Life Notes from Chair 17 CH

Sometimes, we.are.just.not.ok. No matter the day, the month, or the year. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, join CH this week as she recounts a key time in her life where prioritizing her mental well-being took precedence over celebrating a holiday, and how that moment further shaped her approach to prioritizing mental wellness on the whole not only for herself but in support of others.


Show Notes

- May is Mental Health Awareness month in the United States, which has been observed since 1949 (Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_Health_Awareness_Month).

- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. Visit the official site for more information and for a wide array of mental health and substance abuse resources: https://www.samhsa.gov/

- The quote CH references is from the 1991 film ’Friend Green Tomatoes,’ which starred Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary Louise Parker, Kathy Bates and the late Jessica Tandy.

Be kind. Be brave. Be you. Three solid life tenets from this week’s Share the Chair guest, Jackie Yeaney. Having retired from official Chief Marketing Officer duties after spending over 20 years in the C-Suite space, she joins CH this week to talk all things life journey and experience - from her beginnings in the United States Air Force, to her ascendence into executive marketing leadership, to her passion and advocacy for people and possibilities. It’s a great hour of conversation covering both work/life insights and wisdoms from an executive leader who ALSO has a knack of leading through her own life.


Show Notes

- Jackie is actively a part of the following organizations: Talkspace (Non Executive Director); CMO Collaborative (Co-Founder); Plan International USA (Board Member); Foundation Fighting Blindness (Marketing Committee); Iridium (Non Executive Director)

- Jackie’s public LinkedIn profile can be viewed here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackieyeaney); you will need a LinkedIn account to see her full profile and follow her.

- Jackie and her husband, Eric, started Blind Ambition Fitness; the condition Eric has is called CACD - a rare form of macular degeneration (Central Areolar Choroidal Dystrophy).

- The Maya Angelou quote Jackie consistently leans into is: ”People will forget what you did. People will forget what you said. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- More information on the discussion CH and Jackie were having regarding different leadership styles as defined by distinct colors (e.g., Red, Yellow, Blue, Green) can be found on a number of Web sites and through various organizations. You can try a Google search of ”What are the 4 leadership colors” if you’d like to learn more.

- James Lipton’s Inside the Actor’s Studio questionnaire, and the original Bernard Pivot/Marcel Proust versions that inspired it, can be found here (https://itotd.com/articles/2444/the-questionnaires-of-james-lipton-bernard-pivot-and-marcel-proust/). Our C17 version is our own take on these two famous questionnaires.

The parentals. The ’rents (a.k.a. parents). It often seems it is just a matter of time before we catch ourselves doing something those who raised us used to do. Or may even still do. And that may (or may not) always be the best for us. Join CH this week for a thoughtful discussion on developing a sense of our own self, and being encouraged to forge our own path of actions and behaviors, which may differ from that set down by parental figures.


Show Notes

- The viral video clip CH discusses in this episode, called ”Cranky kid goes viral for telling it like it is,” can be viewed here via YouTube shorts: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rk9qfwIs7aY

Anyone have a time machine? No ...? Well, darn. As we hit our 30th episode, we’ve taken a moment to reflect on the things we might go back and point out to our 30-year-old selves ... and we put it in another Top 10 list! Join CH as she rolls through the 10 key things she’d point out (and double down on) to her then self if there was a DeLorean time machine with a flux capacitor nearby (“Back  to the Future,” anyone?). And no, winning lottery numbers did not make the list.

Show Notes

- For those who may not be familiar with what was the nightly Top 10 List on ”The Late Show with David Letterman”, check out the Wikipedia summary. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Show_Top_Ten_List)

- In the film series, ”Back to the Future”, a DeLorean served as the time machine in which various characters traveled both back in time AND into the future. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future)

“Hey, I can teach you that!” Ah … the well-intentioned friend who wants to help us learn the new thing we want to learn. But is that really the best way to help us be successful - whether it be a sport, a skill, an instrument? Join CH this week as she discusses the importance of finding the right environment - and teacher - to help us feel comfortable and confident in taking on a new adventure.

Show Notes

- CH’s tips for taking on something new:

Show Notes

CH’s tips for taking on something new:

1) Do not be afraid to turn down the offer from a friend or partner who wants to be the teacher; sometimes, learning from someone we are close to doesn’t always provide the best learning environment or set us up for the right level of success.

2) See if there is a workshop, a class, a clinic, etc. that is local to your area to enroll or participate in person; if not in person, see if is there a virtual option.

3) If unsure about the level of skill or pre-requisites that may be required, reach out to the organization and ask so you can feel comfortable enrolling or participating; this may also include asking about a given instructor.

4) Give yourself permission to learn at your pace; if you don’t get it right away, don’t get discouraged; keep at it in a way that makes you feel comfortable and successful.

Have you ever found yourself no longer as close to those you once worked with? Even when you thought they might be part of your life posse? Join CH this week as she discusses how some workplace friendships can - and will -  stand the test of time; the importance of defining camaraderie and connection on our own; and, coming to terms when the friendship exits stage left once the consistent interaction provided by the work environment is gone.


Show Notes

The article CH references is on Business Insider, as told by Sylvia Duran Chen (a former Google employee), discussing how everything - including friendships - became tied to the company: https://www.businessinsider.com/google-youtube-laid-off-what-i-learned-2023-6