Confidence grew when I stopped asking for permission to create. Every page, every story, every act of self-belief reminded me my voice mattered.
Building Confidence One Decision at a Time
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Influential Woman · Publishing
Julia Kintner
Children's book Author, Self-Published Author
Trenton, NJ 08620
2Years experience
6Articles published
1Award received
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People follow consistency, honesty, and genuine care; Not just confidence. Respect isn't demanded by experience; it's earned through how you treat others every day.
Julia Kintner · In Her Own Words
From How She Did It
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In Conversation
Julia Kintner for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Julia Kintner: Being an influential woman doesn't mean having millions of followers or being the loudest person in the room. It simply means using whatever gifts you've been given to help someone else. And for me, that's writing children's books that help kids feel a little less scared, a little more brave, and a little more understood. I've learned that kindness isn't always loud. Sometimes it's listening. Sometimes it's encouraging someone who's struggling. Sometimes it's simply showing up when life gets hard. I think we spend so much time wondering if we're making a difference, but I don't believe we have to change the whole world overnight. If something I create helps one child, one parent, or one person feel a little less alone, then that's enough. That's what being an influential woman means to me. It's choosing, compassion, continuing to grow, and always trying to lead people a little better than you found them. Thank you for listening.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Julia Kintner: I would tell a young woman to keep trying. You're going to have moments where you feel discouraged, where things don't work out the way you hoped, and that's OK. Don't let one setback convince you to give up on yourself. Sometimes success takes time, and sometimes. Your journey will lead you somewhere even better than you originally thought. Just keep showing up. Keep learning, and believe that your story is still being written.
Full transcript available
Her Story
About Julia
Julia Kintner is a self-published children’s book author and writer based in Trenton, New Jersey, known for creating cozy, heartfelt stories that explore courage, comfort, big emotions, and the small magical moments that help children feel safe and understood. She published her first children’s book, The Night We Felt Brave, in late May and has since published a second book, The Day the Butterflies Landed, and her third book The Day We Made Our Own Sunshine. Her storytelling is inspired by her own experiences with bipolar disorder and anxiety, allowing her to create compassionate stories that support children facing fears, worries, and emotional challenges. Before becoming an author, Julia worked as an administrative assistant while continuing to write poetry and creative pieces. Her passion for storytelling eventually led her to self-publishing children’s books focused on helping “little hearts” feel seen, soothed, and brave. Through relatable characters, gentle themes, and inspiration from everyday moments—including her beloved dogs Chicky and Gigi—Julia creates stories designed to bring comfort and connection to young readers and their families. Julia’s work has received recognition through the Golden Wizard Award in the UK for her second book, The Day the Butterflies Landed. She holds a high school diploma and a certification in medical billing and coding. Beyond writing, she enjoys poetry, vintage storytelling, quiet magical moments, and spending time with her husband and pups. She recently started a podcast called the porch witch where she discusses her books, mental heath, and day to day experiences. Her mission as an author is to encourage children to embrace their emotions, find courage during difficult moments, and feel supported through the power of storytelling.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Julia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the incredible support system I have around me. My husband has been a constant source of encouragement and strength, supporting me through my journey and always pushing me to keep moving forward. My mom continues to inspire me by encouraging me to pursue new opportunities, and I am grateful for the people in my life who consistently believe in me and cheer me on.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received came from my public speaking teacher, Mrs. Linda Hahn. She encouraged me to pursue my passion for writing children’s books, provided thoughtful and constructive feedback, and continuously motivated me to share my work with others. Her belief in my abilities gave me the confidence to take the next step.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If you are passionate about something, don’t wait for the perfect moment to begin. Take action, create, and trust yourself. You never know what you are capable of building until you give yourself the opportunity to try.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In self-publishing, one of the biggest challenges is marketing and reaching new audiences. I have learned the importance of building genuine connections through social media, community engagement, and word-of-mouth support from families, educators, and readers who connect with my work.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value in my work is making a meaningful impact. My goal is to help even one child feel seen, understood, and safe through my books. For me, success is not measured by financial outcomes, but by creating stories that remind children that experiencing difficult emotions does not make them weak or alone.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Julia
An inspiring reflection on overcoming self-doubt and taking the first step toward your dreams. Learn why believing in yourself before others do is the key to transforming your life.
The Courage to Take the Chance
Take the first step toward your dreams—confidence comes after you begin, not before.
Believe in Yourself Before Anyone Else Does
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that dreams don't begin because we're fearless—they begin because we finally decide to try.
When I wrote my first children's book, I had no idea where it would lead. I wasn't guaranteed readers, awards, or even that anyone would understand why I wanted to write. I simply knew there was a story in my heart that deserved a chance.
Looking back now, I'm grateful I didn't let fear make the decision for me.
You Don't Have to Feel Ready
We spend so much time waiting to feel "ready," but the truth is, most of us never do. Confidence doesn't usually come before we begin—it grows because we begin.
Taking a chance doesn't mean everything will work out perfectly. Sometimes you'll stumble. Sometimes you'll have to start over. But every step teaches you something that success alone never could.
One Decision Can Change Everything
If I had never decided to write that first book, there wouldn't have been a second, a third, or the opportunities that followed. None of those moments happened because I knew what the future held. They happened because I chose to begin.
Maybe your dream looks different from mine. Maybe it's starting a business, going back to school, changing careers, or finally giving yourself permission to create.
Whatever it is, don't let fear make the choice for you.
Believe in yourself before anyone else does.
One small decision can completely change the direction of your life. The hardest part is taking that first step. After that, you simply keep going.
Take the chance.
You never know where it might lead.
— Julia Kintner
A reflective piece on navigating disappointment and finding resilience when life doesn't go as planned. Discover how to embrace the space between expectation and reality, and find meaning in unexpected journeys.
When Life Doesn’t Turn Out the Way You Imagined
Finding meaning and resilience when reality doesn't match our expectations.
When Life Doesn't Unfold the Way We Imagined
We all carry quiet expectations.
Sometimes, we imagine how a conversation will go, how a dream will unfold, or how we will feel when we finally reach something we have been looking forward to. We picture joy, relief, excitement, or even a fresh beginning.
Then life gently reminds us that not everything unfolds the way we planned.
Disappointment has a way of making us question ourselves. It whispers that maybe we failed or that somehow we should have known things would not work out.
But disappointment is not failure.
It is simply the space between expectation and reality.
The truth is, life has never promised us perfect moments. What it does offer is the opportunity to choose how we respond when those moments do not arrive the way we imagined.
Some things can be changed.
Some things simply need time.
And some things quietly teach us lessons we never expected to learn.
I have learned that resilience is not pretending everything is okay.
It is allowing yourself to say, “This was not what I hoped for,” while still believing that tomorrow holds new possibilities.
Healing rarely happens all at once.
It often arrives in small moments:
- A deep breath.
- A sunrise.
- A quiet cup of coffee.
- A conversation that reminds you that you are not alone.
Sometimes, the beginning we were searching for does not look the way we imagined.
Sometimes, it looks different.
Sometimes... it becomes even more meaningful because of the journey it took to get there.
So, if today did not unfold the way you hoped, be gentle with yourself.
Tomorrow is another chance to begin again.
Julia Kintner
Join Julia on The Porch Witch Podcast, a cozy space for honest conversations about anxiety, resilience, creativity, and healing. Explore books, relationships, and the small moments that remind us we're never alone.
The Porch Witch Podcast
Honest conversations about healing, creativity, and the moments that matter most.
Hello, friends. 🌙
I'm Julia—a children's author, poet, storyteller, and someone who believes that healing doesn't always happen in perfect moments. Sometimes, it happens over coffee, on the porch, while laughing a little too hard with friends, or after simply surviving one of life's messy days.
This podcast is a cozy corner of the internet where we can have honest conversations about anxiety, resilience, creativity, spirituality, books, relationships, and the small moments that remind us we are never truly alone.
Some episodes will make you think.
Some will make you laugh.
Some might even make you cry.
No matter what brings you here, my hope is that you leave feeling a little lighter than when you arrived.
So grab a blanket, a cup of tea (or coffee), and welcome to The Porch Witch Podcast.
I'm so glad you're here.
— Julia 🤍
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