Mediterranean Wisdom for a Life Worth Savoring with Emily A. Francis
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WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST
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Episode 373: Mediterranean Wisdom for a Life Worth Savoring with Emily A. Francis EPISODE NOTES JUNETEENTH (Federal and Minnesota State Holiday)Before exploring Mediterranean Wisdom with Emily A. Francis, I acknowledge Juneteenth. This commemorates the day enslaved people of African descent were informed that they were free under the Emancipation Proclamation. From the Council For Minnesotans of African Heritage website, the earliest Juneteenth celebrations began in 1866 in local African Heritage church communities in the South. Us folks in the North, Midwest, and Western United States learned of Juneteenth during the Great Migration, where 6 million Black Americans were enticed to move north for work from about 1916-1970. In January 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. In January of this year, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday. Here is a link to 10 ideas to commemorate and celebrate JUNETEENTH. Mediterranean Wisdom with Emily E. Francis“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?” – Rumi, a Sufi and Persian PoetAs Rumi describes above, Emily is letting the Mediterranean life live through her and shares her wisdom to help us savor our lives. The Mediterranean lifestyle is one of the world’s healthiest lifestyles and is known in the West through the famous Mediterranean Diet.Emily invites us to live simply, mindfully, and naturally to nourish our bodies and souls. I start this conversation with a quote from Emily’s fifth book, The Taste of Joy: Mediterranean Wisdom for a Life Worth Savoring. Emily is in her third year of living the Mediterranean lifestyle with her family on the European Island of Malta.She is keenly aware of the stark difference between Atlanta, Georgia, where we are in our American Democracy, and where she and her family live now. This makes it easier for her to highlight what we need to bring joy into our lives to develop a life worth savoring. A bit of salt made from the sun, the wind, and the sea brings out the flavor of what we eat. Honey secrets help us adapt to new locations. Making our own dressing engages our senses, and one can never learn too much about figs and other essentials like good people to make life worth savoring. This conversation is packed with nuggets of goodness.Emily dispels the American myth about the Mediterranean Diet with a definition she has observed from the Maltese people and now lives herself. She says the Mediterranean Diet misrepresents what the Mediterranean people live for food, fun, family, and faith. And they love sunshine. Those working in offices have snorkels, swimsuits, and other items tucked in their cars to weave play and enjoyment into their workday. They jump in the sea during lunch to enjoy the sunshine and then return to the office to finish the day’s work. Lots of ideas here.We learn the limitations of what Emily was taught about happiness and explore what it means to love someone unconditionally. “In Malta, people aren’t climbing all over each other and trying to keep up with the Joneses. They want you to succeed,” says Emily. She uses the analogy of lighting a candle and using it to light another’s candle, making the light shine brighter and more prominent as a collective. There isn’t a finite amount of love, joy, and happiness. The more joy and happiness we can bring, our lives and those around us will expand.In our first conversation, we got a taste of joy as Emily talked about her move from Atlanta, Georgia, to Malta and how that experience changed her and her family’s life. Unexpectedly, Emily found her soul in Malta when her husband Scott and their two daughters, Hannah, almost 11, and Ava, 9, moved. They took a mammoth leap of faith in 2020,
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Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part II
/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Episode 381: Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part II /*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Episode NotesHow prepared are you to confront your abilities and put yourself on the line in a way that generates a new revenue stream? Can you be enough, no matter the outcome? Edmond Huot answers those two questions and others.In our first conversation, we learned that Edmond’s early years on a farm in midwestern Canada shaped his imaginative storytelling over all things relating to aviation, architecture, and illustration. The beautiful part of turning 50 is revisiting your childhood, mining what lay dormant, and resurrecting a newfound passion you can bring alive today. Edmond is stepping out of the career lane he built to bring out his ‘inner illustrative artist.’ Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part I | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCASTEdmond has succeeded in New York as a creative director in an NYC-based company of 20+ advertising, design, and PR firms, working for clients like Honda, TD Bank, Expedia, Singapore Airlines, Microsoft, and Kenneth Cole Fashions. In 2016, he shifted gears to focus his time and attention on revisiting his childhood passion for aviation and built a practice area in the airline space with partner and longtime friend Peter Clark. They formed an aviation-focused design firm called Forward Studio, a division of their Forward Media company.It isn’t often that we can have friendships in our youth that evolve into business partnerships and entrepreneurial collaborators like Edmond found with his Canadian friend, Peter Clark. Through their collaboration and innovative thinking, they expanded their international airline branding and public relations studio work to include brand design, media, advertising, and special events. You can hear insights into why their partnership works.The new twist for Edmond is overcoming the internal challenges of becoming a professional illustrative artist, where their public relations and special events will include the backdrop of his artwork and eventually feature other artists’ works. He gives a special event his signature, like the sketches he makes on thank you cards. He adds a personal touch to everything he does.Edmond ran his concept by an aircraft manufacturer, who gave him his first green light. His description of how the special event is coming together is fascinating and a must-hear conversation if you are an entrepreneurial artist or anyone enthralled in making a living from your resources.Below are other aspects of our conversation, which feels like a conversation just between the two of us that you secretly get to listen to:The impact of deregulation on the airline industry and how Edmond brings back romance, glamour, and humanity through branding to the security-laid airline industry.Livery design is the outside decoration of an airplane. When does it make sense to redesign an airline brand that may include repainting 50 airplanes?Edmond and his team take customers through a six-touchpoint chart, a brand design journey.
Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part I
/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Episode 380: Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part I /*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Episode Notes“As a kid growing up on a farm in midwestern Canada, Edmond Huot spent countless hours lost in imaginative storytelling, obsessing over all things relating to aviation, architecture, and illustration. His penchant for expressive design helped to lay a formative foundation for what would eventually blossom into a long career in brand advertising.” (Press Recent stories (forward-studio.co))Edmond emerged as a creative director in a NYC-based company of 20+ advertising, design, and PR firms, working for clients like Honda, TD Bank, Expedia, Singapore Airlines, Microsoft, and Kenneth Cole Fashions. In 2016, he shifted gears to focus his time and attention on revisiting his childhood passion for aviation and built a practice area in the airline space with a partner. Revisiting his childhood passion connected him with a longtime friend, Peter Clark, in a new way. Together, they formed an aviation-focused design firm partnership called Forward Studio. It isn’t often that we can have a childhood friendship evolve into a business partnership and entrepreneurial collaborator like Edmond found with his Canadian friend, Peter Clark. Through their collaboration and innovative thinking, they expanded their international airline branding and public relations studio work to include brand design, PR, media, advertising, and special events.Recently, it occurred to Edmond that he could explore another dimension of himself outside of Forward Studio. In our podcast planning session, he said, “Every advertising campaign begins with sketches. I draw the sketches.” He began wondering if there was a market for his aviation drawings.That curious question is where we find Edmond Huot in a creative space, stepping out of his linear career lane to examine the connections between art and aircraft. You will find out what he is learning.Edmond is finding the ‘newness’ in his life transition at age 50. He is the creative director and design professional, putting himself, as the artist, on the front line. I especially love the free-flowing conversation and how Edmond explains his creative process.He has a public relations project with a prominent aircraft manufacturer he cannot name, but he can tell us his idea and how he plans to integrate his art into a public event. It serves a dual purpose that satisfies his spiritual desires and emotional connection to his lifework.Edmond describes the difference between commercial art and how he challenges himself as an artist, which he explores: “Commercial art doesn’t have the same virtues. Art, for the sake of art, has a greater purpose. And I believe some of our clients want to be aligned with that and not something that comes across as commercial.”Edmond is taking the concept of “microcosms” and viewing it through the lens of airliners. He is fascinated with how untethered from the ground we are when we fly. The world is in motion and flux. “Art and aircraft have always inspired artists,
Embrace the New Year and seize the fresh opportunities it brings!
/*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Episode 379: Embrace the New Year and seize the fresh opportunities it brings! /*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Episode NotesCongratulations! 2024 is upon us. Let’s use it to influence positive change for the greater good by seizing the fresh opportunities this year brings us.I want to start by being grateful to you and the many opportunities you explored with your businesses last year. Take an inventory of your activities and accomplishments with those who helped you reach your hardest-won goals. It will increase your energy and those who helped you, validate your progress, and spur new aspirations for 2024.I am thankful for the United States' strong economy and the low unemployment rate. I am grateful that we have survived the hottest year in history. I am also thankful for the vulnerabilities exposed by the previous president of the United States. This has made us aware of the need to fix our executive privilege laws and apply them to all those who serve in government positions, including the highest office in the land.Gallup.com did The Year in Review: 2023 Most Notable Findings. The trends gave me insights into how we can improve our world. One positive trend I am grateful to see is that young adults are drinking less than previous generations. With the legalization of marijuana in more states, they might be smoking more weed instead, ha! The other trends about how our attitudes are shifting, like how employees feel their employers don’t care about their well-being, are troubling.According to the Gallup survey conducted in 2020, 47% of employees felt that their employers cared about their well-being. However, it seems that after the COVID-19 pandemic crisis was brought under control, employers became less concerned about their employees' well-being. In the latest survey conducted in 2023, only 22% of employees felt that their employers cared about their well-being. This information is essential as it reminds us to show our employees we care about them. We need to encourage open communication about our feelings with our staff by starting with the business owner, you.Gratitude for History MakersTaylor Swift and Greta Gerwig stunned the world last year. I am grateful for their creative genius and entrepreneurial spirit, which they used to break national and global records. In her historical 2023 Era’s Tour, Taylor Swift broke Elvis Presley’s long-standing record of 67 weeks for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart by a solo artist. Taylor Swift hit her 68th week at No. 1 by the end of 2023.Greta Gerwig made history by directing the “Barbie” movie, which had over $1 billion in ticket sales. That is a first for women directors. Go, Greta!!I recently re-watched the "Barbie" movie with my daughter, Olivia. Initially, I watched it once before with my husband, Matthew, in a movie theater, and it was fun to hear the audience's reaction. Watching it again sparked a conversation about our different upbringings. When Olivia was young, I passed on a Barbie doll that I called Ruth,
Score Big in Business with These Home Run Strategies
/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Episode 378: Score Big in Business with These Home Run Strategies /*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Episode NotesWho doesn't love hitting a home run in business? It's the feeling of pure excitement, accomplishment, and success all rolled into one. Achieving our goals and exceeding expectations is what every entrepreneur dreams of. Let's dive deeper into what it takes to hit that home run and make your business the best it can be.When you hit a home run in business, it opens the floodgates of opportunities. This was the case for one of my clients, who permitted me to share their story with you. The work began in July 2022, when their business was still finding its footing. I then met Mahomud Ali and Saido Ali Jama at an annual MEDA meeting. MEDA is an international economic development organization that creates business solutions to poverty.The First Strategy for hitting home runs in business is to make sure you have someone you trust who has your best interest at heart to talk things through and help you clarify what you want.Before attending the MEDA annual meeting, I discussed things with my husband, Matthew Foli, as usual. To have someone you trust to talk things through and help you clarify what you want is priceless. It takes time to get to the heart of what truly matters to you, and having someone invested in your best interest to witness your journey and provide valuable feedback can empower both of you.I went to the annual MEDA meeting with clear intentions. I first wanted to learn more about how they are helping minority-owned businesses and how the organization is evolving. Additionally, I wanted to meet and mentor at least one business owner and connect with potential guest mentors for my podcast.After the meeting ended, I spoke with a few people before scanning the room one last time. As I was leaving, Mahomud and Saido introduced themselves, and Mahomud mentioned that he needed help with marketing. Though I am not a marketing expert, I have been involved in marketing since 1992 and offered to meet with them to see how I could help them achieve their goals. At the very least, I could provide them with valuable resources.Second Strategy: Understand that the Universe works on our behalf.Even when we feel alone, we are not. There is a spiritual realm of Guardian Angels and spirit guides waiting for us to invite them to help us. The Universe collaborates to bring our dreams into reality when we know what we want. That's why people say, "Be careful what you wish for." Or, more commonly now, "Be mindful of your thoughts and words."Many times, the Universe delivers beyond our wildest dreams in unexpected ways. What we achieve at Midwest Bakery fits my understanding of how the Universe pleasantly surprises us. If this isn't the case for you, refine what you think, say, or what you put out into the Universe. Let go of the outcomes and ensure your intentions are not from a place of fear or avoidance. The Universe keeps giving us the same lessons in different ways until we get the lesson.
How to End Injustice Everywhere with Dr. Melanie Joy, Part II
/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}Episode 377: How to End Injustice Everywhere with Dr. Melanie Joy, Part II /*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Episode Notes“At Beyond Carnism, we believe that people need and deserve to know the truth about carnism so they can make their food choices freely—because without awareness, thereisno free choice.” –Melanie Joy, Ph.D.Dr. Melanie Joy is an award-winning psychologist specializing in the psychology of oppression and social transformation in relationships. In our discussion, she lays out a roadmap for effective relational communication, emphasizing the advantages of self-awareness, mindfulness, and allyship over adversarial attitudes. By improving our relational skills, we can contribute to ending injustice and move beyond oppression in all forms.Dr. Melanie Joy's latest book, How to End Injustice Everywhere: Understanding the Common Denominator Driving all Injustices, to Create a Better World for Humans, Animals, and the Planet, is an inspiring read that captures the wisdom she acquired from her travels to 35+ countries and the practical ways we can improve interpersonal, intrapersonal, and societal relationships. If you're committed to ending injustice, her book and this podcast conversation are a must-have for your reading and listening library.Melanie says we communicate “because we want to share our thoughts and feelings. Our inner selves.” Melanie also says, “The more we can communicate with people in a way that they feel safe with us, the more likely we are to set an atmosphere for our message to be heard as it was intended to be heard. The more we help other people feel safe with us and recognize that we are safe people to be in relationship with, the more likely we are to create more safety and connection in those interactions.”During our conversation, Melanie shared one of many vital insights – achieving mutual understanding is the ultimate goal of any healthy relationship. Our discussion was enlightening and affirming, and I appreciated Melanie's surprising gesture of gratitude toward the end.Last week, Melanie mentioned that shame and contempt can harm relationships. The antidote for both emotions is self-empathy and compassion towards others, which can help us share experiences and learn from one another.We often only express a part of our true feelings and desires. This leaves us with unaddressed needs and unfulfilled interactions. Suppose we view our relationships and ourselves as a continuous work in progress. In that case, we can have more enjoyable interactions and be open to giving and accepting second chances until we reach a mutual understanding. This allows both parties to get clear on what they want and view the relationship as one in progress (openness) and not necessarily an end result of perfection (closed-mindedness). We make mistakes all the time when we are learning new things. Why not give each other space to evolve and change?I learned a helpful communication technique called 'whole messages' from Melanie. It involves breaking down what we want to say into four parts: observations,