Meet the PP Founders - Jonas

So, if you only briefly glance at the Positively Perfect page, you could be forgiven in thinking it's all about ladies learning to love them selves and not falling foul of what common pre conceptions of image should be.  But it's NOT just ladies that are affected by image and attitudes of others.

All the PP ladies know me quite well by now, I'm Katie's shadow, I'm always here to lend a hand, we're both very similar in so many ways and we love our adventures together. 

But most people don't really know the real me, it's all a front, I'm not confident or outgoing, I'm ridiculously shy, and really can lack confidence in things I'm doing.  That can be a problem when I teach people for a living, standing in front of people and being the authoritive person is not something I relish, but I've learnt to do it over 44 years. 

It started at birth, born in the Midlands, living in the South, so a "Brummie" accent, bright red hair and a silly name to boot (thanks Mum!) that did me no favours in school, I was always bullied.

Even once I started working I had bosses that called my peanut or ginger, because Jonas was so hard, or worse Jo, what? because 'nus' is so hard to pronounce?

So how did I change it? How could I change the way people perceived this awkward ginger person with a silly name?

I finally realised that I'm me, I'm not the one that's wrong, why hide my differences? Why not emphasise them.

So (back then) I had long red hair, I made it redder, fluorescent red in fact,  and settled on being called J, for those people with the inability to cope with Jonas as a name.

I work in design, photography & training. So meeting people at events was easy, which one are you? Oh you'll spot me! And people strangely found the fact I was "totally" different, a lot easier to deal with and accept. Which gave me a front to hide behind and seem outwardly more confident.

Fast forward several (20) years and although the hair is now short, and greying. I finally have the confidence to deal with everyday life and have the confidence to not let shyness stop me, in fact it's the opposite. I'm the one egging my amazing wife on, in her positively perfect pursuits.  

So that's it, that's me, all I can say is we are all different in so many ways, it's not wrong, it's what makes life and people interesting. 

Cherish your differences.

Jonas aka BigRedJ
- The PP Designer & Photographer