We recently connected with Patrice Jackson and have shared our conversation below.
Patrice, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
An Excerpt from my book “Disrupting Burnout: The Professional Woman’s Lifeline to Finding Purpose” :
As dean of students at a university, part of my job was to respond to and manage student crises. However, no professional development workshop, graduate course, or textbook could have prepared me for the tragedy we faced on that April day in 2015. My day was dedicated to meeting with a group of students protesting in the president’s office. Everyone on my team knew these students were my priority of the day. I’d set aside several hours to prepare for them, meet with them, and listen to them. My staff knew to hold calls and triage all other concerns so I could focus on those students. I sincerely desired to support them and facilitate communication between them and university administration.
We gathered in a conference room down the hall from my office suite to have some separation from the flow of the office. As the students shared their concerns, my executive assistant came to the glass door and motioned for me to come out. I must admit I was a bit frustrated. What in the world could be more important than this? I asked the students to excuse me, and disdain colored their faces as I made my way to the hall.
My assistant started with an apology. Then she explained, “Chief called. She needs you at university police right now.”
“Did she say what she needed?”
“No, ma’am. She just said you need to come right now.”
I took a deep breath and walked back into the conference room. “I am so sorry. I set aside my day for you all, but something has come up. I have to go, but Miss Kim will get you all rescheduled on my calendar as soon as possible. Please know I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t absolutely have to.”
I gathered my things and headed over to the university police department. As soon as I entered the building, I was ushered to a back conference room filled, wall to wall, with police officials. Some were from our campus police department and others from different agencies. Some talked on their phones while others held conversations in small groups. I had no idea what was happening, but I felt it was going to be a bad day. I found a seat and waited for the chief.
She eventually came over with a list of names. “I need you to find out if these people were in class today.” I could feel this was no time to ask questions, so I took the list and got to work. I pulled up our information system, accessed class schedules and phone numbers, and started calling professors to inquire about their attendance records for the day. Some hesitated to share without more information about why I needed to know. Others seemed to have an idea something was going on and shared freely. I kept calling until I got enough information for the chief. It wasn’t long before I put the context clues together. This day wasn’t just bad. It was tragic.
We needed more space and we needed to be close to the impact of the tragedy, so we eventually moved the whole operation to our school of nursing. Seven nursing students had been involved in a deadly car crash on their way to their last day of clinicals. Five students died that day. Two were critically injured, and we didn’t know if they would make it. I went from helping the police make positive identifications to working with our communications team to determine how in the world we were going to share this news with our university community.
One of the most difficult moments of the day was breaking the news to a father over the phone. Word had begun to spread and something in his heart knew his child was involved. He called the university several times, but no one could give him an update until we were sure. The moment we had a positive ID, the chief gave me permission to call him.
“Sir, I’m Dr. Patrice Jackson, dean of students at the university. It sounds like you’re driving. Can you pull over for a moment?” I waited until I was sure he had stopped. “What is your daughter’s name?” I held my breath until he responded. “What’s her birthdate?” I closed my eyes. “Sir, I’m so sorry.”
After spending some time on the phone with the student’s father and getting a family member to meet him on the road, I moved to a large auditorium classroom where two hundred nursing students and their faculty members sat waiting for details. My voice quivered, and my friend, the director of counseling on campus, held my hand as I read the names of the five students who had died and the two who were injured. Sobs and gasps and shrieks filled the room.
There wasn’t much more to say at that moment. Sometimes we just need to hold space with people. In times like these, words are inadequate, so you just sit. Your presence is all you can give. It’s not enough. Nothing is enough, but presence is something. It is significant.
I couldn’t stay in that space long because, by this time, news crews were showing up on our campus. I was ushered from that room to an area where the cameras were set up. I was assigned to speak on behalf of the university. On my way to meet the cameras, I walked past our university president, who had been with us all day. He demonstrated an example of true leadership that day. He was there, but he didn’t take over. He made space for each of us to do our work. He trusted our experience. He supported us and stayed close in case we needed him. He was there. I will always be grateful for that.
On my way to meet the news reporters, our president gently grabbed my arm and said, “Patrice, thank you.”
Without hesitation, I said, “Sir, I was born for this.”
I didn’t have time to think about my response. I just kept moving. We went from the news interviews to Greek Row because each of the women who died that day was a member of a different sorority. My colleagues and I visited all five houses just to hold space with those women. Friends gathered on the street and surrounded the women’s significant others on the front lawns. Roommates, siblings, and parents gathered on campus. It was the worst day of my entire career.
There was much to do in the days following the tragedy. Honestly, we continued to support students, parents, siblings, and the community for months and years to come. When I reflect on that day, as I do often, I think about my response to the president: “Sir, I was born for this.” Where did that come from? Why did that response come out of me? I know it was pure because I had nothing else to offer that day but truth. No one wants to face such a day. No one desires to be there, but somehow, I knew I was supposed to be there.
After fighting through burnout and supporting other women through it, I understand my response so much better now. In that moment, my heart had identified something my mind was not aware of yet. My heart knew I was made for crises. It’s my thing. It’s what I do well. It’s what I have always done. It’s what I was born for. Crisis is my shine. It’s my light. Crisis is my brilliance. I have an innate, unique brilliance for connecting with people who are struggling and helping them find the light again. When I look back over my life, this is something I have always done, from childhood to this very day. I am the person you call when your life is falling apart. I am the person you call when you cannot see your way through. I am the person you call when you don’t know what else to do.
Although my brilliance positions me to be exposed to and involved in some tough situations, I have never felt more alive. Standing securely in my brilliance ended a lifelong search for significance. Without a keen awareness of my brilliance, I spiraled into low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, overworking, overwhelm, and burnout. Obtaining the highest degree did not fill the void. Being promoted to the highest position left me lacking. Even having my gifts recognized in church was not enough. The constant struggle to find my place in the world led me to rock-bottom burnout, but discovering my brilliance freed me to live in power and impact without performing.
Friend, there is no replacement for you and the brilliance you were created to pour into the world. No other person can fill your specific shoes. In discovering your brilliance, you will unlock supernatural treasure that blesses the world and fulfills your deepest longing for identity.
Your treasure is that innate, unique brilliance you were created to bring to the world. Every person has it. Some people call this your purpose. Your purpose is your brilliance, and when you move in purpose, you share that brilliance with the world. Becoming aware of your innate, unique, specific brilliance is the most powerful catalyst of transformation. Discovering my God-given, one-of-a-kind purpose freed me to be me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson, known in her community as Dr. PBJ, gives educators the strategies for accomplishing purposeful work without burnout.
Dr. PBJ is an educator of almost 25 years and an Executive Coach for more than 10 years. She holds a doctoral degree in Education Administration, served in executive leadership at colleges and universities, and facilitates leadership training as a faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership. Dr. Jackson worked in higher education at many levels, from student assistant to President’s Cabinet and is the recipient of several professional awards and accolades.
Dr. Jackson founded EduCare Training and Consulting, LLC through a purpose of pouring in to those who pour out so much. Much of her work is specifically focused on equipping and refreshing educators. Compassionate work can carry a high price tag: your mind, body, spirit and relationships may be in distress as you serve the needs of others. Dr. Jackson leads her community to serve well without paying an ultimate price.
Dr. PBJ is the creator and host of the Disrupting Burnout podcast as well as the author of the Amazon #1 new release and Amazon best-seller, Disrupting Burnout: The professional woman’s LIFELINE to finding purpose.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Living through burnout taught me the most valuable lessons in my life. These three HeartWork strategies have released me to live the life of my dreams.
1. Check your Baggage- Have you checked your invisible backpack today? All of us have one. We put it on every day. Your invisible backpack is full of all your experiences. Everything you’ve learned, formally and informally, all major life events, and all your beliefs, ideas, systems, and constructs are in that invisible backpack. If you’re honest, you may have more than a backpack. Some of us drag large roller bags or emotional trunks around every day. Your baggage determines how you engage with the world. The weight of your invisible luggage blocks your access to brilliance and causes soul injuries you cannot see.
The backpack itself is not good or bad. It’s just the container. Each of us is responsible for opening that container, becoming acquainted with the contents, and doing some spring cleaning every now and then to lighten the load. Remove what no longer fits and replace it with beliefs that align with who you truly are. In checking your baggage you will 1) remove thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and systems that promote burnout and 2) replace those misaligned beliefs with thought systems that promote brilliance.
2. Build your Boundaries- Boundaries are safety. Without boundaries everything important to you is in jeopardy. Building boundaries that work starts with determining your values. This is not about philosophical ideas of integrity. Instead, consider the aspects of life that mean the most to you. Simply put, what are you unwilling to lose? Remember burnout is a thief. It comes to steal everything that means most to you. When I was burned out, my health, my most significant relationships, and my faith were all in jeopardy. I didn’t take care of my body. My child felt like she needed an appointment to spend time with me while I was available for everyone else’s children, and my spiritual disciplines were all lacking. I was a mess. I left everything that meant the most to me vulnerable in the name of doing good for others. I had no walls.
Look around you. Is there anything significant to you that’s damaged right now? Are your body, mind, heart, or relationships screaming out to you for change? What means most to you in the whole wide world? If you were forced to give it all up, what would hurt you most to release? What simple actions steps can you take to protect what means most to you?
3. Discover your Brilliance- Your brilliance is not hidden. You just need a little help discovering it. In Discovering your Brilliance, you’re seeking to identify your innate, unique purpose so you may fulfill your life’s calling. You’re fed up with aimless grinding and ready to embrace the value you innately bring to the world. No overworking, over-performing, or overachieving necessary. The brilliance that flows freely from you is more than enough for you to transform a person, group, or organization.
These are some of the milestones you’ll hit as you discover your brilliance:
• Understand the difference between your skills, talents, passion(s) and your purpose.
• Identify your purpose apart from your career title and your job description.
• Clearly and concisely articulate the value you bring to the world without doubt or confusion.
In discovering your brilliance, you will be enlightened by recognizing all the ways purpose has already manifested in your life, and you will be ignited by new opportunities to walk wholly in brilliance.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
There are times when the most productive thing we can do is rest. We work so had to avoid stopping, but often a stop is exactly what you need. When I feel overwhelmed, I reconnect with intentional rest.
You need a margin for rest. A margin is the border or boundary nothing should cross. Like the margin of lined paper, all the details should be inside the margin and the space beyond the margin should be blank. You need blank time when nothing is scheduled and your soul can rest.
When I mention rest, most of my clients fall back on “I don’t have time.” Friend, you do not wait on time to rest. You create time to rest. Rest is not a reward; rest is a requirement. There are three types of rest you should implement: selah, sabbath, and sabbatical.
You find the word selah throughout the book of Psalms. A technical term from music, it means to stop and think about what was just spoken. It also means pause, interrupt, rest, or silence. The Bible uses this term to encourage you to be thoughtful as you reflect on the Psalms. I use the term to describe the type of rest you need daily. Selah rest is taking three to thirty minutes throughout your day to get some fresh air, take a walk, breathe, pray, or just be silent. We’ve been taught these moments are unproductive. The truth is these moments are critical to your health and productivity.
I’m here to tell you it’s possible for you to recover your rest even in the midst of crazy workdays. Schedule in your selah time. You plan everything else that’s important to you. Plan your rest. Give yourself some cushion between meetings. Schedule thirty minutes of selah before a tough meeting. Use your lunch time to recharge instead of checking email. Get away from your desk and get outside. Feel the breeze on your cheek. Breathe fresh air.
You also need sabbath rest. Sabbath refers to a day set aside for rest and recovery. The term means to cease and desist or to rest. You need one day per week set aside for rest, worship, and play. One day away from the email. One day away from responsibilities. One day away from news cycles and the troubles of the world. You need one day to reboot your system after the stress of an entire week. Go on a hike. Enjoy ice cream. Dive into a swimming pool. Dance. Put all your tech away and just be for one day.
Finally, you need sabbatical rest. The word sabbatical is related to the word sabbath; it also means rest. This term is often used in academic settings when faculty members travel away from their home institution for the sake of research. Sabbatical rest is a break or change from your routine. Friend, sabbatical rest creates separation between you and your normal environment. Getting away allows your mind to rest and gives you a fresh perspective on your projects, goals, and challenges. Just taking a day off is not the same as a sabbatical. Sitting at home, you may still be surrounded by your responsibilities. You may not be working, but you’re still grinding in your head, thinking of all the things you should be doing. A physical separation gives you permission to temporarily leave it all behind.
You will be amazed at your level of clarity, peace, and focus just by allowing your mind to rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.patricebucknerjackson.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drpatricebucknerjackson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drpatricebucknerjackson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrice-buckner-jackson-ed-d/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/judiciallady
- Other: My book- www.disruptingburnoutbook.com
