Brilliantly Resilient

Episode 169: How to Build a Bridge Between the Sighted and Unsighted Worlds Through Art, with Blind Artist, Clarke Reynolds

I try and bridge the world between the visual and tactile worlds. You must touch the artwork. It's a way to physically engage with the art. My artwork allows you to chat with it, chat with strangers next to it, and have a conversation. ~ Clarke Reynolds We humans love to talk. It's our primary means of communication, and one specific to us as living beings. Yet so many of our conversations in this world are fraught with anger, mistrust and frustration.  Clarke Reynolds wants to change that. As a blind artist, Clarke is intent on changing people's perception of blindness through his artwork–and sparking conversation.  Despite a challenging childhood, health issues and deteriorating eyesight, Clarke was determined to follow his dreams. With his sketchbook as his role model and his "shrink," Clarke worked hard, evolving with his circumstances and using his art to tactically communicate with both the sighted and unsighted worlds. By creating a bridge through his work, Clarke helps others find commonality in experience, sparking positive interactions–and conversations. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we understand the need to evolve. Life doesn't stand still, and neither can we if we want to live happy, fulfilling lives. That rarely means that things work out according to plan, but by keeping our mental conversations positive and focusing on doing the work, we can make an impact–even if it's not the same one we envisioned. (And it's often even better!) To hear more from Clarke, check out his website at https://www.seeingwithoutseeing.com/ and tune in to this week's edition of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance: Braille is a great ice breaker; you can physically use it to tell stories. We live in a coding age. Braille is just a different way to code. Braille is just a new language, as is coding. I just show off the thought in color and shape and size. It's color-coded Braille. Having a platform has given me the impetus to make change, but you have to work hard.Being famous is about changing other people's perception of blindness. Being blind has made me a better artist–a better person. Finding your personal spark is key to resilience. Every job needs that spark of creativity. We're living too serious a life now.  Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin and Mary Fran  

Episode 168: Why Every Company Should Have an ERG (Employee Resource Group) with Margaret Guerrette and Reliance Matrix.

The goal is to provide support for the workforce. The pandemic really forced this to the forefront from a mental health and employee retention standpoint. We were taking care of everything and everyone and there was no way to hide that anymore. You can sustain a healthy work/life balance and we shouldn't have to hide that. ~ Margaret Guerrette, Reliance Matrix Co-Chair of the Women's Employee Resource Group (ERG) Have you ever felt the need to put on your "happy hat" at work to convince colleagues and bosses that you've got everything under control, despite being overwhelmed and utterly stressed out? Did you ever hear the term "work/life balance" and want to scream--just a little?  Prior to the pandemic, work/life balance was touted as something workers could achieve just by talking about it–and it was on them to make it happen. Support for employees from within the corporate structure to help them achieve that balance was rare, as workers hesitated to share their challenges while on the job. As Margaret Guerrette from Reliance Matrix tells us, Covid changed all of that. As employees "zoomed" to work from home, the world saw in real time just how difficult a work/life balance was to achieve. Workers' mental health was under attack like never before, and companies recognized the desperate need to provide their workforce with support, for the good of the worker as well as the organization. Enter the Employee Resource Group (ERG), a now formal umbrella term for corporate associations within an organization specifically designed to provide support for employees. The groups are often populated by workers sharing a specific identifier–women, LGBTQ, Hispanic, etc.–and bring together workers from across the company to share challenges, solutions and mentorship. Margaret notes, "The diversity of thought from women at all corporate levels and from different backgrounds makes us this power group; it's wonderful to see!" Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the value of a tribe. When companies recognize the need to support their employees in their entirety as people, everyone benefits, both with employee as well as consumer retention. Plus, it's just the right thing to do. Kudos to Reliance Matrix and all organizations that support their workforce with ERGs or BRGs. To hear more from Margaret about how to start an ERG within your organization, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen in for these additional bits of brilliance: We should be, as companies, supporting  workforces in the efforts to be seen, stay healthy, and to have a healthy balance because you can do both. You can caretake, you can do well in your job, and it doesn't have to be one or the other. One of the true values of ERGs is that connectivity piece…we do have this community at work and your direct team might not understand everything that you're going through, but somebody at your company does and somebody can be a support for you. It really has to come from the top down. You have to see your senior leaders, your CEO and senior leadership team support that because employees at more entry level positions aren't going to feel able to participate fully in that type of work unless they know that leadership supports it. We're really lucky at Reliance Matrix to have that kind of leadership. The things you learn in an ERG transcend to other pieces of work. You feel that community and remember that human connection and everything works better. To learn more about Reliance Matrix, visit www.reliancematrix.com or Reliance Matrix on LinkedIn. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Mary Fran & Kristin  

Episode 167: How Persistence Gave Voice to the Silent, with Judy Chinitz

If I don't ask, I have a zero percent chance of getting what I want or need. I had to keep trying. Through persistence you can solve problems. ~ Judy Chinitz Have you ever tried to get a point across to someone but couldn't find the right words? Most of us occasionally struggle to find the right words to communicate our thoughts. But what if you couldn't communicate at all? What if you were trapped in a body incapable of speaking or sharing your thoughts? Worse, what if everyone around you believed you were profoundly mentally handicapped and incapable of even having intelligent thoughts let alone sharing them? Judy Chintiz spent 25 years of her son's life thinking exactly that, only to find after empowering her son with a unique method of communication that Alex had an even higher IQ than normal and was really very intelligent–he just couldn't tell her. Judy's remarkable journey with her son, Alex, reminds us that persistence is key to any success, even if it seems a situation is hopeless. Despite frustration after frustration, Judy refused to give up, ultimately finding the tool to give Alex a voice and freeing him to express his thoughts. (Alex is enrolled in a college program this fall!) Now a founder of the Mouth to Hand Learning Center, Judy has brought the voices of the silent to the world through her work and through her book, Spellbound: The Voices of the Silent, which features the work of those previously unable to communicate. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the power of persistence. When you believe with all your heart and you do the work, you will find answers. They may not always be the exact answers you want, and the path may be different than what you choose, but the journey will be fruitful.  Tune in to hear more about Judy and Alex and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance! After my son was diagnosed with autism, my life was set. That was my path. I asked him "How did you bear it?" (Being unable to communicate.) He said, "I always believed that one day you would figure out that I was smart. The more you "prove" that someone can't meet the goals, the more the diagnosis is confirmed. But we're focusing on what they can't do. The things they can do are not explored. The 72 hour rules–I can feel as sorry for myself as I want for 72 hours. But after 72 hours, you're done. You have to allow people to feel what they feel. But feeling sorry for yourself doesn't accomplish anything. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran  

Episode 166; How to Wake Up Your Inner Rebel to Live the LIfe You Want, with Shereen Thor!

Long story short, I was a disgruntled cubicle monkey who followed the rules believing they would make me happy. Spoiler alert: They did not. ~ Shereen Thor Did you have a life plan? Most of us did. We thought if we chose an "acceptable" career path, did the "right" things and followed all of the rules, life would be grand. Except it doesn't always work out that way. For many of us, "acceptable" career paths and life choices don't make us happy, usually because the roads are rigid and don't allow us to stretch to be who we really are. Yet, making a decision (and then sticking with it) to deviate from the "right" path can seem impossible, especially when we believe we will be disappointing those who see success differently. Shereen Thor, former cubicle monkey, standup comic and entrepreneur, discovered first-hand that making choices to fulfill someone else's idea of success rarely ends well. As she began to feel she was abandoning her own life, Shereen tuned into her inner rebel and did the unthinkable–she left corporate America to become a standup comic, living happily ever after…or not. As Shereen notes, "You are going to experience hard things whether you are on the right path or not, but the right path makes the challenges worth it." Here at brilliantly Resilient, we know that life is ever-evolving, always offering a mix of good and bad. But when you choose to live with a Brilliantly Resilient, values-based mindset, the rough spots are a little less rough–and always come with a lesson to help move you forward. Tune in to hear more of Shereen's wisdom on this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. And be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance: Standup comedy was terrifying, but I wanted a different life. I was tired of abandoning myself. One of the rules I was breaking was that negative emotions are bad and that I'm bad if I'm experiencing negative emotions. We have to make more space for the gray. We have to live a values-aligned life instead of abandoning ourselves to what we're supposed to want. What does your heart tell you? Don't worry about fixing everything. You don't need to be fixed; your worth is inherent. There's nothing 'wrong.' Don't shrink to fit for anything or anyone–ever. I am unwilling to be treated badly–ever. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Mary Fran & Kristin  

Episode 165: How to Build a Future and a Business Using Your Transferable Skills, with Paige Leigh DeAngelo

When dance was taken away during Covid, I had to say, 'Who am i?" I realized dance was external, so I had to dig deep and realize what I loved about dance and see how I could put those things into myself and put them into other things. I've transferred those skills over and do one thing at a time. Ask yourself 'What am I made of? What else do I have?" ~ Paige Leigh DeAngelo Did you lose anything during Covid? All of us lost something or someone, and some losses were far more painful than others. But even seemingly minor losses had profound effects, causing us to question our identities, our past decisions and our futures. A dancer since early childhood, Paige DeAngelo lost that part of her identity when she was unable to dance on stage during Covid. Initially grieving that loss, Paige eventually looked inward to determine what skills she had learned during her dance career that she could transfer to other passions. In 2021, after recalling the copious amount of makeup used during her dance days, Paige founded Aer Cosmetics, creating a sustainable mascara that allows the user to buy a small tablet of mascara as a refill, using the product's original tube, rather than buy an entirely new unit every time. Now a recipient of over $70,000 in grants and business competition winnings, Paige is a full-fledged entrepreneur and will be bringing her product to market in the near future. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we love Paige's emphasis on utilizing her transferable skills to rebuild her life after Covid's sucker punch. What transferable skills can you bring to other areas of your life? Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Paige's words of wisdom, and listen for these additional bits of brilliance: I realized at a very young age that if I wanted something I was going to have to do it myself. I determine my final outcome. Everything is "figureoutable"–you just have to do it. You have to sit in the discomfort and be okay with it. You can't make decisions about your life because you don't want to disappoint someone else. Your closed doors are just as valuable as open doors. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Mary Fran & Kristin  

Episode 164: How to Master Menopause with Modern Midlife Founder Catherine Grace O’Connell!

We have to change the idea of menopause as a four-letter word. Who do you trust? Where would you go for care? Take care of your mental state. Do whatever it is that makes you feel good. For me it's meditation, being in nature, exercise. Eat well. Be mindful; be aware. Talk to your doctor. Find the resources that are right for you. ~ Catherine Grace O'Connell The "M" word. If you're a woman, menopause looms in your life as something to dread–the end of vitality and usefulness. At least, that's the way it used to be. Catherine Grace O'Connell, the founder of  Forever Fierce: MIdlife Matters and Modlife Media, knows the power of women in midlife. A self-described "Ageism Positivist, Catherine sums up midlife for women like this: "Women at Midlife & Beyond are the Perfect Storm. We are the first demographic in history to have health and vitality, wisdom and life experience, and a pocketbook to match. We are a fierce creative force balanced by compassion and empathy. It's time we make our presence known!" Part sage, inspiration, practical advice, and all fierce fabulousness, Catherine has mastered her own challenges and turned midlife into a powerful period of creativity, using her wisdom and smarts to guide others to embrace midlife and find the joys and power within. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we love Catherine's spirit, can-do attitude and her practical strategies for making the most of modern midlife. (And she looks amazing, too!) To hear more of Catherine's wisdom, tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen in for these additional bits of brilliance: Most women at midlife are exhausted from the duty side of life. Those sparks of creativity and joy need to be honored. We must use our voice to inspire others and be who we are supposed to be. The urgency of the timeliness of life is our soul pushing us and saying, 'Hey, are you going to get on track for why you're really here?' Your heart starts speaking and telling you there's a reason you love what you love. There is a phoenix rising effect that you're rising from your old life's ashes. We're hungry for real authenticity. I was shaming myself for all of these things, but then I realized they are my strengths. The more struggles I overcame, I built my strength, I built my character. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran

Episode 163: How to Learn Resilience from Civilians in a Country at War, with Dr. Greta Uehling

I went to Ukraine thinking I'd find victims of war and recipients of humanitarian aide. What I found were civilians creatively, consciously engaging in what was going on around them. ~ Dr. Greta Uehling Can you imagine life in a war zone? The residents of Ukraine have lived amidst devastating war and crisis for years, first with the invasion of the Crimean Peninsula and now with Russia's further invasion starting in 2022. For those of us living in the United States, life in a war zone is something we observe from afar. The images we most often see are devastating, showing civilians huddling in fear near bombed out homes and cities. Yet, when Dr. Greta Uehling visited Ukraine to better learn how civilians were coping with the war, she discovered resilience and brilliance as people often "made choices based on others' vulnerability," discovering also that "relationships became essential to resilience." Dr. Uehling's book, Everyday War illustrates how individuals found their worldview shifting as they discovered the importance of relationships, awareness of others' suffering and the usefulness of transferable skills in navigating life in a war zone with resilience. This week's powerful interview with Dr. Uehling illustrates the concepts of how to live a Brilliantly Resilient life in the most challenging of circumstances, highlighting the power of employing our transferable skills in service to others. Even Dr. Uehling's personal journey to Ukraine required a willingness to evolve with changing situations, and not being married to a particular outcome. Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Dr. Uehling's wisdom, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance: I had to let go of my previous agenda. I couldn't control the occupation of Crimea, but I still had the power of my pen. In my case, the anthropological skill set was very transferable and for me that was empathetic listening. The wife of a doctor found new life assisting people, finding resilience together with others, through the everyday ethic of care. You improvise your own ethics and decide what's right. People get to live another day. Value is placed on the gift of being alive; that's what's important. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran

Episode 162: How to Keep Negativity From Determining Outcomes, with Superstar L.A. Williams!

Don't pre-plan a negative experience for yourself. Stop yourself within 17 seconds to keep a negative thought seed from germinating. Stop the negative thoughts and don't attract that negative vibration. ~ L.A. Williams How often do you look towards an upcoming event, goal, work or personal situation, and think, "This isn't going to go the way I want?" Most of us are guilty of sometimes assuming the worst of a situation even before it happens. Whether it's a form of self-protection, preparing for what we believe is certain disappointment, or planning a next step after failure, we focus on the potential negative outcome far more than we allow ourselves to consider the positive. Blind for the last 35 years and now a highly successful businessman, L.A. Williams has experienced negativity, and knows that allowing a negative mindset to take root will only bring on more of the same. Once we plant an idea or outcome in our minds, the brain begins to work on that scenario, helping us to consciously or unconsciously achieve exactly what we are telling ourselves will happen. It's essential to stop negativity in its tracks before it takes root–and setting a mental timer to get off the doom and gloom carousel is just the solution. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we've also welcomed failure with open arms by allowing it to grab hold of our minds. When we believed things wouldn't work out, they didn't, at least in part because all of our mental energy was preparing the way for us to fail. We're believers in intention and mindset. At the very least, living hopefully is a heck of a lot better than living miserably. At best, we've found over and over that showing negativity the door and setting a lovely place for success leads us precisely in that direction. To hear more of L.A.'s wisdom, tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. And be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance: I didn't want anyone putting any limits on me. The only thing I can't do that you can do is see. If you're going to be successful, you have to bring the authenticity. People can see, smell and feel the phony coming off you. Let me show you why that is incorrect. I'll show you how I can take the limits and throw them to the side. There are multiple ways to do anything in life and I just have to find out the way I can do it. Adversity University is one of the best places to go to if you want to learn about life. The classes are going to be hard, but it's so worth it. Life is a team game–you have to find the players and coaches who can help you. Instead of assuming there is nothing, we have to ask the questions. You can attract answers by asking the questions. Every answer is out there. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran

Episode 161: How to Manage Stress, Anxiety and Isolation in the Business World with Executives’ Global Network founder Nick Jonsson

We need to slow down our conversations and not just say, "I'm fine," when people ask how we are feeling. ~ Nick Jonsson How often do you respond, "I'm fine" when someone asks how you are feeling? It's almost automatic–partly because it's a standard greeting, but also because many of us believe that sharing our feelings, especially if we don't feel like rainbows and sunshine, is a sign of weakness. Being vulnerable and admitting to feeling lonely, stressed, anxious or depressed is particularly taboo if you're an executive in today's business world. We expect our leaders to be strong, even if that means they must ignore their humanity and the negative feelings that sometimes come with it. The problem is that refusing to acknowledge or manage those feelings only compounds the problem, weakening the ability to lead and live effectively and happily. Nick Jonsson knows first-hand the perils of suppressing negative feelings. After moving to a foreign country, leaving friends and family behind, Nick struggled with isolation and turned to some unhealthy ways to manage the strain. It was after a friend's suicide that he realized the problem was more widespread than simply personal.  Nick founded the Executives' Global Network–a confidential peer networking group of over 700 executives to share their challenges, receive support and learn. He also authored Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety and Depression in the Modern Business World, and created a suicide prevention organization. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that life isn't always brilliant. Anyone can experience negative feelings–regardless of how things look to those on the outside. Building a tribe of support is essential to mental health, as is allowing ourselves to acknowledge our vulnerability. Once we do, we often find a community of others who not only feel the same way, but serve as a source of strength as we regain our emotional equilibrium. To hear more of Nick's wisdom, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance: Executive men especially keep secret and silent until we can't cope any more and we turn to other things that can end up harming us. Vulnerability and being able to speak openly and honestly about what we're feeling is a gift. We need to find safe places to talk about how we feel. Many people are not responding. They are terrified about opening up. There is so much shame or guilt. We don't have the tools to manage our relationships and feelings of isolation as executives. You can't expect your team to talk to you if you aren't willing to be vulnerable yourself. We need to exercise our muscle of vulnerability. Dare to be vulnerable and show that you're human. We can learn to cultivate a healthy mind and lead with empathy by embracing vulnerability, building resilience through personal experience and the journey to emotional intelligence, and supporting our community. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO,  Mary Fran & Kristin  

Episode 160: How to be Seen, Heard and Remembered, with Mildred Talabi

Be seen, heard and remembered. I had a whole period of my life where I was afraid to use my voice. I was afraid to be visible. I could have done so much more if I hadn't been afraid to be visible. Start being visible. ~ Mildred Talabi Have you ever found yourself wanting to speak up about something but you remained silent? Whether it's because we lack the confidence to speak up, we think our opinion isn't valuable, or we feel less than others in the room–especially at work–it's not uncommon for people, especially women, to stay silent rather than speak up and have all eyes on us. When we're visible, that means we can be vulnerable. We step into the spotlight and take the chance others won't like us or what we stand for. But what if the opposite happens? What if our message resonates with others and we can finally find the purpose in life that we've been seeking? Mildred Talabi, this week's guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, knows how it feels to watch life go by on the sidelines. It wasn't until a major health crisis caused Mildred to recognize that she was letting opportunities to live life on her terms pass by that she knew she had to to step into the spotlight, speak up, and make an impact.  Today, Mildred is an author and leader of the Visible Women Tribe and also teaches others how to build a brand on LinkedIn by using the platform as a community to build the bonds of personal and professional trust and share their brilliance with the world.  Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the power of a supportive tribe, and we also believe in speaking up and owning your brilliance. Each of us has the potential to share that brilliance with others to make the world a better place. Tune in to this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Mildred's wisdom and be sure to listen for the additional bits of brilliance: There was a gift in my adversity. I knew I had to decide what was really important in my life and how I wanted to live. Here's how you can become visible on LikedIn: PACE Profile–Who are you? Audience–Who is your audience? Content–Your vehicle to be seen Engagement–LinkedIn is about engagement and building community. Use LInkedIn as a community space and be personal. If you're going to build a personal brand, you can't avoid the personal When you add the personal content, people get to know you. It helps to strengthen the bond and build trust.  Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together! XO, Kristin and Mary Fran