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Interview with Jill Badonsky
Jill Badonsky is a star. When she gives a presentation she lights up from the inside out.
She’s also wildly funny. If you ever get a chance to see Jill in person --RUN to it. She’s one of the few writers who shine on stage (many writers are shy and do their best communicating on the page). You’ll leave one of her presentations with a different perspective and a lighter, freer feeling.
My favorite thing about being lucky enough to have met Jill (at 2 Artella retreats) - besides being lucky enough to meet Jill : ~), is that I now “hear” her voice when I read her book.
Here’s how she answered the Square-Peg questions in our interview:
I've always valued being different and when given assignments, homework, directives in school and work have made it my rule to do the unexpected and creative.
I'm very much considered eccentric by friends and students and feel that that is a compliment. .. I went out of my way NOT to be part of the "conformed" crowd within any group of people.
Being different, as in artistic and original, are high on my list of values - as is freedom (including freedom from conformity).
...I'd rather invent my own Square-Peg ways than fit in round- holes that don't inspire me.
...I teach people to be creativity coaches...which defies life coaching in that it honors the resistance, sensitivities and quirks of each individual in creative pursuit and takes into account the nonlinear nature of creativity by prescribing unusual activities including pampering, daydreaming and capitalizing on lulls.
It’s so wonderful to find a tribe of people who are Square-Pegs and art groups such as Artella are a great place to connect.
Sounds like Jill has created a safe haven - including establishing her own company and finding her own “tribe”.
There seems to be a pattern with Square-Pegs who are thriving - they seem to create their own Square-Peg world within the round-hole world. And it looks like the foundation for that comes from accepting that they ARE different - and finding a way to be OK with that - then surrounding themselves with people and environments that appreciate who they are.
I'm pretty sure I got this trait because my parents laughed at me a lot as I was growing up and because humor became a a major coping mechanism for me at an early age.
I felt drawn to ask Jill an additional question in this interview:
I didn’t ask Jill what her favorite book was (our new interview question). I realize now that I skipped that question because I assumed that I knew. My thought was that if I’d written a book like The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard) it would be my favorite..hmm, now we’ll never know.
So what can a Square-Peg learn from Jill Badonsky? I really noticed how important creating your environment is through Jill’s interview.
And using playfulness to work around resistance (which comes down to my favorite Square-Peg “rule”: accept yourself - as you are now) is so much more fun and productive than fighting it or ignoring it.
Jill’s ability to shine really inspires me to “shine” in my own way (which would NOT be on stage, unless you’d consider hiding behind a curtain shining). It’s so beautiful to see someone light up when they are doing what they love.
I’m wondering when YOU shine? Do you know what areas of your life glow because you love what you are doing. I hope you find that shiny place in your life and honor it. Because we all DO shine in our own way.
To read more about Jill and to get information on her training classes (or to find out if one of the folks Jill trained works near you) please see:
www.themuseisin.com