February 14, 2013 – 10:05 am
A few weeks ago, I received this lovely message from Mary Jane Shaver: I responded that I wanted some time to think about my answer, so that it would be thoughtful and something that Mary Jane could use. But of course, the more I thought about what inspires me, the less inspired I became. I spent more time over the past few weeks worrying about how to describe it to someone, that I forgot how to actually live it. So, Mary Jane & company, instead of telling you what inspires me, let me show you: Singing (photo credit: Ann Handley) Inspiration isn’t a process. Inspiration is passion. It is a spark that comes when you are doing what you love and spending time with those who bring joy to your life. The more time you spend living life on your terms and letting go of the stress and anxiety that can plague you, the more inspiration will come your way. I hope that helps. I would love to hear what inspiration is to all of you. Feel free to comment below. Love you all, Ja-Nae Related Posts The Power of Determination: Lessons a Mouse Can Teach Famous Quotes: [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Creativity, Happiness, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged Agents of change, creative economy, daily inspiration, detroit, great lakes coffee, how to inspire, inspiration, inspire, inspire me, inspiring words, ja-nae duane, our revolution, paulie walnuts, start a revolution, valentine's day, what is inspiration
|
August 8, 2012 – 10:15 am
I just got back from a fantastic trip to Kauai for my sister’s wedding. I’m never one to take a vacation to a tropical destination, so this was a huge new experience for me. Here are some of the highlights of the trip, including: No worries. We promise that we didn’t cause any trouble with the TSA officials. At least none that we can speak of. A beautiful beach where I learned how to scuba. I wasn’t really keen on my instructor at first. She wanted us to get used to breathing under water through our equipment. Though I could do it for a little bit, it was extremely hard to breathe. I tried it several times before I told her I was having issues. Come to find out, she forgot to turn my tank on. However, everyone was incredibly impressed with my lung capacity. It’s awesome to be an opera singer. These are the Wailua Falls that were featured in the beginning of Fantasy Island. All I had running through my head was, “The plane boss, the plane.” It never got old. Each beach looked like this. This was the beach where we had our surf lesson. Surfing was [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Adventure, Happiness, Travel, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged a lesson learned, fantasy island, Ja-Nae, Kauai, lesson s learned, lessons learn, lessons learned, lessons learned from, lessons learned processed, lessons to be learned, life lessons learned, surf, the surf, wailua
|
Having it all? What exactly does that mean? Last week, I read Anne-Marie Slaughter’s post on The Atlantic, “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.” After sharing it out, I found that many people had very strong feelings about this post. Here are some of the comments from friends: “I think that having a job in Washington while your family remains in another city, and you only see them on the weekends, is stressful for most people, so it’s not surprising she wouldn’t want to do it for more than two years. Women and men need a lot of support in the family to handle a job that demands a lot of hours. Someone like Sheryl Sandberg apparently has that.” -Louis Gudema “This is a no brainer for any mother who works outside the home. I am constantly stealing time from work to attend to family and vice versa. Taking care of myself falls last on the list. Read/skimmed this article while also entertaining my daughter and felt guilty for splitting my attention. And there’s also a report I should be drafting. “-Sarah Long Holland “Everyone–man or woman need a wife to make it work! Where to get t those [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Happiness, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged ann-marie slaughter, can women have it all, feminism, feminism and, feminism in, feminism is, having all, having it all, Ja-Nae, ja-nae duane, the atlantic, the career woman, the feminism, what is a feminist, why women still cannot have it all, women who have it all
|
Faith. What is it exactly? Where does it come from and why is it so important to so many people? I thought a lot about faith this past weekend as I was putting together my sermon for the First Church of Chestnut Hill. While preparing, I came across this great Patrick Overton poem. He reflects in his poem “Faith”: When you come to the edge of all the light you have And take the first step into the darkness of the unknown, You must believe one of two things will happen: There will be something solid for you to stand upon, or you will be taught how to fly. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you did not know what the outcome would be or how you were going to get through it? We have all been there. Am I right? Many times in our lives we are faced with the unknown, the uncertainty of a future that we cannot see. But how can we have faith that it will all work out? A lot of people would love to answer your questions for you. However, what they will give you are their answers. “We will tell [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Strategy, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged faith, first church of chestnut hill, have faith, how to make a decision, how to make decisions, Ja-Nae, make decision, make decisions, meaning of faith, no faith, obstacles in life, overcoming obstacles, the faith, what is faith
|
Yesterday, I wrote a post on the role that creativity plays within leadership education. On G+, Bill Hipsher asked the following question: I wonder how the chart you shared would look for smaller company CEO’s who don’t have “Global Thinking” as a factor? Could that be replaced by “Local Thinking/Influence/Relationships” for smaller local businesses? Great question, Bill. Here is my response: And just in case you wanted to see my artwork: Related Posts Growing Ideas The Leaders: 3 Lessons from the Girl Scouts How to Recognize Opportunity
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Business Tools, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Strategy, Travel, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged about leadership, it leadership, Ja-Nae, leader, leadership education, leadership is, Leadership qualities, the leaders, what is leadership
|
I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people. -Mohandas Gandhi I finally watched The King’s Speech last night. It is an absolutely fantastic movie about a man who had to overcome a stammer and see himself as the leader he was meant to be. Many of the tactical exercises he used to build himself up were creative exercises many actors use. If you haven’t seen it, then I recommend curling up and renting it. But the movie was really just a part of an on-going question that kept reoccurring throughout this past weekend. After a random two-hour long conversation with a group of elementary school teachers; a run in with an old friend who is an executive director, and dinners with friends over a good glass of wine. The question has consistently shown up is : How do we grow today’s leaders? Based on the eye-opening conversations I have had over this past weekend, here are some suggestions: Creative Time The group of teachers told me how playtime had almost been completely eliminated from the day-to-day routine of their K-5th graders. One teacher stated, “If we cannot use playtime to instill creative [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Also tagged creative, creative leadership, Creativity, Ja-Nae, ja-nae duane, leader creative, leaders for tomorrow, leaders of tomorrow, leadership education, leadership tips, restoring creativity, the creative leader, what is creativity
|
Heroes. We all have them. And with the launch of Our Revolution Week tomorrow, we want to know yours. Here’s a video on how you can some your heroes some love and help 5 charities.Check it out: Want to Help? During Our Revolution Week. Here’s How. 1.) Spotlight a revolutionary: In honor of people doing great things, we would love for you to write a blog post of someone you admire who is doing great things. 2.) Review the book: Launching tomorrow, is the book “How to Create a Revolution: a step-by-step guide to history’s social influencers”. I would be happy to send you a chapter if the book that would resound with who you are and your audience. How to Share it Out: URL: Use this URL to point people to: http://ourrevolution.co/2012/04/our-revolution-week/ Facebook: Tag the Our Revolution page with your post. Twitter: Mention the @ourRev handle or the #ourRev hashtag Join us as we make tell the stories of the unsung heroes and help some great causes. Donate $1 or More DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: digital download of book…with bonus exclusive content and a virtual high-five and shoutout from all of us. Related Posts Famous Quotes: Inspiration from History’s Leaders and [...]
April 12, 2012 – 12:52 pm
Game Changers. They come in all shapes and sizes. Today on my Game Changer segment on The Pulse Network, I dug into the definition of transmedia and how brands are using it today. Check it out: But there is a major misconception when it comes to transmedia storytelling. Many believe that you have to be associated with a film or a large brand. That just isn’t the case. You can be a small business, an entrepreneur, a group, non-profit, volunteer organization…you name it. And for you “little guys” out there, here are three ways to get started: What is Your Story: Before you can do anything, you must decide what your story is about. What is the journey? What obstacle(s) do your “characters” face and how do they overcome them? Pick 3 Entry Points: Once you have your story in place, pick three entry points for into your story. These entries points can be a segment of time, a sub storyline that compliments the world you’re trying to create, or the introduction of a supplementary character. Pick 3 Channels: For each entry point, use a different channel to tell the story. Maybe a piece of the story is told through video, where [...]
Game Changer, homeless hotspots, caused controversy at SXSW this year. Check out my Pulse Network segment on the topic: Despite what you think about the project, it has opened up the question of, “now what?” Here are 3 projects and next steps to consider: Street Treat: Though overshadowed by the SXSW Homeless Hotspot story, Street Treat is plugging away as an alternative to giving a homeless person the opportunity to make money by selling iced cream. Mark Horvath just wrote a great article on the program. Check it out. Partner for Employment: Many individuals who are homeless want to work. Some have the skills you’re looking for and some may not. Either way, they are just lacking the opportunity. Have your company partner with your local homeless shelter to create that opportunity and a training program. Community Gardens: Community Gardens are a fantastic communal focal point and an effective crime prevention strategy. Why not employee the homeless to help tend the garden and run a farm stand? This is a great way to pay someone, feed them, and make your neighborhood safer. What ways do you think we could employee the homeless? Do you know anyone who is working on something [...]
March 22, 2012 – 10:30 am
The satisfaction one feels after donating to and supporting a cause is inherent. In fact, two recent studies suggest that giving to others makes us happy, even happier than spending on ourselves. It may not be bold to state that giving is a key to happiness. And with today’s technology and rapid social media growth, the internet can make it even easier to do. Did you ever think you could increase your happiness with a click of a button? Through my work with Our Revolution, I’ve come across some great services and resources that help with social activism. Check them out: Endorse For A Cause – Endorse for a Cause is an exciting new online community where Members are able to recommend products and brands to their friends over social networks and earn money for their favorite non-profit Social Vibe Gives – Social Vibe is the leading social media utility connecting people with brands, empowering them to engage with sponsors and share branded content to benefit a cause of their choice Rec.fm – Rec.fm is a tool that allows you to make recommendations to your friends about brands and products and help your favorite charities by integrating with popular social networks like [...]
By Ja-Naé
|
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Our Revolution! Project, Strategy, Uncategorized
|
Also tagged charity with, donate with, endorse for a cause, for charity, increase your happiness, Ja-Nae, one cause, our revolution, rec.fm, social activism, social vibe, to charity, what is a charity, you can donate
|
