The Spotlight series introduces and celebrates the next generation of thinkers and makers as they enter the professional workforce. We are proud to support Australia's emerging creators, leaders and contributors as they share their skills, passions, ideas and experiences as young people ready to make a positive difference in the world.

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Meriam Nedri, a final year student at LaTrobe University, undertaking a Bachelor of Psychological Science.

Meriam is an impressive young person who is passionate about researching human behaviour and developmental conditions such as autism. She aspires to work in an industry that is committed to increasing awareness and reducing the stigmatisation of mental illness.

Aside from her studies, Meriam does wonderful work with the Youth Advocacy Group (YAG), a local initiative of non-profit organisation, Headspace.

We discuss all of the above and more in this conversation, highlighting important issues surrounding mental health, university, career pathways and the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on young people in our community.

Series Intro Music
Team Spirit by Mixaund | https://mixaund.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

We've come to the end of the 'Essential Skills' series! If you haven't yet, I encourage you to listen to the previous 5 episodes as I share some insights into why building these specific skills is important for cultivating a purposeful and meaningful life.

I wanted to round out the series with Patience - no doubt a virtue that we're all struggling to honour right now! If you're feeling stressed and anxious about this seemingly never-ending pandemic, perhaps this episode will help you focus on what you do have control over - your mindset and attitude in this season of waiting.

Modern culture has conditioned us to want things instantly, because new technologies and communications have made it possible! But we can undo this pattern, we can change and re-learn to appreciate the benefits of time and space to think more clearly, reflect, be grateful and enjoy the peace of the present moment.

Patience is an essential skill.

Patience is a virtue.

"Patience provides perspective."
- Simon Sinek

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

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Do you consider yourself an optimistic person?

Some people might think that being optimistic is simply a personality trait - that some people just are, and some are not.

However my view is that optimism is a skill that requires constant development, something that each and every one of us should be working on regularly if we aspire to achieve great things in life.

I've learned throughout the years that optimism is connected to employing perspective, harnessing gratitude and having faith.

More than just an essential skill, I also see optimism as a spiritual practice - enabling us to build positive momentum derived from trusting something or someone bigger than us. I channel my optimism through my faith in God, and what I know for sure is that growing spiritually from within, positively impacts all other areas of life.

In many ways, optimism is faith and vice versa, and my hope is that this episode encourages you to harness both.

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

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In this episode, I discuss the importance of being adaptable in our fast-moving world - one that is now more than ever, troubled with fear of all that is uncertain and unknown.

It has become a recurring theme across my content that not being able to change what happens on the outside, should not deter us from creating change from within.

I've found it to be true in my life that once you learn to embrace and then focus on the control that you do have, you free yourself from the expectations that the world or other people will change for you. It is much easier to move forward when your trust isn't tied to things you cannot control.

My hope is that this episode helps you feel a sense of empowerment, with the understanding that each of us is responsible for how we respond to what happens in our lives, and that our response is often the key to unlocking productive solutions.

Being able to adapt to our surroundings like birds and chameleons, brings forth in us resilience and a confidence that will position us well as we pursue the lives we desire.

“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not on the branch but on its own wings.” ― Charlie Wardle

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

It's often a struggle to get moving on things we don't enjoy doing, but that must be done. Any arduous task, or one that takes us out of our comfort zone, is something that most of us try to avoid at all costs.

Yet learning how to build the discipline required to accomplish such tasks, is an essential skill - because discipline makes us more responsible, productive and empowered people.

When we strive for discipline, whether it's in our career or general lifestyle, we start to create healthy structures and boundaries that make our days more effective and enjoyable.

Finding time to do the things we love most becomes easier when we prioritise everything else, because discipline keeps us accountable. Unlike motivation, discipline calls us to be proactive - rather than waiting around for the right feeling, our focus can be on doing.

Building discipline is hard work and in many ways an ongoing process, but one which reaps multiple benefits especially when it comes to achieving personal goals and cultivating a fulfilled life.

American author and podcaster John Gretton "Jocko" Willink, who is also a retired officer of the United States Navy, said it best, "Discipline equals freedom."

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

We live in a culture that often fixates on what we lack in life - of what we don't have enough of - whether it is in material things or standards of beauty and success that we are exposed to across our multiple screens, standards that we feel we'll never measure up to.

These messages then encourage us to spend money and buy things we don't really need - sometimes recklessly investing in superficial solutions to our very real problems.

What can get lost amidst all of this is the fact that we actually have everything we need to start creating and living the lives that we dream of. It all begins from within us and our ability to be resourceful enough to utilise and maximise the things we already possess.

I believe that resourcefulness is in many ways, an underrated skill and in every way, an essential one. If we can learn to harness our innate capacity to be resourceful, then no challenge will be too great for us to overcome.

“When I’ve lost my way or when I am confused about a path to take, I remember that most answers I need I already possess – deep inside. I am naturally creative, resourceful and whole. If I consult my invisible compass, I’ll know what to do.” ― Steve Goodier

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

I'm excited to be presenting my new series entitled, Essential Skills!

We've been hearing this word a lot these days, in the context of what jobs and industries are 'essential' amidst the current pandemic; and for creatives it can often feel as though our work is not valued by the society and economy we live in.

However as someone who doesn't believe we should be defined only by our jobs, I propose that the notion of what is 'essential' expands beyond employment, and into what skills, qualities, mindsets and habits are important for all of us to develop in life in general.

Enjoy this first episode of this new series, where I discuss how learning to accept our present circumstances is the first step to making positive change and real progress.

If my message hits home for you, please make sure to share and subscribe to the podcast to be notified about future content!

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

Over the last month-and-a-half, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with some amazing young people, hearing about their experiences in lockdown, their thoughts about this brave new world and sharing ideas on how to navigate it all.

They’ve helped me focus on the things that really matter: inner peace, connectedness and the power of creativity to help us heal and find meaning in our lives. I learn as much from the youth of today as I can only hope they learn from me, and it is because of them that I am continually inspired to keep making things for positive impact.

So I’m thrilled to round out the ‘At Home’ series with a future-focused conversation with another stellar young person in Darcy Read, a recent Media graduate with a passion for filmmaking, sound design and music.

We chat about the impact the pandemic is having on the film and entertainment industry, throwing caution to the wind by predicting the new challenges (and opportunities) for young creators working on building their careers.

As a freelance sound designer and music producer, Darcy shares his experiences on independent work, the importance of up-skilling and the desire to learn and collaborate on-the-job despite the continual rise of the gig economy and casual workforce.

We get a better understanding of what young people face as they tackle the job-search with feelings of inexperience and pressure, as well as explore ways our community can contribute to workplace structures that lack insight into the creative process.

This is an episode packed with thoughts about the future of the creative industry and how we as creators can feel empowered through our work in the ever-changing socio-economic landscape.

Thank you for listening and if you haven’t already, be sure to catch up on all of our insightful ‘At Home’ conversations here or by subscribing to the podcast!

Timestamps:
0:00 Introductions
02:25 How the current climate is affecting job search
05:13 Combating the daily challenges
07:21 The pandemic’s impact on the film industry
09:43 Future predictions on film creation & consumption
11:15 How independent filmmakers can adapt
13:00 The importance of “sound” in creative projects
17:21 Insights into freelance work
19:00 Learning on the job vs self-learning/working from home
20:24 Why is up-skilling important to young people
23:17 Navigating job application criteria
26:44 Common employer expectations
27:45 The value of creative work
32:00 Future thoughts and present inspiration
34:45 The power of music
37:00 Words of encouragement

References:
https://read-sound.com/
https://ilostmygig.net.au/
https://www.lynda.com/

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

It’s well over a month now since lockdown measures have been in place, and despite coffee catch-up withdrawal, social distancing hasn’t stopped us from having great conversations with young creative people!

This week we chat with Maria Romas, a Media graduate from RMIT University, passionate freelance production coordinator and volunteer photographer at the RSPCA Animal Welfare Shelter. 

In the age of advanced technology, communications and social media, we discuss the vast and varied opportunities and resources available to develop our existing skills and learn new ones. 

As someone with a great interest in learning, both online and offline, Maria recommends several organisations, websites and practitioners that have been instrumental in her own growth as a creator and as a young person navigating the media industry and workforce.

We chat about the importance of networking and reaching out for advice from those more experienced, as well as the power of volunteering as you work towards building a meaningful career and life.

You can learn more about Maria and work via her website Miss Maria Studios!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introductions
01:41 How life has changed
03:37 How the fear impacts our generation
06:00 Understanding our anxieties
07:45 Strategies for finding a sense of calm
09:15 Harnessing social media for good
11:34 Realising what is most important in life
12:30 Reflecting on career pathways
14:04 Embracing the new opportunities that have arisen
15:05 Useful online career resources 
17:30 The power of volunteering
20:52 Finding courage to take the leap
23:03 Creating a career mind map
24:54 Words of encouragement for fellow creatives

References:

RMITV
SYN Media
Australian Network on Disability
Bill Chute

Resources:

Smiling Minds
Coronacast
YouTube Creators:
Peter Lindgren
Curtis Judd
Daniel Scheffer

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show

This week, we had another enlightening At Home conversation with another talented young creative: Arts graduate, writer and traveller, Gabrielle Downes. 

Gabby as she is more fondly known, shares her experiences and insights during quarantine, and explains how building a mindfulness and gratitude practice is helping her make sense of our rapidly-changing world. 

As a passionate reader and learner, Gabby relays the importance of following your intuition when it comes to what you consume - listening to the needs of your body, mind and soul amidst the many distractions of our time. 

We discuss practical ideas and strategies to create healthier boundaries and develop positive habits, such as journaling and living simply in the present moment. 

This episode is packed with valuable insight and advice on personal growth and development, based on Gabby’s own research and experimentation - offering takeaways that will help you well beyond this current crisis. Be sure not to miss this one!

Learn more about Gabby and follow her work at wildwonderers.com.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introductions
01:34 - Lifestyle changes amidst the pandemic
03:01 - What are your biggest challenges?
04:28 - Why are we finding ourselves stuck?
06:42 - Change and patience
08:53 - Being grateful and “quietly hopeful”
10:35 - Strategies for optimism 
12:40 - The power of writing/journaling
14:00 - Researching mindfulness
16:30 - Living in the moment
17:55 - Practising mindfulness
19:55 - “Compassion without boundaries is self-destruction”
21:14 - Thoughts on travel
25:00 - Self-help resources
28:00 - Words of encouragement

Connect with Gabby on Instagram and follow her work at Wild Wonderers!

References:
Staying Positive in a Time of Crisis by Gabrielle Downes
The Magic of Books by Gabrielle Downes
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
The Five Minute Journal

Dear Future Boss is a podcast series produced especially for young people pursuing creative careers.

Subscribe now to listen to stories and insights into what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling life as a multi-passionate creator.

Website: https://dearfutureboss.com.au/
Instagram: @dearfutureboss

Find about more about The Mentorship https://www.thementorship.com.au/
Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show