What’s your most important thing for this year? 

How do you decide on your priority? 

Do you take a shot in the dark or ask someone you think is wiser? 

Answering this question is not only important for January but to shape and color the entire mood and vibe of your year.  

If you don’t get a clear view on your priority it’s likely the year will slip right through your fingers in lots of activities that you won't ultimately find meaningful. 

In the episode, I talk about how I use a Priority Investment Circle to get my year right. 

You may be surprised to know that despite having this podcast I don’t put creating as #1 or the center of my life.

Why you ask? 

Because your life should take up that space.

And there are certain things you can and must do to prioritize your life. 

Listen in as I share what these things are to set you up for a year that you’ll feel is full of what matters most. 

Reference Episode

Reframe to Create Episode 10 - Your Work is Not the Center 

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Are you ready for your job to end? 

As the year ends, this is the perfect time to think about endings. 

I know it may not be the thing on your mind as you stuff yourself with food and gather with family and friends.  

But despite the festivities, it’s still important to remember that all jobs come to an end. 

This isn’t meant to scare you or depress you.  

Instead, I want to arm you with the 3 things you should never leave your job without. 

Because it’s best to be ready for your job’s end so you can soar rather than sink as it does.  

This means it’s something to start building right now…long before the job ends.  

Now, if you just got fired and didn’t do any of these things I want you to know it’s not too late. 

This episode can help you prepare for next time and Episode 92 can help you where you are right now.  

Wherever you are, this episode will equip you to leave every job feeling powerful and purposeful as you go on to your next.  

However the time for next shows up for you.  

---

Ready to get Your Restoried?  Book Your Session https://reframetocreate.com/restoried/

Reference Episodes

Reframe to Create Episode 92 - Wanna Get Paid to Be You? Get (Re) Storied First

Reframe to Create Episode 82 - Future-Proof Your Work by Building Your Authentic Voice (on the job) | Katie Anderson 

Reframe to Create Episode 64 - The Why and How of Building a Powerful Personal Brand | Diane Diaz

Reframe to Create Episode 30 - Your Personal Brand is Not What You Think 

Reframe to Create Episode 11 - All Jobs Come to an End. Prepare and Evolve Now. 

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Are you feeling burned out? 

It’s a common feeling and seems to ramp up, especially towards the end of the year.  

While this feeling is common these days it’s not inevitable.

There’s a way and a need to push back on this way of being in favor of something that leaves you lit up instead of drained.  

My guest Cara E. Houser will show us exactly how to do this. 

Her first order of business is to reframe our understanding of burnout because we’re looking at it all wrong.    

In this episode, we discuss: 

• The invitation that burnout offers you and how you can accept it 

• Why self-care is not "massages and bubble baths" and what you must do instead 

• Tips on how you can start your burnout recovery today 

If you’ve been feeling burnout I know this conversation will be just the help you need to recover and reclaim not just your life but your creating life!

Check out Cara’s book and follow her on LinkedIn to get even more goodness.  

About my guest: Cara Houser a.k.a. The Burnout Lady is a Life-Work Integration Coach. She makes burnout recovery accessible and fun and is also the author of the award-winning book: Burned Out to Lit Up: Ditch the Grind and Reclaim Your Life. 

Amazon Book: https://amzn.to/4a4OEle

Website: https://www.carahouser.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caraehouser/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caraehouser/

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Are you dealing with insufferable people on your job? 🤔

Are you the insufferable person? 😆

Whoooo okay I won’t go there. 

But seriously, how are the turf wars and the drama going these days at your job? 

Are you ready to get a reframe so you can experience things differently? 

If you are my guest Annette Simmons is going to help you do just that. 

Annette is the CEO of Group Process Consulting and a best-selling author of books that define and promote “power-with” strategies and principles even though (and in some cases, specifically because) they undermine autocratic “power-over” strategies.  

One of her bestsellers The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling was named twice as one of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.  

This is the book that introduced me to Annette’s work but it’s just scratching the surface.  We dive into the why and how to deal with the territorial games on your job that might be driving you mad.   

In this episode, we talk about: 

• How accepting your difference, leaning into your curiosity, and “following your weird” can lead you to the unique things you create 

• Why it’s important that you not dismiss the drama on your job as simply noise 

• How to spot the predictable tactics commonly used to protect silos on your job and how to deal with them 

• How looking for and listening to stories of others can be your empathy superpower on your job 

• The six stories you need to know how to share 

• And so much more! 

Annette is a wealth of wisdom and practical advice that you’ll only start to experience in this episode. 

To keep up with her and learn more check out ways to contact her below: 

Annette Simmons on LinkedIn

Annette Simmons Website 

Annette Simmons Books

Six Kinds of Stories 

About My Guest: 

Annette Simmons is a vibrant keynote speaker, author, consultant, and CEO of Group Process Consulting.  Annette’s most popular book, The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling was named twice as one of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.  All five of Simmons’ business books define and promote “power-with” strategies and principles even though (and in some cases, specifically because) they undermine autocratic “power-over” strategies.  

Annette uses storytelling to teach work groups how to dialogue about diverse perspectives and connect the dots between seemingly adversarial perceptions into a new shared bigger picture.  Her first book Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work was the result of her recording true stories about “turf wars” that revealed ten predictable tactics commonly used to protect silos.  

Her most recent book Drinking from a Different Well: How Women’s Stories Change What Power Means in Action challenges traditional assumptions about what power is, what it is for, and who should have it.  This book is a love letter to women who instinctively seek to balance “winning” with moral acts of generosity that protect the weak and preserve our planet.

Her clients have included NASA, Microsoft, Meta, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, businesses large and small, non-profits, and governments.

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Are you ready for your next transition as you pivot into something new? 

What if your next job or contract was you getting paid to be you? 

What would that look like? 

What would that feel like? 

Absolutely amazing right? 

But this sort of thing doesn’t just happen.  You have to make it happen.  And getting paid to be you is all about becoming the type of person who gets paid to be you. 

That’s because you can only go as far as who you are and before your transition you must transform. 

That takes a narrative identity shift. 

And those only come by changing the stories you tell about yourself and what you create. 

It takes getting (re) storied.  

This episode is all about what it takes to do this so you can get paid to be you. 

Because isn’t it time you stopped getting paid to be everyone else and finally got paid to be you? 

Get (Re) Storied: https://reframetocreate.com/restoried 

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Your work is not your job or career.  Your work is what you create.

You get this. 

But what if you're still searching for the thing that’s yours which you create?

Or if you’ve stumbled upon it, what if that thing isn’t like everyone else’s?

While everyone else is creating tangible things that people can taste and touch, yours can’t be. 

What then? 

I want you to know you’re not alone in this. 

Creating isn’t always tangible. 

Some people do create tangible things.  

But many more create intangible experiences.   

And that’s great news. 

It means the world of creating is much bigger and wider than you might have thought.  

My guest on today’s episode can tell you all about this because Katie MacDonald has done something truly remarkable.  

She’s taken what she’s heard here on Reframe to Create and done the deep work of integrating it into her understanding of herself and her work.  She’s let it give her a reframe and the result has been a powerful discovery of what she uniquely brings to the table. 

And her unique contribution might be like yours--something intangible. 

Learning this has changed not just how she shows up on her job but how she shows up in all of her life. 

We also talk about how your unique work doesn’t require that you go on a long journey to find it because you’re already doing it in some way today. 

Listen in because you might discover that you’ve already been doing the thing you’ve been searching to find.  

About my guest: 

Katie MacDonald is a public health professional, passionate about improving lives through increased access to quality health products and services. She has worked in health markets around the world to introduce new health commodities, promote policy change and build public private partnerships. Katie discovered her love for public health as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali and since then has lived and worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bangladesh. Katie enjoys making connections with people around the world and in her own neighborhood of Columbia Heights in Washington, DC through scuba diving, cooking, reading and running.

Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-macdonald-mph/

Reference Episodes 

Reframe to Create Episode 57 - Build and Diversify Your Work Portfolio 

Reframe to Create Episode 56 - Liberate Your Work | Sawida Kamara 

Reframe to Create Episode 86 - Don’t Let Your Job Get in the Way of Your Work 

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Have you ever felt the life drain out of you because you were in a meeting about meetings? 

😩

I know, I know! I won’t add anymore salt into your wounds if you were suddenly triggered. 

There are so many things that can make you feel drained in life and on your job. 

So what can you do about it? 

It’s not just more sleep or caffeine in the morning.   

What you need to know is exactly how Awareness, Consumption, and Creating can be used to help you break your drain cycle. 

Listen in to learn more and how you can put this into practice for yourself and put an end to this drain!

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Do you remember your last big mistake? 

Wouldn’t it have been nice if someone had been around to steer you clear of the pit before you stepped right in it? 

We can all wish.

While I can’t give this to you in every area of your life I can promise that today’s guest will do it for you in one area.

Your job. 

Specifically, Natasha Smith joins us to share 5 pitfalls you’ll want to avoid while creating on your job. 

These insights blew me away because I always encourage you to create on your job.  

But these pitfalls show me I’ve had a blindspot by encouraging you to create on your job without clear guidance or guardrails.

Natasha is here to sort all of that out for us.  

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• How understanding that the value you think you bring to your job may not be the complete value you bring 

• The unique qualities of owning on your job that are different from owning in other areas 

• The Fullfillment Trap: How love, passion, and fullfillment can be your kryptonite 

• The difference between create and lead vs create, launch, and leave 

And much more… 

By the end, I know you’ll be armed with powerful nuggets to put into practice as you bring more of you when you create on your job.   

About my guest: 

Natasha is a visionary leader and recognized trailblazer in the Washington DC area, known for guiding creative, technical professionals, and activists to new heights. She excels at turning uncertainty into innovative opportunities and creating environments where creativity leads to sustainable solutions. Her diverse experience includes developing groundbreaking curricula, enhancing professional development, and establishing and standing up critical teams across education, community initiatives, and global organizations. Natasha’s work in education, civil rights activism, community leadership, and marketing underscores her dedication to driving impactful change.

After years of feeling discouraged by the challenges of pioneering new paths with little guidance or structure, Natasha reached a significant milestone by creating a new role within a global organization. This achievement, which led to the formation of a dedicated team, allowed her to finally see herself as the visionary and pioneer she had always been, despite the initial setbacks and uncertainties she faced.

Outside of her own professional endeavors, Natasha supports pioneers as an accountability and thought partner, guiding them through their journeys and helping turn their visionary ideas into reality.

Connect with Natasha on Instagram at NatashaSmith_CreativeStrategy 

Connect with Form at  https://linktr.ee/youraccountabilitypartner_ 

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

“I don’t know what story to tell.” 

“I don’t know how to find personal stories in my life that I can use in my presentations, talks, personal branding, job interviews or elevator pitches.” 

Have you ever said these words? 

If so you’re not alone. 

Many professionals struggle to find stories and use storytelling in their work. 

But there’s a way to turn this around for yourself so you never have to struggle to find the right story for the right moment again. 

It involves building a Story Bank. 

Never heard of it? 

Got no idea how to do it? 

This episode is definitely for you! 

I'll walk you through a step-by-step process for building your Story Bank. After this, you’ll have the roadmap to keep building on it. 

If you’ve been listening to Reframe to Create, you know I am committed to helping you reframe your narrative on work by reminding you that your work is not your job or career; your work is what you create. 

But creating with your gifts is not the end of the matter. 

Next, you’ve got to own what you create and then learn to tell powerful stories about what you create.  That’s where storytelling and building your Story Bank comes in. 

If you want to get paid to be you, you’ve got to Create.Own. Storytell. 

After you’ve listened to this episode I know you’ll be ready to pick one of the story moments you identify and work on building it into a full story. 

For that I’ve got a Storytelling Package for you that will move you through the next step of your journey. 

Want to explore which one is your right fit? 

Book an exploration session to learn more: https://joyspencercoaching.as.me/explorationsession

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/

Are you feeling stuck in your job? Are feeling unfulfilled? Feeling like you’re not being acknowledged fully for what you do and what you bring to the table? Do you feel like there’s more and you just don’t know how to go about finding out what that is? 

Well, you’re not alone.  

My guest Adeola Adebiyi knows all about how you feel.  Despite being a seasoned Cyber Security executive with more than 15 years of experience in the industry Adeola came to me because she felt stuck. 

But I had something for her. 

The Resume Excavation is a process I take clients through that’s not about your resume.  It’s about you and a treasure hunt that will give you a complete reframe on who you are and the great value that you bring. 

If you’re like Adeola you probably treat your resume as this old thing that you only take out when you’re ready to dust it off to get a new job.  And the dust-off is usually a minor update with details of your current position. And then you send it off expecting it to perform miracles like landing you some dream job.  Which if you know me and have listened to Episode 1 you know the dream job does not exist.  

This approach does not work. 

But the Resume Excavation process does.  

Don’t take my word for it. 

Listen in to hear what Adeola had to say about her experience and how the process gave her all she was looking for and more.  

About my guest: 

Adeola Adebiyi is a seasoned Cyber Security executive with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. She is a Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA in Boston where she currently oversees the Identity & Access Governance program. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Clark University where she teaches Fundamentals of Cyber Security.

Prior to joining Blue Cross, Adeola held various Security and Audit roles at State Street Corporation, PwC consulting, SunLife Financial and other organizations.

She is a proud alumni of Brandeis University and Northeastern University where she obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She also holds multiple Cyber Security-related certifications.

Adeola is enthusiastic about mentoring young professionals in the technology and security space. She actively participates in the mentoring program in her organization.

She is married with two young boys, enjoys music, travel and spending quality time with her family.

Follow Adeola on Linkedin

Want to find out what treasures your resume has been hiding? 

Book your resume excavation session now and get unstuck and clear like Adeola! 

Link: https://reframetocreate.com/resume-excavation/

Relevant Episode 

Reframe to Create Episode 4 - A Resume Excavation to Clarify Your Unique Contribution | Niko Turrentine

About: The Reframe to Create podcast is hosted by Joy Spencer, an Executive Leadership and Storytelling Coach, Speaker, and Organizational Development Consultant working with professionals and leaders at all levels within organizations.  Joy leverages over 17 years of experience she gained while working to champion change in social justice movements, including those related to global access to essential medicines and consumer advocacy for online privacy.  This work required a dogged commitment to not merely challenging the status quo, but to reimagining and working towards creating an ideal future.  It is this commitment to creating that has shaped Joy’s coaching philosophy and approach today. Using her signature C.R.E.A.T.E. framework, Joy guides her clients through a process to become incomparable in work so they can get paid to be themselves.  

Follow Joy on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/