We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jane Grote. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jane below.
Jane, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My career has been filled with twists and turns, the one consistent thread has always been my curiosity. Being able to follow my curiosity from role to role, has allowed me to really cultivate my purpose. I see reflections of all the parts of my career reflected in my purpose. It took years of doing corporate social responsibility work and seeing how many organizations & people are out there doing world changing work for me to really believe that a better world is possible. My time working in the arts is reflected in how I still how color can impact our lives. Even my time working in telesales taught me how to talk to people. It’s take all of these different experiences for me to cultivate the purpose that I have now.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the everything behind Tertiary Sight. We are an aura photography studio, & events service, in Nashville, Tennessee. We use highly specialized tech to capture peoples’ energy field on film. I had my first aura photo taken almost twenty years ago, and little did I know that one picture would change my life. Seeing my aura on film was wow moment for me. Over the years, I’ve come to see aura photos as powerful visual affirmations. They are affirmations that remind people of who they are and how much possibility exists for them. At Tertiary Sight, we take aura photos because we believe that aura photos are a way to shake people up, to get clients out of their heads, and remind people that they are so much more than what they see in the mirror. We special in aura readings that are more than personality diagnosis – they are a framework to open people up to a deeper understanding of themselves and their ability to transform their lives. Aura photos and readings contain so much possibility because it’s the colors, it’s the color combinations, and the color placements that define what it all means. This so special because are so many options and people really do carry their own unique glow.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most impactful skill on my journey has been communication. My ability to talk to people has been integral to creating my business and all the jobs that lead me here. Part of these communication skills has been public speaking as I’ve lead workshops & classes for a variety of audiences. Another part of these communication skills has been listening and really being able to hear people.
For people starting their careers, learn how to talk to strangers. Learn how to make small talk. A easy way to do this is in the interactions you have with people. Ask the check out person how their day is and mean it. Talk about the weather to the receptionist. It doesn’t have to be a deep or long conversation, start small. Learn how to actively listen. You can practice actively listening with the people you already know. In conversations, notice how you listen. Are you attentive or are you just waiting to talk? Communication skills will serve you no matter what kind of work you do.
Of course, following my curiosity has been hugely impactful. It’s what lead me to start my own business! For folks just starting out, remember to stay curious! Read books about topics that peak your interest. Take that community art class that you’ve always wondered about.
The third quality that I’d say has made huge difference in my career is my resilience. Don’t be afraid to fail or make a mistake, it’s going to happen. The important part is owning up to it, apologizing, and moving on. Don’t wallow, be resilient. So much of life is throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Not everything is going to stick, that’s okay. Let go and move on.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I’m an avid reader and book that reread every year is Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily & Amelia Nagoski. This book rocked my world when I first read it and I’ve come to read it at the beginning to each to year as a reminder of all the knowledge it holds. It’s a science based book on how to navigate stress and live a more joyful like.
There’s a quote in the book that’s “stress is not bad for you, being stuck in bad for you.” I love this phrase because it’s a quick way for me to question – is this the stress or is this me stuck in the stress? That is a really useful way for me to decide what I need to support myself.
A theme in the book is how listening to our bodies is a challenge because we’ve spent so much time not listening to our bodies and it’s a practice to learn how to listen to all the information our bodies are trying to tell us. I love this reminder that it’s a practice and it’s something we learn again and again throughout our lives.
Maybe the thing I love the most about this book is how it reminds me that I’m not alone. I love all the information and the tools provided in this book. And still, what always strikes me is how this book reminds me that so many of us are in the journey of learning how to manage the stress cycle.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tertiarysight.com
- Instagram: @tertiarysight
Image Credits
First photo for thumbnail – La Photographie Other photos – Twentynine Northwest Studio
