Cheryle Jackson is the CEO and Founder of Grit + Grace, The Movement, a women’s empowerment, coaching, and media company helping female leaders powerfully pursue their potential and align their self-care with their ambition. Before founding the company in 2018, she served as the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and President of AAR Africa for AAR. In 2010, she was also a candidate for President Obama’s once-vacant U.S. Senate seat as well as the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. Among the many executive roles throughout her career, Cheryle has also worked with several non-profit organizations as well as shared the Grace + Grit message through public speaking engagements, including on the stage of TEDx.

Cheryle joins me today to share why she is rebelling for women to rediscover their grit and grace and how she is helping women to understand the need to pair grit with grace in our lives. She shares the defining moment in her life when she realized practicing grace was a crucial element of reaching her full potential and how she discovered grit and grace go hand-in-hand. She explains what it truly means to be a “free agent” - to run your career on your own terms, be pro-active instead of reactive, and take your career ‘by the horns’ to create your own path to success. She also explains her concept on the “DNA of Brilliance” and what it could look like to practice grace every day, in everything you do.

 

“Grit alone ensures that you survive. But we’re here to do more than just survive; we want to thrive. Grace helps us to thrive.” - Cheryle Jackson

 

This week on Rebel Souls:

• Cheryle’s journey of pivots and how the Grit + Grace movement began
• How Cheryle discovered and developed her grit and resiliency
• The price of having the grit and tenacity to keep going
• Why Cheryle believes losing the U.S. Senate primary election was a blessing in disguise
• How Cheryle battled breast cancer and dealt with divorce while starting her business and how her experiences shined a light on the importance of grit, grace, and radical self-care
• When Cheryle realized grit and grace go hand-in-hand
• How Cheryle helped women pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic
• How Cheryle practices grace to stay connected to her soul
• What the “Grace Practice” is and the three actions that create our lives
• Identifying the triggers that cause you to fall out of grace and alignment with your soul
• Using your emotions as a tool to stay in alignment with your soul
• Cheryle’s concept of the “DNA of Brilliance”
• Why waiting for new opportunities to come your way is detrimental to your success
• Choosing to be a ‘free agent’ and why the key to being a free agent, beyond choosing yourself, is service-driven networking
• Understanding what’s driving your decisions
• How Cheryle is rebelling for change, social justice, and civil rights

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser
• Book: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

 

Connect with Cheryle Jackson:

• Cheryle Jackson Website
• PIVOT! Conference
• Grit And Grace - TEDx Talk
• Grit + Grace, The Movement on Instagram
• Grit + Grace, The Movement on Facebook
• Cheryle Jackson on LinkedIn
• Cheryle Jackson on Instagram
• Cheryle Jackson on Facebook
• Cheryle Jackson on Twitter

 

Liberate Your Soul & Join the Rebelution

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Rebel Souls with your host, Shelley Paxton, the podcast dedicated to helping leaders reject the status quo, liberate their soul, and become a lifelong rebel. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and share your favorite episodes across social media. And for more great content and information, visit our website and grab your copy of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.