Today I’m joined by the wonderful and inspiring Jo Gaines, a seasoned professional who has worked in the technology and media sector for over two decades. Jo's career journey has seen her work for high-profile companies including CBS, Krux, Yahoo and more recently, as Area Vice President of Salesforce. Jo is also a dedicated mother-of-two and a fierce advocate for equality, lending her support as an ambassador for women's shelters. She shares with us her journey through hardship to finding resilience and how changing her mindset helped reshape her story.

Through facing a challenging turning point in her career due to redundancy, Jo embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery that saw her turn to practices such as weight training, breathwork and meditation. She shares the new mindset she adopted through these practices, and how her determination to thrive in the face of uncertainty led to a completely new outlook on life.

In our conversation, Jo shares the grief she experienced when her role at Salesforce came to an end, and how lost she felt when it came to her future. However, she notes there are two choices we can make when it comes to facing adversity. Either we can see it as a downfall, or treat it as an opportunity to expand. Jo chose the latter, and decided to view this new path as one she was destined to be on.

Resilience can often be misunderstood as a suppression of emotions or ignoring our problems. However, we define what resilience really is and discuss its ability to help effectively manage our thoughts and feelings. Jo believes that releasing control and trusting everything will eventually work out can free us from fear and the temptation to give up.

We talk about how navigating through our own life challenges produces empathy, and when we view others through this lens, we become more effective leaders. Recognising that everyone experiences change, particularly in a post-pandemic world, we’re able to rally with our team and prioritise their wellbeing. How can we communicate in a way that resonates for each individual? How do we lead in a way that not only gets them through, but also builds resilience?

Jo also shares her shift in perspective that inspired her to live more fully in the present and pursue the passions that had been sitting on the backburner for too long. She talks about the bucket list she created and the importance of making time and space in life to achieve each goal.

Jo's story is a powerful testament to the transformation resilience can create, and the potential for growth when we embrace change with gratitude. I just know you’ll be as inspired as I was by Jo’s incredible wisdom, and hope you find confidence to implement strategies for a full and rewarding life in leadership and beyond.

LINKS

Connect with Jo Gaines

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/jogaines

Instagram: @gogaino

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have a question for you today: What are you tolerating in life that you shouldn’t be? Whether it's relationships, your career, or your business, many people simply put up with subpar situations rather than taking action to change them. It’s easy to become comfortable tolerating things as they are, but I believe that life is too short to settle for mediocrity. We only get one chance at life. We should make the most of it rather than just endure situations that make us unhappy.

By tolerating things, we unwittingly establish boundaries for what is acceptable. We allow others to treat us poorly, take advantage of us, and ignore our needs. Then, because we feel disrespected and mistreated, we feel frustrated and angry and it paves the way for stress and anxiety to set in. Tolerating negative circumstances and behaviour has a profound impact on your well-being, which is why you need to use your voice and address these issues early on.

In this episode, I share an example of a CEO I was working with who was incredibly frustrated and upset with the behaviour of her team. It was clear that this situation was taking a toll on her mental well-being, even to the point of contemplating closing down her business.

Together, we peeled back the layers to address why she tolerated this behaviour. Once she understood the importance of setting boundaries and communicating her expectations, everything changed.

One of the reasons why many of us tolerate negative situations or behaviours is that we don’t want to have hard conversations. We want people to like us, we don’t want to be confrontational for fear of what might happen. But difficult conversations don’t have to be confrontations. Today I talk about your intent and how this can make all the difference in creating opportunities for growth and positive change.

I have made a promise to myself that I will not tolerate poor treatment, poor performance, or a career that doesn't fulfil me. I wholeheartedly believe that life is too precious to settle for anything less than what truly excites me. Because the truth is, that tolerating things that make us unhappy is a conscious choice. We have the power to create more empowered, fulfilled, and joyous lives by engaging in courageous conversations, setting boundaries, and pursuing opportunities aligned with our true desires. Life is too short to tolerate. Choose to lead a life you love.

LINKS

Pre-order My New Book “You Always Have A Choice” here

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.