Heroine

A woman in complete service to what she does, who is even willing to die for her work, definitely fits the archetype of the heroine. Lynsey Addario is a photojournalist who has photographed women under the Taliban, documented misogyny in the Congo, and been on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11. From capturing the lives of transgender prostitutes in New York to her continued work on Syrian refugees and those displaced by war, Lynsey seeks to do justice for her subjects by capturing the true essence of their humanity.

Lynsey is also a New York Times bestselling author. Her memoir, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, is so filled with vivid details and vulnerability, including her very close call as a hostage in Libya, that Steven Spielberg will soon be directing a movie based on her life starring Jennifer Lawrence. Lynsey’s spirit and drive will inspire you to recognize the unique impulses and passions we all have inside of us.

Show Notes:
-Growing up with parents who encouraged her to express herself, follow her dreams, and learn things for herself. [4:19]
-Receiving her first camera, becoming a self-taught photographer, and breaking into the business (which involved sneaking a shot of Madonna). [8:10]
-How Lynsey found her calling early on, and the inspiring purpose that drives her. [12:53]
-How she furthered her career by asking for an advance on the wedding she didn’t intend to have. [15:31]
-Bringing milk and cookies to transgender prostitutes: Lynsey’s method of getting to know people before photographing them. [17:20]
-Going to Afghanistan as an unmarried, American female photographer during a time when photography was outlawed by the Taliban. [22:07]
-The unique barriers (and dangers) of being a woman photojournalist. [25:43]
-The brutal week she spent as a hostage in Libya: Being groped and assaulted and constantly threatened with execution. [28:56]
-Deciding to have a child after surviving the ordeal in Libya, plus Lynsey’s thoughts on living a “dual life”. [34:19]
-“This job is not about me, it’s about the people I cover.” Lynsey shares how she’s able to continue her work despite the trauma and violence she’s seen. [38:48]
-An incredible story of kindness from a young boy displaced by war, plus what Lynsey is working on now. [42:59]

References:
Lynsey’s Website – www.lynseyaddario.com
You can find Lynsey’s best-selling memoir (now in paperback!) on Amazon.com – Search “It’s What I Do” in books.

Episode Sponsors:
UENO – ueno.co/careers
InVision – invisionapp.com/company

Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Rituals are growing, evolving things with their own stubborn intelligence. That’s why the same exact rituals are hard to sustain over time. Since we are constantly changing with the months, seasons, and our environments, it makes sense to allow our rituals to organically change along with us. This approach is not only more realistic, forgiving, and practical, but it honors our naturally changing feminine energy.

Majo described in Part 4 how to design your morning and evening rituals after identifying actions that aligned with your deeper desires. Now it’s time to anticipate and even welcome change. In this flash wisdom episode, Majo shares three principles that will help you add flexibility and fluidity to your rituals in a way that honors your body’s natural rhythms.

Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. Get it through our Indiegogo campaign at bit.ly/heroinelive – You’ll be investing in your own self-care while supporting women’s voices.

-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

References:
-You can read through the steps & resources outlined in this episode at mariamolfino.com/blog, How to Evolve Your Rituals.

If you’re looking to understand your creativity and how it connects to your roots, this interview will surely spark some ideas and inspiration for you. Bethany Yellowtail is an influential Native fashion designer who shares her Crow and Northern Cheyenne heritage with the utmost sensitivity and care. When our host first stumbled upon her, Majo was struck by Bethany’s work and its beautiful celebration of Native American culture (without the ickiness of appropriation).

They cover what it was like for Bethany growing up as one of the only Native girls in a mostly white public school, how she envisioned her brand and met her co-founder, and the inspiration behind her artist collective. Not only is she carving out an entirely new space in the fashion industry, but she’s doing so in a way that is positively impacting Native communities.

Show Notes:
-Bethany as a little girl: An old soul growing up on the Crow Indian Reservation. [4:43]
-On her parents and Native heritage, and dealing with racist mentalities that still exist to this day. [8:52]
-The extreme culture shock of her college years in L.A. and the emergence of her unique brand. [12:51]
-Bethany’s business partner who arrived via “divine intervention” and the launch of their first ecommerce products. [17:26]
-Her point of view around authentic native representation in fashion, plus the lessons she learned working for other companies. [21:21]
-How Bethany’s work is a way of sharing her culture, and how she deals with criticism. [25:03]
-On the theme of reclamation and how it relates to modern-day issues impacting Native communities. [31:39]
-Bethany shares about the inspiration and vision behind her artist collective. [33:31]

References:
Bethany Yellowtail – www.byellowtail.com
Artist collective – www.byellowtail.com/all

Heroine Live! IndieGogo campaign – bit.ly/heroinelive

Music by Lucia Lilikoi – lucia.bandcamp.com

Episode Sponsors:
UENO – ueno.co/careers
InVision – invisionapp.com/company

Ready to design your morning and evening ritual? Even if you’re not, this flash wisdom episode will help you go through the motions to see what happens. In the last episode of this series we identified actions that align with your deeper desires. The next step is even simpler: sequencing these actions into a ritual.

A ritual is simply a structure with intention, something we make sacred through our attention and love. They provide a way to elevate the mundane (taking a shower) into a magical experience. In this fifth episode of the Designing Rituals series, host Majo walks you through the ritual designing process, inviting you stay experimental as you explore what works best for you.

Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. Get it through our Indiegogo campaign at bit.ly/heroinelive – You’ll be investing in your own self-care while supporting women’s voices.

-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

References:
You can read through the steps outlined in this episode at mariamolfino.com/blog, The 6 Steps to Designing Your Ideal Morning Ritual.

Our speakers often hold up a big mirror, sometimes revealing traits within us that need to be developed or amplified. Eileen Carey is a super feminist who offers that experience as an outspoken, unapologetic woman with a thirst for power. An overachiever who doesn’t always follow the rules, Eileen is CEO of Glassbreakers, which provides solutions for companies that want to keep their employees diverse and engaged by tackling diversity at the corporate level.

Eileen comes from a long line of strong, opinionated women, and she continues in their tradition. In her interview she shares her thoughts on the fluidity of gender, drops some tough-love for women who feel like they can’t completely be themselves at work, and talks about the difference between career and corporate feminism in a way that is refreshingly direct and authentic.

Show Notes:
-Eileen’s powerful upbringing: Coming from a long line of strong and rebellious women. [4:02]
-On her independent and strong-willed personality, speaking up despite labels of being bossy or bitchy, and being comfortable with being controversial. [9:27]
-College years and discovering her true passions, plus the elite job she found on Craigslist that opened the doors of power to her in Manhattan. [14:53]
-Eileen shares about her thirst for power and how that guided her when the recession hit and her career became uncertain. [19:39]
-On being the “token millennial” during Occupy Wall Street, plus stories of Eileen’s mom the “corporate feminist”. [24:53]
-A lively discussion on masculine vs feminine in work cultures, and Eileen’s critical advice to jobseekers. [28:49]
-The value of diversity – One of the main catalysts for starting Glassbreakers. [34:20]
-The rock-bottom years: Eileen shares how moments of darkness in her life led her to make (good) drastic decisions. [39:13]
-Eileen’s lifelong passion for feminist causes and her thoughts on Hillary being the most overqualified candidate. [44:55]
-Some tough-love advice on work-life balance, what it takes to scale a huge company, and the importance of building amazing teams. [49:07]

References:
Check out Glassbreakers at www.glassbreakers.co

Music by Lucia Lilikoi - lucia.bandcamp.com

Episode Sponsors:
UENO - ueno.co
InVision - invisionapp.com

Pleasure gets an interesting rep, don’t you think? Spiritual traditions all over the world have told us to “transcend” pleasure, or at the very least not get too attached to it. Our American culture built on puritanical principles makes us feel wary of anything that’s too pleasurable, or that comes through pleasure versus hard work. Layer on gender, and we have a whole other conversation about so many of us women (especially good girls) who feel guilty about experiencing pleasure.

In this flash wisdom episode, Majo describes how our morning and evening rituals become the pleasurable bookends to our career work, revealing how pleasure and discipline aren’t mutually exclusive. Your biggest takeaway will be the three steps she outlines to help in designing rituals that are aligned with your deeper desires.

Show Notes:
***Heroine Live! event on 10/27 – RSVP & check out other perks at http://www.bit.ly/herpod

-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use code “heroine” to get a special rate through Nov. 1!

-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

References:
-The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte

Many of our guests have had their fair share of obstacles they’ve had to overcome, but Nancy Douyon is on a whole other level. A user experience researcher at Google, Nancy found her way to happiness and stability only after bridging a new and bewildering culture, bouncing around foster homes and living on the streets, and coming to terms with her broken childhood.

You won’t believe the magical, serendipitous encounter with the MIT Media Lab that changed (and potentially saved) her life, revealing an aptitude for computers and design at a young age. Another big theme from her interview is the struggle she faced with her mom and how she was able to heal that relationship – a true hallmark of the heroine’s journey. Nancy is real, resourceful, and she has an incredible story to share.

Show Notes:
-An inquisitive daughter of immigrants: Nancy’s early years in Boston surrounded by her Haitian culture. [4:33]
-Feeling confused, behind, and like an outsider as she tried to bridge American culture, plus the remarkable outcome of running away. [10:35]
-How she got connected to Computer Clubhouse, an MIT program where she learned to produce music, code, use photoshop, build robots, and lead her peers. [16:28]
-The lowest point: Bouncing around between being homeless and different foster homes. [19:02]
-The role of art and design as her only respite during a phase of anger and loneliness. [24:32]
-How she chose to get revenge on the foster care system, and her struggle to afford college. [28:24]
-Finding her passion, acknowledging her skills (despite stereotypes), and taking first steps to healing the relationship with her mother. [34:44]
-Moving forward and making amends, plus her decision to “show love through technology”. [42:49]
-How the earthquake in Haiti affected Nancy and her family, and the growth she experienced as a result. [45:33]
-“Fight to be authentic” and other advice from Nancy for women on their own journeys. [48:23]

References:
Tech Social Impact Conference - www.techsocialimpact.com

*Nancy has been working on multiple support efforts in Haiti - visit her relief outreach page at: www.douyonsignature.com/outreach

Music by Lucia Lilikoi - lucia.bandcamp.com

Episode Sponsors:
UENO - ueno.co
InVision - invisionapp.com

Here’s the truth nobody ever told you: rituals are really hard to hold down. A lot of people like to pretend it’s a snap to set rituals into place. When we hear about the daily do’s of others (especially successful people of today) it can be inspiring, but it can also make you feel kind of shitty if you’re struggling to nail down your own.

We all make mistakes in how we approach and think about rituals— from the time we set them to how we relate to them after we “fail.” In this flash wisdom episode (part 2 in the Designing Rituals series), our host Majo proposes a key shift in our orientation and relationship to rituals with a feminine approach that honors all that is fluid and cyclical, and in way that promotes self-compassion.

-Check out and pre-order the new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use code “heroine” to get a special rate through Nov. 1!

-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com

References:
-The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
-Gretchen Rubin’s quiz: The Four Tendencies

Years ago, Majo (our host) invited Jessica Hische to speak at the first Women In Design event and she blew everyone away with her humor, honest vulnerability, and passion for her work. Jessica is a lecturer, illustrator, and type designer – hands down one of the most important designers living amongst us in our generation today. Her clients include Wes Anderson, Dave Eggers, Penguin Books, The New York Times, Tiffany & Co., the list goes on and on.

She recently released her book, In Progress, where she shares her creative process, how her career unfolded, and how each opportunity leads to the next. Jessica and Majo may have only scratched the surface in this interview, but they cover a lot of juicy stuff plus wisdom and tips for the striving creative.

Show Notes:
–Growing up as a quiet art kid from a small town. [4:08]
–On Jessica’s work ethic, the awkwardness of high school, and her book, In Progress. [10:13]
–How her parents’ divorce made her a kinder person, and why “oversharing” is a huge part of who Jessica is. [14:53]
–The shock of criticism: Being told she wasn’t “good enough” and how she responded. [20:16]
–Dealing with competition in art school, doing lots of internships, plus a great pro tip for students. [26:30]
–Going all in: The illustration promo she put together to get noticed, and how it paid off. [31:44]
–On working insane hours, being upfront with her boss about what was important to her, and how hard it was to quit. [42:16]
–Diving into freelancing full-time and being her own boss: How Jessica dealt with doubt and her biggest fear. [50:24]
–Why Jessica likes to think of her life and career as a constellation, plus some great advice for creatives looking to attract business. [54:20]
–The importance of being an accessible creative leader, speaking her truth, and maintaining humility without losing self-confidence. [1:01:08]

References:
In Progress by Jessica Hische
jessicahische.is/awesome

Now that we’ve finished the Creative Confidence series, we’re launching a new flash wisdom series called The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals. In this first episode, our host makes the case for why you must fiercely protect your daily rituals as a creative woman.

So why is it even important to have daily rituals? Think for a minute of all the stimulation we have at our fingertips day to day: our laptops, iPhone, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, the list goes on and on. Engaging in these great tools and platforms hour upon hour makes our brains tired in this sneaky, unnoticeable way. Establishing a daily ritual is a beautiful, joyful way to remain rooted, stay sane, and keep life magical.

Join Majo (formerly Maria, she explains more about the name change in the episode) for the introduction to her six-part series on rituals, and learn four big reasons to fiercely protect at least 5 minutes of space and time for yourself every day.

Also check out and pre-order her new ebook: The Magical Effects of Morning and Evening Rituals (available at mariamolfino.com/rituals). Use the code “heroine” to get a special rate.

Show Notes:
-Check out and pre-order Majo's ebook at http://mariamolfino.com/rituals

-Music by Lucia Lilikoi at lucia.bandcamp.com