born and raised in Silicon Valley before it was Silicon Valley. I moved to Southern California for college — first to San Diego, then grad school in Los Angeles, where I met Scott, my husband of nearly 30 years.
We love Mexican food, and Pancho’s was a favorite when we were dating. We married and decided to raise the kids near our family in my hometown of Los Gatos. I knew I wanted to get back to SoCal once the kids were grown and flown. There’s something visceral about the place where you grow and meet your person. But in 2020, when our youngest of three left the nest, the pandemic hit, and we followed a whim and moved out of state to Colorado, where the Mexican food is different and a chile relleno is not a chile relleno. The beauty and adventure of Colorado could not replace my longing to return to L.A., so we just moved back this week! First dinner during the move: Pancho’s in Manhattan Beach. That initial crunch of a guacamole-smothered tortilla chip confirmed we were home.
Wired for variety, adventure and growth, I never considered homesickness until I felt it. It took a minute to name the feeling. Personally and professionally, I’m forward focused. Coaches are trained to get people unstuck. I help people honor the past, then move on. My move back to California taught me that returning to my roots is an act of moving forward. Sometimes we disengage from a place or relationship in order to reengage as an evolved version of ourselves. Nothing is lost when we follow God’s lead. There are no wrong moves. God’s promptings are about his purpose for the kingdom, not my agenda or immediate happiness.
Matthias Mullie; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity do you love engaging in that also helps you find essential spiritual renewal?
I love a good Bigfoot documentary or podcast. Or any true stories about natural disasters, extreme weather conditions and miraculous survival. And bears. Put a bear, bear attack or threat of a bear in a movie or book, and I’m in. I love following the filmmaker and elite adventure athlete Jimmy Chin and his peers. His documentary, “Free Solo,” filming rock climber Alex Honnold’s ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite mesmerized me — not just because Honnold did that with no ropes (oh my goodness!) but also because of Chin’s storytelling and filming of it. My other favorite Chin film is “The Rescue.” People amaze me. Creation, creatures, land and life — discovered and undiscovered — amaze me.
Part of Southern California’s lure for me is the entertainment industry. L.A. is a storytelling mecca. I’m energized by being in community with creative minds who care about preserving history and igniting curiosity through storytelling and documentaries.
I also love reading, watching and listening to epic historical fiction. I love Taylor Sheridan’s work, especially “1883” and “1923.” I gain spiritual energy from so-called secular entertainment, because my interest in these stories, true and fictional, is tied to the wonder and awe of a God who created rocks, rock climbers, caves, cave divers, cowboys, ranchers, horses, bears and maybe — or maybe not — Bigfoot.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you deal with it?
Oh, I have weaknesses. And I don’t believe I’m good at hiding them. I don’t even try anymore (I just wrote a book — titled “Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want” — about my struggle with control, perfectionism and alcohol addiction).
I also don’t believe we’re broken. Utterly imperfect, yes, but souls made whole by a God who sent Jesus to be broken for us. The second sentence of my first book, “Living All In,” is, “You do not need fixing because you are not broken.” I believe we can move forward from where we are right now. There is no “having it all together” on this side of heaven. We are whole, forgiven and ready to move toward what we want now.
One of my flaws that’s come out of hiding in my second half of life is that I get noticeably rattled by bullies. It triggers my body to a disempowered state. I shake, my stomach drops, and if I’m in conversation when it happens, I escalate my volume and tone. Stress triggers our nervous system’s survival modes: fight, flight, freeze or fawn (people pleasing). My fiery side comes out and all the training and coaching skills in the world don’t seem to kick in for several minutes. This used to happen for hours — being unable to regain my center when I felt personally attacked. Some people wish they were taller or could sing or whatever. I wish I had a zero reaction rate when poked by a meanie. That said, I’m way quicker to recover my clarity and curiosity over a situation than I used to be. It’s progress, not perfection, and I will continue to write and share with others in my path of growth.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
Currently, my life is all things book launch! My second book, “Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want,” came out on Feb. 18, 2025. “Grace Yourself” is a guide for anyone struggling with controlling thoughts or addictions who wants to move beyond self-limiting behavior into a life of fullness and freedom. “Grace Yourself” shares my struggle, my recovery and the coaching tools that help keep me living the life I want.
Before getting sober in 2007, I thought I was a monster because I couldn’t quit alcohol for a sustainable amount of time. This was an absurd belief because I was a high performer in all other areas of my life. And yet I tied my worth to the one thing I couldn’t control instead of the many things I was accomplishing. A woman in my first recovery meeting said to me, “It’s not your fault. It’s like an allergy. And you never have to have another drink again.” The fact was I was addicted to alcohol. The story I attached to that fact was “I am a monster because I can’t stop drinking.” The woman’s declaration instantly changed my monster narrative to “I am deserving of recovery and a sober community because I can’t stop drinking.”
The stories we attach to our facts become our beliefs. In the book, I walk you through how to change the narrative surrounding your facts to stories that serve you — in life, not only habits. The truth is — you are worthy no matter what. God’s grace can’t be earned. This was hard for me to understand because I wanted to control everything as a young woman. We don’t get to choose what we deserve and what we don’t. We are not in control of our worth. When we believe we are, we miss out on grace. I’m excited to release my story and help others embrace grace.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I look back at the two books I wrote over the past three years and I almost don’t remember writing them. Of course, I remember the toil. The editing, the marketing, the teamwork and the tasks that go into producing a book from idea to shelf — which are many. I vaguely remember writing, though. And I write every word. I don’t use a ghostwriter, and I am heavily invested in the developmental edits and copy edits.
I’ve loved writing since I was small. It takes me to a place beyond my immediate surroundings, where time ceases to tick. I become immune to minutes, word count or deadlines. This must be the Holy Spirit because it doesn’t resemble me when I’m walking through the other parts of my day.
I feel this way on my morning runs too. My mind relaxes into the rhythm of my steps, and I don’t think about thinking. I’m able to listen to my Creator when I run and am energized by the thoughts I inhale. If the rest of the day is spent checking things off my own agenda, writing and running are moments I am completely on the Spirit’s agenda. They are activities scheduled I’ve scheduled, yet only God’s schedule exists between start and finish. If the heavenly realm is timeless and the earthly realm measured and quantified, then I can only explain the times I get to write and run as heavenly and, thus, divinely galvanized.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
I restore through writing and running for the reasons explained in the previous answer. I also love couch time with Scott and girlfriend time. Being restored through time with God first, however, is a must for me. My friends and family know it as my “alone time.” I know it as my listening-to-the-Spirit time. It doesn’t need to look a particular way or be in a particular place. For me, it must be upon waking, though. Sometimes this time is 10 minutes long, and sometimes it’s over an hour. I may even have my “alone time” before my feet hit the ground in the morning.
The how is not as important as the why to me. My why for filling up spiritually before heading out physically is this: I am human. A beautiful thing about being human is there is no cure. We get to flaunt our fleshy flaws on this earth, and while we are forgiven, we do hold the responsibility and privilege of shining God’s light to others during our time here. For me, both maintaining my recovery and being a light for Jesus require me to follow 1 Peter 5:8, which says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” I don’t want to be devoured, so I armor up each morning the best I can.
Note: Being with my four-pound, three-legged Chihuahua, Tank, counts as alone time and calms my nervous system.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and your heart?
I love to feel energized and happy and am practiced at researching even better or more sustainable workouts, health tips or mindset practices. I’m a student of how to live in a peak physical and mental state. As a sober gal, I love finding natural ways to be a good steward of my health and feel energized. My past unhealthy addictions, while not sustainable, were honest attempts at changing my state and feeling good. My good friend and pastor of 20 years, Steve Clifford, once said, “It’s hard to feel holy with a toothache!” If I don’t feel good physically or am unable to run and listen, it messes with my ability to pray and follow God’s lead. So I place high value and priority on physiology, wellness and fitness.
That said, three of my not-so-spiritual wellness go-to’s that invigorate my faith life are:
2. Noise-cancelling earbuds (I wear these when I write to help with outside noise distractions)
3. Unsweetened Kefir (a cup each morning helps my digestion throughout the day)
We all have things we cling to to survive (or even thrive) in tough times like these. Name one thing you’re savoring and/or finding indispensable in this current season, and tell us what it’s doing for you.
“The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. This wildly popular book published in 2002 is still among the top three materials that have impacted my life, next to the Bible and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The first line, “It’s not about you,” is a keeper. I read “The Purpose Driven Life” when I was 33 years old. It was the pivot point to my becoming a surrendered Christian. I decided to commit each day to being on God’s agenda instead of my own. God’s agenda is what’s best for the Kingdom. Unattended, my agenda tends toward what’s best to make Chris comfy at the moment. Warren’s book expanded my model of the world to a heavenly view instead of fixating on my temporary time on earth. It is freeing and so much more fun living knowing my purpose is in line with God’s purpose for his kingdom rather than my own limited vision. The work, love and light I exude now matter in eternity. For me, authentic fun, freedom and excitement are found in surrender to God’s will, my sobriety and my Twelve Step work.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
I’ve begun writing my third book, which is about navigating rejection and criticism as a highly sensitive person. As surrendered Christians, professional growth stretches us and sets us on God’s agenda for his kingdom. Saying yes to the Spirit’s prompting oftentimes means saying no to our own. Social and professional circles will expand and shrink. Recently, I was met with personal and professional criticism by two women I called friends. This form of rejection was new to me, and I’ve done much introspection and time with mentors on how to navigate it. I’ve learned to discern criticism vs. feedback. I’ve learned to prune the criticism and cultivate the feedback. The experience, lessons and mentorship poured into me ignited the third book. I was initially gutted by the experience and now am fired up. The book is going to refresh many. As a mom of 22-, 25- and 27-year-olds, I see how the lessons will be especially nurturing for young adults who may be experiencing personal and/or professional rejection for the first time.
“Life coach” is not a title that indicates I have it all together and am qualified to give advice. It’s a title that says I am a student of life getting “lifey” who became a trained counselor and coach and am equipped to ask powerful questions that move my clients forward. Coaches ask instead of tell. We are trained to tap into the client’s resourcefulness. “Grace Yourself” asks the reader powerful coaching questions in each chapter. It is written as if I am speaking to a client. It is meant to get us unstuck and return us to our worthiness and value. Whether someone is struggling with controlling thoughts, harmful habits, perfectionism or any type of addiction, my books and coaching are reminders of the loveliness we all possess.
What narratives do you tell yourself surrounding the struggles in your life? Do they align with God’s Word? Many of us create unhelpful self-narratives without even realizing it. To see if you’ve fallen into that trap, try taking a half-hour and finding a spot where you’ll be uninterrupted. Then, breathing deeply, invite the Holy Spirit to “search [you] and know [your] heart” (see Ps. 139:23) and ask him to show you any beliefs you have about yourself, him or the world around you that contradict Scripture. You may be surprised at what you find.
Chris Janssen is the author of Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want and a board-certified results coach in performance and mindset. With a master’s in counseling psychology and over 25 years of experience, Chris has worked with hundreds of sought-after athletes, creatives, soldiers, entrepreneurs and small businesses internationally, helping them get closer to where they want to be. Chris has also trained with and worked on Tony Robbins’ premier team of results coaches. A California native, Chris and her husband, Scott, have three adult children and live in L.A.