Get Off The Bench Podcast

Anishinaabe, Music composer, Multi-Musician

Growing up in a musical household, Jaimi was singing before she was talking; and it was only a matter of time before she picked up an instrument of her own. At the age of four, her father brought home a mini keyboard, and she immediately started training her ear and taught herself how to play. When she was 12, Jaimi had asked to learn how to play guitar as well. As she grew older, she taught herself how to play more instruments, and write music.

One late night out, Jaimi was at a concert with one of her friends who was going through a rough time with her partner at the time. Her friend told her that she felt like the villain because her partner kept playing the victim card all the time, and said she was tired of it and SHE wanted to be the victim for once when she ends the relationship. Jaimi thought about it, and said that she didn’t have to settle for being either the villain OR the victim, she could be her own hero. A couple days later, thinking about this conversation, Jaimi sat at her piano and wrote a song for her friend, saying exactly that. Just a few weeks later, her friend ended her relationship with her toxic partner, and is now in a better place.

This experience planted the idea that Jaimi could actually HELP people with her music in her mind, she just couldn’t quite figure out how. She and her husband attended a seminar called The Hero Round Table later that year, which included a workshop tailored towards using your talents to help people. Filling out the worksheet, an idea was formed. Jaimi was always able to write her own music to heal her own heartbreaks and celebrate her triumphs. While her friends had popular songs written by other well known artists they had connected to in their own battles, they couldn’t write their own music. But… What if Jaimi could write songs for them? 

Finally, it clicked. This workshop helped form the idea that people could come to Jaimi with their own struggles to get a different perspective, to help them heal their hearts, to help them get closure, through a song tailored specifically to them. Jaimi could take their thoughts, feelings, and any phrases or questions they might have and write them a song. 

It’s still new, and Jaimi is still putting everything together so she is able to make this dream into a reality, but steps are being taken every day to make this happen. There is currently a portfolio being put together while Jaimi is learning the software so there can be examples of how she uses her music to help heal the hearts of people who are struggling. 

Socials:

Insta: Jaimi Magyari @jaico.music 

FB: Jaimi Magyari

Spotify: Jaimi 

Blurred by Jaimi (album) - https://music.apple.com/us/album/blurred/1697607052

Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

As we move into 2024, let’s focus the impact we can make, to humans, animals and the planet. But with flow and not with resistance, always moving our intentions and actions in the right direction.

Let’s slow down a little over this holiday break and consider the things and people we have around us to be grateful for. It’s a stressful time and people do and say some pretty ordinary things due to these conditions. We don’t have to push and shove and place huge expectations on each other. We can choose to slow down, reflect, and extend love and compassion to ourselves and those around us.

In this episode, I talk about values and how important they are as a lens to make great choices. Also, when communicated and demonstrated effectively, they help others to feel a sense of trust around you.

In this episode, I talk about the power of gratitude and joy, and how both of them can transform your life.

In this episode, I talk about taking action. Last week we had our 5th annual Girls With hammers conference, and Gem Gale spoke about her new book that’s about to be released. At last year’s conference, Gem talked about this being an idea. She took action and made it happen.

Mentions:

Girls With Hammers

Daughters of the Deep

Kate Gale

Tiffanee Cook

Nelly Thomas

Gem Gale

In this episode, I talk about the power of one idea, and how that one idea can change lives. The problem is, we often give up on our ideas because we fear failure, rejection or criticism. Also in this episode I introduce two amazing young men who are actually saving lives through their ideas. One, Heman Bekele, has invented a soap that has the power top heal melanoma, and is accessible to all. The other, Jack Andraka who was featured in my book ‘Magnificent Kids’. Jack invented a pancreatic test strip, extremely cheap and far more accurate than the regular test methods. What’s your idea?

Megan Munckhof is the co-founder of Lead n Hand, and product for keeping ropes and leads looped perfectly without the tangles.

The idea of Lead n Hand was dreamt up many years ago by Megan’s Dad (Darcy White) who is a farmer and contractor in Queensland. 

It came about due to a need to tidy up his service vehicle and to provide a storage for all his leads and hoses. The issue of tangled ropes and cords is a problem a lot of people have, and this is what drove him to find a solution. 

The handheld device is secured to your cord, hose, rope etc on one end so you will always have it handy. The size of your loops depends on the length of your cord and where you wish to store it. The ergonomic shape is suited to both left and right handers and many different sized cords etc. You simply just click your item into the Lead n Hand and keep it secure for storage. 

Darcy started by making a prototype in his shed then advanced to the family kitchen, where he heated up the plastic to mould it into shape. The family toyed with many ideas about how to over engineer it, but then simplified the shape and functions to what exists today. 

Megan and Darcy have gone through the process of Patenting, trademarking, and securing the design in many different countries. This has taken a long time but has been well supported by a fantastic team. Lead n Hand is an all Australian made and owned product registered with the Australian Made Campaign.

Lead n Hand is very new to the market but has already received great feedback and fantastic ideas about how others are using the product for their own application, from electric car/bus leads to people with disabilities with limited hand mobility.  

Megan and Darcy are excited to see the growth of Lead n Hand, and hope that people will love it as much as they do. 

Socials:

Website: https://leadnhand.au/

FB: Lead n Hand

Insta: Lead n Hand @leadnhand

Enjoy the visual here on Youtube

In this episode, kindness is the focus. I always wonder why we need specific International Days for particular things, and wonder why we can’t be decent human beings every day of the year. Despite my personal thoughts, November 13th is International Kindness Day, and that should extend to self, others, animals and the planet. By the way, kindness has scientifically proven health benefits, so why wouldn’t be practise it?

In this episode I ponder the answer to the question “What question would you like to ask a time traveller from 200 years in the future?”. Firstly, I’d be surprised that humans still exist at that time! But I’d be curious about what solutions humans found to resolve problems. I’d also want to know what I could do better today to contribute to a better world in the future.