Brilliantly Resilient

Episode 174: How to Use Personal Trauma to Help Others with Dr. Lise DeGuire and ”Flashback Girl:” Week 4 of the Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading ...

The gift of suffering is that we are here to help other people who are suffering now. ~ Dr. Lise Deguire: Flashback Girl Few of us get through life without suffering. Yet few have suffered as our friend Lise Deguire, and even fewer have made a life-long committment to help others despite, or perhaps because of, that suffering.  Flashback Girl  At the age of four, Dr. Lise Deguire suffered third-degree burns on 65% of her body as the result of both maternal and corporate negligence. Against the odds, she lived through the trauma, beginning decades of treatment as a burn survivor. Dr. Deguire recounts her childhood with two narcissistic parents and their futile struggles to find happiness. She tells the tragic story of her family, which includes artistic genius, stark neglect, and four suicides. Most importantly, she explains her long but ultimately triumphant path towards love, health, and life satisfaction. Tune into Dr. Deguire's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast, and don't forget to get our Summer Reading List for all of the exceptional books by our Brilliantly Resilient podcast guests! Here's the link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/mKHezKP  Here's to a Brilliantly Resilient Summer! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran    

Episode 173: Find your ”Why” with Keith Baldwin and ”A Leap Year of Firsts”--Week 3 of the Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading List!

Week 3 of the Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading List! Life not turning out exactly as you planned? Read about how to limit your "pity party" and find renewed purpose, energy and perspective from our friend Keith Baldwin in A Leap Year of Firsts! Limit your Pity Party. I threw a hell of a Pity Party, but those emotions don't help you with solutions or move you forward. ~ Keith Baldwin, 'A Leap Year of Firsts' A Leap Year of Firsts When Keith Baldwin started his innocent and fun quest of "firsts" onJanuary 1st, 2020, it ended up turning into a year like no other. Rida along as Keith takes you on a journey where we experienced a pandemic like 1918, unemployment and depression like the Great One in 1929, civil unrest like the 1960's, and an election that brought back images of our Civil War. Although it was a year with "firsts," it also was a year when the author discovered his "WHY." Tune into Keith's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

Episode 172: Pictionary Creator Rob Angel and ”Game Changer”--Week 2 of Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading!

Week 2 of Brilliantly Resilient Reading! Read more about Game Changer by Pictionary creator Rob Angel! I had to break things down into smaller pieces. I couldn't handle the entire thing at once; my mind doesn't work that way. ~ Rob Angel, Creator of Pictionary and Author of 'Game Changer' Who hasn't played Pictionary as a kid--or as an adult?! It's a classic, and we've got our Brilliantly Resilient friend, Rob Angel, the creator of Pictionary, here to talk about his book, Game Changer! Game Changer tells the story of how Rob and his college friends created the world's most popular game, and Rob drops more than a few Brilliance Bits in this interview. You won't want to miss it! Rob Angel: Game Changer "In Game Changer, Rob shares the remarkable inside story of taking Pictionary from simple idea to iconic global brand by breaking rules and breaking records, never giving up or giving in, and working harder when most would walk away all while having the time of his life. Candid and compelling, Game Changer is as much a captivating memoir as it is a blueprint to personal and professional success." Tune into Rob's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast! C

Episode 171: Week One of Our Summer Reading List! Featuring Selena Rezvani and Quick Confidence!

Our Summer Reading list is here!! First up, our friend and mentor to women, Selena Rezvani, with her new book, Quick Confidence! Read on for more…. Experiment with dog-code and initiate a warm hello. When we start with warmth, it's like a door that we open. Be curious, ask questions, be empathetic. Start with warmth and focus on your competence later. ~ Selena Rezvani How confident are you? It may depend upon circumstances or your environment in a particular moment, but all of us have suffered a crisis of confidence at one time or another.  Here comes best-selling author and Brilliantly Resilient friend, Selena Rezvani with tons of do-able, practical and simple tips and tricks to help everyone to feel more confident no matter what the situation. Here's more on Selena's new book! Selena Rezvani: Quick Confidence  In Quick Confidence: Be Authentic, Create Connections and Make Bold Bets On Yourself, best-selling author and renowned leadership speaker Selena Rezvani delivers an effective and eye-opening new approach to building confidence and presence for professionals. In the book, the author walks you through―and helps you leap over―the 9 most common obstacles that stand in the way of building authentic confidence. She offers digestible actions, behaviors, and exercises you can use to change the way you think and the way you present yourself to others. A hands-on playbook for professionals at all stages looking for effective confidence-building advice that goes beyond "fake it 'til you make it," Quick Confidence is a fun and rewarding journey to a renewed self-image and enhanced well-being.

Episode 170: Get Ready to be Brilliantly Resilient This Summer with Our Summer Reading List!!

GET OUR SUMMER READING LIST!!! If you're like us, you're gonna need some resilience reminders and some super strategies from some of our most favorite guests all summer long. You'll get the book selections and the podcast episodes. ~ Kristin & Mary Fran It's SUMMER!!! We love summer here at Brilliantly Resilient, especially because it means Beach Reads!! And have we got a list for you! From some old favorites (Pictionary creator Rob Angel's story in Game Changer and Rob Kenney's Dad How Do I?) to some inspiring new best-sellers like Selena Rezvani's Quick Confidence and Geralyn Ritter's Bone By Bone, we're bringing you some amazing stories by some of our favorite Brilliantly Resilient authors, podcast guests, and yep, they're our buddies! Starting the first week of July, 2023, you can visit www.brilliantlyresilient.net to get a download of our 2023 Summer Reading List! The list provides not only great reads and book titles, but a link to the Brilliantly Resilient podcast episode featuring each brilliant guest! We're super excited about this year's addition (Can you tell by how many exclamation points we've used???!!!!!) and we know you will be, too. Be sure to visit the Brilliantly Resilient podcast each week for more inspiration and enjoy a summer of spectacular reading! Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!! XO, Kristin & Mary Fran  

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