We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Juanita White. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Juanita below.
Hi Juanita, so happy to have you on the platform with us today and excited to chat about your lessons and insights. Our ability to make good decisions can massively impact our lives, careers and relationships and so it would be very helpful to hear about how you built your decision-making skills.
I have been on my own since I graduated from college at twenty-two years old. I decided that I did not want to immediately enroll in graduate/professional school because school had been such a big part of my life; I wanted to actually live life as an adult. I made that decision totally on my own, without bouncing the idea off anyone else. That was the first step on the road to making major decisions on my own.
As the years wore on I turned to people who I trusted to guide me. I would discuss some things with my mother from time to time. On other occasions I’d ask my father his opinion. I can’t say that I followed the advice I was given but I combined what they told me with my thoughts and developed a hybrid that worked for me. Sometimes I just made an impetuous decision-like the decision to move from NYC to LA. Whether the decisions turned out to be bad ones, or they worked in my favor, I accepted that I’d have to live with the consequences so I tried to make sure that I could live with whatever decision I made.
I have, from time to time, listened to my brother’s advice about finances. He always gave me advice that made sense for me and kept me from stressing. He’d say that in order to pay off credit card bills, for example, that I should concentrate on getting one bill down to a level where I could comfortably pay off the remainder of the balance. That worked well for me and I used that same strategy when I decided to pay off my house in advance of retirement.
For most of the past forty-six years I have asked advice when I needed to pick someone’s brain but, for the most part, I made my decisions based on what I could live with, even if the decision turned out to be a questionable one. In the end I knew it was just me, living my best life, and making choices that either worked or didn’t work. So far, I have been pleased with the majority of the decisions I’ve made and while I wish I could redo some of them, I don’t regret it. My decision-making, good or bad, led me to the life I have now and I am happy.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I focus on the creative side of my personality now that I have retired. I continue to consult with nonprofits because I care about the work of nonprofits and want to lend my expertise to helping them become well functioning, sustainable entities that serve the public good.
A creative has long lived inside of me and now is the time to fully unleash that side of my personality. I made bracelets years ago as my first artistic venture and I was successful so I am making plans to make jewelry again. I made bracelets and I want to continue doing that but I will add earrings to the mix. I have some ideas about the things I want to see dangling from people’s ears to make them feel good and look pretty.
Never having been good at drawing, tracing, painting-any of that, I want to explore that side of me. I took one course in batik art and did well enough to have my piece on exhibit in not one-but two local art exhibits. I am taking another course and look forward to surpassing what I did last time. Eventually I’ll be confident and good enough to create artwork on my own and see where that takes me. But if nothing else comes of it, I am having fun and meeting new people. And I have new artwork that will adorn the walls of my home.
I am writing. My life has been a roller coaster ride and I am writing essays that I may publish someday. I expect that someone reading the life moments and incidents I share will find some nuggets of familiarity and peace. My stories should, and could, inspire somebody. Who knows?
There is so much advice out there about the many different skills and qualities people 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?
What matters most is being true to self, having great communication skills, and being personable. These three qualities most to me because:
Authenticity is a non negotiable factor in success. A person who is not true to self will never be happy, will never grow, and will eventually be revealed as an imposter. My advice on this matter is to stand in the truth of who you are and what you believe. Doing that will garner you respect and admiration and will open doors of opportunity.
Communication is key to success in one’s personal life and career. Never underestimate the ability to speak and write so that you will be clearly understood. This minimizes conflicts, contributes to success in career -and life-, and when properly acknowledged, can be a boost to one’s self esteem.
Being fearless is a great trait to have. When in doubt one can, if fearless and bold, make decisions that might seem reckless and ill-advised but might also completely transform, advance, and enhance life. Playing safe is for people who fear taking chances, but success is sometimes carved out of courageousness and chance. So be fearless, bold, and courageous.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
My number one go to is the yoga mat. When I am anxious, fearful, stressed or tired I get my mat, blocks, blanket and bolsters and settle down for a session. This is the place where I shut out the world (or most things) and focus on breathing, stretching, and relaxing. When I fully committed to my practice I found a place where I could take my cares and leave them. Some follow me off the mat, but that’s okay. After a session I am open and relaxed, looking forward to getting on with life.
One need not pay a lot of money for classes-there are great classes I discovered during the Covid lockdown on line and on cable. You can wear whatever you want-or nothing at all. You can practice anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours-whatever works for you.
Don’t worry about not being able to do poses perfectly. Your practice is yours only so whatever you can do is okay. It is not about the finish so much as it is about the journey. Let your journey be whatever it is.
My next self-care regimen is treating myself to a spa. I am at my local spa each month for a variety of services that help me to relax and feel good. A massage, facial, body treatment-you name it. I treat myself because who will if I won’t? Who benefits if not me? In the end it’s just a matter of identifying something that brings you peace and making that your “happy place”.
