In this episode, Lorie Jones welcomes trailblazing leader Dr. April Joy Damian, chief scientific officer and director at the Weitzman Institute. April Joy brings candid wisdom to the table, from practical strategies for setting boundaries to the truth behind the myth that only hard work guarantees success.
You will discover why “no” is a complete sentence, and how learning to step forward, even when you don’t feel fully ready, can open powerful new doors. April Joy shares her journey from aspiring physician to nationally recognized advocate for children’s mental health, along with the real stories of facing self-doubt, caregiving pressures, and being the only woman in the room.
This conversation is packed with honest advice, professional insights, and motivating lessons sure to empower women to build careers that truly align with their values and vision.
Show Highlights:
- A book to help rediscover the power of discomfort. [04:10]
- Learning to say no as a caregiver and professional before reaching depletion. [09:29]
- How to balance priorities by what’s important vs. urgent. [12:09]
- The importance of women making their achievements visible. [15:09]
- Why embracing opportunities despite impostor syndrome matters. [19:40]
- The dividends investing in your growth and enrichment pays. [24:01]
- How do you navigate feelings of otherness in professional spaces? [27:09]
- Allowing vulnerability in professional and personal mentorship. [31:52]
- What exactly does it mean to live a purpose-driven life? [35:42]
- Three powerful rules to live by for young women. [39:07]
Connect with April Joy Damian on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/apriljoydamian/.
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to https://fearlessfinancialadvisors.com/fearless-females.
00:01.69
Lorie Jones
So April Joy, as you look back kind of along your path, is there something that you can say, oh my gosh, I’m so glad I did that for myself. It just makes a huge difference into who I am today. Is there a really good investment that you made in in your journey?
00:18.90
April Joy Damian
Oh, so many good investments. and So after my dad had passed away, I became my mom’s caregiver.
00:30.40
April Joy Damian
It was very challenging. And this gets really personal, Lori. So just Brene Brown, I would say the power of vulnerability and how she really created space to talk about that.
00:40.66
April Joy Damian
I realized then as I was increasing my caregiver responsibilities, increasing responsibility in terms of my work, as well as at some points in my academic training and really appreciate being able the that no is a complete sentence and being able to set boundaries, working through this with a therapist, but also my coach and with mentors.
01:11.21
April Joy Damian
And I think being able to say know and knowing when I’ve reached, a hopefully not reached, but then I’m approaching a point of having an empty cup, that it makes sense to step away from different responsibilities or say no for right now or in this season, but doesn’t mean no forever, right?
01:23.54
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
01:33.46
April Joy Damian
And I think sometimes, especially I know this Fearless Females podcast, sometimes feels like we have to be everything for everyone in all seasons, right?
01:33.78
Lorie Jones
a
01:43.82
April Joy Damian
And then just realizing that no Sometimes it’s okay for me to walk away for something for this moment, for this season. It’s not permanent. Sometimes I just need to take time for myself to reset and regroup and then decide how to move forward rather than always being at everyone’s beck and call.
02:04.92
April Joy Damian
And so I would say you know investing and I’m trying to normalize seeking therapy and support from mentors and coaches, but I think that’s really been helpful in terms of leading to my success to today.
02:20.02
Lorie Jones
Oh, that’s, yeah, that’s really interesting. And, and I kind of, I i think about that quite a bit, because as high achieving women, a lot of times we just do take on too much. And I was reading a book not too long ago, where they said, like, there’s just basically no amount of, um like massages and, and, you know,
02:40.87
Lorie Jones
zen breathing that you can do if you are just overwhelmed, right? if you If you haven’t put those boundaries in place, those saying no or this, and you sometimes have to say no to things you want to do and good things because you just have too much on your plate. How do you know when to say no and when to say yes? Like what’s what’s your trigger?
03:05.74
April Joy Damian
That’s a great question. and So my faith is a big part of my life and our pastor talks about Important versus urgent, right?
03:18.50
April Joy Damian
And some things are important, right?
03:18.66
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
03:22.25
April Joy Damian
Like sleep, our health, community, and some things are urgent. Like they require our attention now, right?
03:33.27
April Joy Damian
And being able to know how much time am I spending on the things that are important and that only I can do at this time versus making it seem like everything is urgent, right? And I think getting over the need to please everyone and to do it on everyone else’s timeline, I think as a leader, being able to delegate and recognize that, hey, you know, there’s a shedding of an ego that has to happen. Because I think sometimes wanting to take on everything is because we,
04:12.09
April Joy Damian
we female leaders wanting to put on our cape at all times, right? And sometimes putting on the cape for ourselves takes away from someone else being able to put on their capes, right?
04:16.49
Lorie Jones
Oh, yeah. Superhero.
04:25.08
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
04:25.72
April Joy Damian
And so I think having that sense of humility and knowing that, as my coach said, it’s not just about leadership and what April Joy can do, but exponential leadership, which is how can my leadership be multiplied by creating space for someone else to lead who actually might end up doing it much better than a I could.
04:48.00
April Joy Damian
Right. And so I think the power of humility, shedding the ego and being able to delegate to others, sticking to what’s important and letting that be the ground or the foundation and knowing that not everything is actually that urgent.
05:07.16
April Joy Damian
So perception versus reality.
05:11.03
Lorie Jones
I used to work um as an as an admin when I first started out in financial services. And I cannot tell you every single financial advisor I’ve ever met in my whole life thinks that everything is urgent and important right now, right?
05:25.98
Lorie Jones
And I just don’t think in our lives everything can be urgent and important. Like then then you don’t have it. You’re right. You don’t have any space or perspective. So so like delving down into…
05:39.32
Lorie Jones
what what the messages you’re getting from outside about what’s urgent and important, but actually what is, like coming from inside, like like maybe your list of values, maybe your list of um must-dos, but not everything can be on that list either, right?
05:56.09
April Joy Damian
Yes.
05:57.18
Lorie Jones
Okay. I like that. ah Thank you. That was really, really helpful, April Joy. Yeah.
06:01.80
April Joy Damian
I hope so.
06:04.06
Lorie Jones
what What about the worst advice someone gave you? Can you think of some really bad advice? And and did you take it? Did you not take it? Did you learn from it?
06:14.17
April Joy Damian
So it was so interesting.
06:17.75
April Joy Damian
and was at ah networking event for students and it was in a room with other female leaders. So we were able to talk with students. So I was reminded. So this this question is so timely because one of the women women was had shared with the student, just keep your head down and do the work and your work will speak for itself.
06:42.10
April Joy Damian
And I don’t know if that triggered something like that. I’m like, oh no. um Just because a tree falls and no one’s around to here, it did it actually fall type of thing, right?
06:48.42
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
06:52.31
April Joy Damian
And i um excellence is one of my, so don’t get me wrong, Lori. Excellence is one of my main core values, right?
07:04.27
April Joy Damian
I believe in hard work. This is evident in my career. You know, I, think to do all things well and not half-heartedly.
07:17.91
April Joy Damian
But I also know that as women, we navigate the world differently, right? It’s it just, that’s how it’s set up, unfortunately, right?
07:27.91
Lorie Jones
Right.
07:28.29
April Joy Damian
And so sometimes keeping your head down and just doing the work won’t be evident, right? And sometimes leadership or ideas go unseen.
07:40.06
April Joy Damian
And I think the importance of being able to show the work, not to show off, right, the difference, being able to show the work, especially in the work that we do, right, we focus on historically overlooked populations.
07:55.89
April Joy Damian
There’s a need to promote this work so that one, it educates, raises awareness to others who may not know about this information, right? They may, um,
08:09.53
April Joy Damian
only hear a certain perspective, but we need to bring visibility to this, not just to tout ourselves, but also as a form of advocacy for the groups or communities that we’re trying to represent. Right. So really, and I would also say that it takes courage, right? Because sometimes you may be speaking up for what matters and it may not feel comfortable.
08:33.98
April Joy Damian
Whereas keeping your head down and doing the work it may just stay there. Right. And you may not be able to enter, um, certain roles or be in certain rooms that would allow you to be with the decision makers and those who hold the purse strings or control the purse strings. So I think really making sure that, um, you claim that seat at the table and, let people know about the work, again, not as self-promotion, but because of the communities, especially for those of us who are in a social impact space, able to advocate for the communities that we so care about and are aiming to serve through our efforts.
09:14.43
Lorie Jones
I like that ah perspective on things like being fearless and courageous because what you have to say could truly impact somebody’s life.
09:25.25
April Joy Damian
Mm-hmm.
09:25.30
Lorie Jones
And by remaining silent, you may not be, you may be more comfortable to go back to your book suggestion, but you may not be um really bringing that that message to the people who need to hear it.
09:41.59
April Joy Damian
Mm-hmm.
09:41.85
Lorie Jones
um ah It’s easier for me to, you I don’t know, speak up and and show up on behalf of somebody else. Even with fearless females, i love people that hear these stories of women doing just amazing, great things.
10:00.31
Lorie Jones
um I’m probably not willing to ah step out of my little introverted shell for other reasons, but to bring the message um to the to the bigger audience. Like I’m…
10:16.41
Lorie Jones
I can do that. I can be a little bit brave if that’s the case. And that’s kind of what you’re saying, right? It’s just, is, is we need to, not only for ourselves, which I will say there is some portion of like, we need to, we need to recognize that we’re doing great things too and be proud of ourselves. But, but for the work that we’re doing, don’t, don’t be silent.
10:40.22
April Joy Damian
Yes.
10:42.55
Lorie Jones
Okay. I like that. Um, what about regrets? Um, if you think back and, and you may not have regrets per se, but a do over like a chance to do something again, is there, is there a situation you can think of where you’re like, Oh my gosh, if I could go back and do that again, I would totally do it differently.
11:05.80
April Joy Damian
Oh, such a rich question.
11:09.88
April Joy Damian
Yeah, I think earlier in my career, there are moments when I hesitated because I didn’t feel I was ready enough. Right.
11:21.08
April Joy Damian
Looking at qualifications, thinking had to meet every qualification before I stepped forward. right That imposter syndrome. And a looking back. I wish I had trusted myself earlier and taken more risks sooner. Right now I’m a bit more risk adverse, but I think earlier on, right? Like being able to step into something. and i think this goes with the theme of comfort crisis, right?
11:48.79
April Joy Damian
Being okay with putting myself out there and stepping into something before feeling completely prepared. Right. And then, so now when I’m mentoring women, really especially young women, really encouraging them. And I, my mom told me this early, but for some reason, somewhere in the journey between childhood and, young adulthood, i started being self-conscious and, you know, starting to hesitate when opportunities came. And I think, you know, and really encouraging people, young women to raise hands for opportunities, even when they feel a little uncertain, or right? Like you don’t, You can figure it out as you go and you don’t always have to have all the qualifications, whether it be for a job, you know paid or unpaid, and just really trusting yourself. And so I think that would be one of my regrets.
12:45.84
Lorie Jones
that you have so much education and such a wealth of knowledge. And if you didn’t feel adequate two you know, to like take that risk or take that step with everything, all the experience and and education that you have behind you, like that’s, that there’s no hope for the rest of us.
13:06.89
April Joy Damian
Thank you.
13:07.90
Lorie Jones
How did you, how do you do, do you do it now? Do you stand up and like, volunteer for things that you maybe don’t or are you overqualified for everything?
13:19.92
April Joy Damian
Ah, well, you know, that’s like my coach would say the unconscious incompetency. So I’m sure there are opportunities or I’m like, oh, I’m not so sure. um i think it’s a balance because different responsibilities, right? I want to make sure I’m doing what’s already on my plate and doing it well. So I think there is discernment in terms of what I do sign up for.
13:45.82
April Joy Damian
So there I think there’s that piece that also influences whether I say yes to an opportunity.
13:48.12
Lorie Jones
Right.
13:52.60
April Joy Damian
But some things I’m in a position, im like, oh, I can’t believe I’m doing this. Like, you know, every day thinking about that role, i’m like, oh, wow, i’m I’m really doing this. And then, but then still moving forward, right? And getting over myself, getting over April full Joy and say, okay, it’s not about me, but how can I leverage this position?
14:12.57
April Joy Damian
Again, what’s my moral compass or my North Star directing me to? Right.
14:18.98
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
14:19.11
April Joy Damian
So I think thinking of it’s bigger than April Joy, it’s a larger purpose and mission that I’m supposed to be serving. So, yes. And I think by mentoring others.
14:30.90
April Joy Damian
And then also talking about it with some of our more early career staff reinforces, right, sometimes by teaching or sharing that knowledge, it just reinforces it for myself.
14:41.18
Lorie Jones
yeah
14:41.66
April Joy Damian
And so it’s like our pastor said, I didn’t I don’t share a message that I didn’t need to hear. I haven’t had to hear first, right? And so how do i reinforce by sharing those words of wisdom or lessons learned with others?
14:48.34
Lorie Jones
yeah
14:55.64
Lorie Jones
hand And I agree with that entirely. i find that a lot of times as I’m teaching um or orre mentoring, I’m seeing things.
15:05.90
Lorie Jones
First of all, it helps me feel like, well, I actually do know something. Like ah like all through this whole journey, I’ve really learned a lot to to be able to share. And secondly, there are still things left for me to learn.
15:18.54
Lorie Jones
Like I can still, as I’m teaching, i can still learn from…
15:18.84
April Joy Damian
Mm-hmm.
15:24.28
Lorie Jones
from their experience as well. And I i love that. i I love that. So if you could high five yourself for one really great past financial decision, which is near and dear to my heart, what would that be?
15:46.62
April Joy Damian
Yeah, I would say, obviously, you you see how much education I’ve gone through. on i heard That was largely covered by scholarships, but I think also investing in experiences that expanded my worldview, right?
16:02.11
April Joy Damian
like So I’m Filipino and Spanish by background.
16:02.81
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
16:08.07
April Joy Damian
I’ve traveled to different countries, and I think, and I’ve been also paid out of pocket for different leadership programs and professional networks.
16:19.82
April Joy Damian
And I think those different investments, right, whether it be traveling, leadership, professional networks, really opened doors and relationships that shaped not only my career, but also how i navigate life, right?
16:39.39
April Joy Damian
Like I to think for me to, say silo or separate my professional from my personal growth, I think is an artificial divide in that these different experiences have really allowed me to see myself differently, approach my work differently.
16:56.19
April Joy Damian
I think it’s really enriched how I approach my work as well as my relationships, professional and personal.
17:04.39
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
17:04.77
April Joy Damian
I know often in financial decisions, it’s talking about Saving or spending and I think that’s oversimplifying it, but I think there’s also being able to invest in oneself so that you’re positioning yourself for opportunity, which may actually lead to greater savings down the line.
17:25.41
April Joy Damian
Right.
17:25.88
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. I like that. And the, and I like that you mentioned not just education, but also the education that you get from, from experience, from, from traveling, from, um, from these leadership programs or, or or stuff like that. i I, I find that a lot of times some of your,
17:48.38
Lorie Jones
um not only most fulfilling experiences, but some of your most lucrative, like, you know, where you make the most money come a lot of times from having those experiences ah life experiences or those coaching or the the mastermind groups that you join or something like that.
18:08.98
Lorie Jones
and you might have to pay um to get into those groups, but they truly do change your life sometimes.
18:14.48
April Joy Damian
Yes.
18:14.54
Lorie Jones
So it is important though, I think, to to mention that like you have to be pretty discerning because people want you to buy everything.
18:22.47
April Joy Damian
It’s true. There’s a lot out there. have to filter through the noise.
18:25.66
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah. And make sure that you’re finding something that really will be transformational. for you rather than just handing someone, you know, your money for whatever reason.
18:30.55
April Joy Damian
Yeah.
18:37.47
April Joy Damian
Yes.
18:38.42
Lorie Jones
um What scared you the most when you, when you started down your journey? Is there anything that was scary and, and does it still scare you today? Yeah.
18:50.58
April Joy Damian
Oh yeah, plenty. never and Yeah, I mean, again, going back, guess that theme of comfort, right? I think it was being scared and uncomfortable, I think was the possibility of not belonging, right? Like i so often in my professional and academic, professional career and academic training, I’ve been in spaces where I didn’t see many people who looked like me or shared my background.
19:19.20
April Joy Damian
I, there would be doubt of like, do I belong here? Is this where I’m supposed to be? But again, a mentor sharing, won’t have the focus be on you, right? like But how asking, instead of saying, do I belong here?
19:39.45
April Joy Damian
Did they make a mistake inviting me into the space? Really asking, how do i help make this space work? or create a larger space so that I may be the first, but not the only, right? So that there may be space for others who come after me. How do I reach across the aisle and see that we actually have more in common than we do have differences, right? Like it might be superficial differences, but then we may have more in common than physically it may appear, right? And so I think
20:15.54
April Joy Damian
being sometimes the only fill in the blank in a room can be scary, right? Like thinking that there’s not a sense of community or I don’t belong in this space, but it’s also can be challenging because, alright I can also be rewarding when i’m able to create more space for others who come after me, but also recognize m opportunities for connection with
20:23.52
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
20:44.49
April Joy Damian
someone who may otherwise seem very different from me. So I think that shift from self-doubt to responsibility has been incredibly empowering.
20:54.65
Lorie Jones
I like that idea. I um interviewed a woman one time and she was one of the only in the room a lot of times. And she’s like, sometimes I would feel really, I don’t know, just anxious about going to these meetings. She’s like, but I told myself if I showed up, then there you know there’s another person in that room that that wouldn’t be the only one in the room.
21:19.74
Lorie Jones
So, so like lending support, I like that.
21:19.95
April Joy Damian
Yeah.
21:22.86
Lorie Jones
And I like the idea of two of like developing you, you look around and you’re like, how can I, how can I connect with people in this room? If I don’t feel connected, part of that might be me.
21:34.90
Lorie Jones
Right. So how do I reach out and, and, and find that connection? That’s a scary step to take. I think that your book suggestion at the beginning of this ah episode was probably transformational, like the idea of not being comfortable.
21:52.74
Lorie Jones
We’ve talked about it over and over throughout the interview.
21:54.39
April Joy Damian
yes Yes, That was such a great question. was like, oh, so many books, but here’s what’s on my mind right now in this season.
22:01.27
Lorie Jones
Yeah. um Did you face any unique challenges through your journey because you were a woman?
22:08.73
April Joy Damian
absolutely laurri know like,
22:09.46
Lorie Jones
yeah I know.
22:11.84
April Joy Damian
That’s what I was like, did or do tense, present tense.
22:16.34
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
22:17.98
April Joy Damian
Yeah, i I would say, especially woman being a woman in leadership, right, that that need to balance. And this may be a generalization, but I will say for myself, right, but I think it is being a woman and seeing it also in my own family, in my own communities of balancing professional ambition with caregiving responsibility. So I mentioned in the beginning, Lori, that I’m my mom’s sole caregiver. right? There’s societal and cultural expectations.
22:49.94
April Joy Damian
There’s also the pressure to constantly prove competence, right? This goes back to that, seeing the job description and then saying, oh, I don’t meet one of the 20 qualifications, maybe I shouldn’t apply, right?
23:03.84
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
23:04.06
April Joy Damian
And so I think having to navigate those different challenges, but I think would say that I’m trying to be the eternal optimist, right? That those experience or experiences that I continue to have, not just in the past, or I continue to face unique challenges also builds resilience, think empathy, right? Being able to understand other people, other women.
23:35.51
April Joy Damian
um I think it’s been incredibly valuable And it’s also shaped how I mentor others and prepare other young women who are coming up in the field.
23:45.14
Lorie Jones
In what way? Like, tell me a little bit about that. Like, how does how does your experience um then determine how you how you mentor or how you teach?
24:00.31
April Joy Damian
Yeah, so I, growing up, I didn’t really, i had my And i I probably did this to my so for to myself, Lori, because I didn’t know any better. But I had my mentor, I had my female mentors who were very professionally driven in this section of my life.
24:10.04
Lorie Jones
ah
24:20.60
April Joy Damian
I had the women who are probably um more in my personal spiritual growth on this side. And I would only ask certain questions of these mentors separate from mentors I put in another box, right?
24:39.24
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
24:39.81
April Joy Damian
not Not really being able to, and in research in my doctoral program, we talk about asking the right questions. Like it doesn’t matter what discipline, whether it be astrophysics, public health, which is what I’m trained in sociology, right?
24:54.06
April Joy Damian
Like doctoral training programs teach you how to ask the right questions. And I don’t think I asked the right questions or I thought I could only ask my professional mentors professional questions. And I could only ask my personal mentors, personal questions, not the professional, right?
25:11.08
April Joy Damian
I had that clear divide. But when I now mentor young women who are coming up, I just volunteer those questions like, hey, like it’s artificial to separate like this.
25:17.88
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
25:25.37
April Joy Damian
We only talk about work and then we only talk about personal life on this side and the two can never interact. Right. And for me, it’s like clearly being a caregiver, being a wife,
25:35.74
April Joy Damian
right um my other personal responsibilities my volunteer work my involvement in the community does influence and impact my professional work and vice versa right and i think being able to talk about it as a whole person rather than these artificial divides like dividing ourselves um as if there’s only different components that don’t actually make up the whole person, does a disservice to mentees.
26:03.76
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
26:06.64
April Joy Damian
And so I’m actually going through that right now with a mentee. And I think for mentors to be, as they see appropriate or fit, you know, being able to show some vulnerability in that, I think really helps young people, young women think, be able to hold space for both, right?
26:31.42
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
26:32.12
April Joy Damian
And ask questions, again, however whatever the comfort level is of their mentors.
26:32.12
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
26:37.30
April Joy Damian
But I think for mentors, I would challenge mentors to, you know, broach the subject as they feel comfortable or feel appropriate. But I just think, and I didn’t have that, right?
26:48.86
April Joy Damian
I couldn’t talk about caregiving with my professional mentors because it just never came up.
26:51.12
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
26:55.26
April Joy Damian
It was more about like, what schools are applying to which which jobs or employers, right, never talking about the personal and then the same for the personal, I would never talk about the professional.
27:05.77
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. I do think that’s, I think that’s really important. I think that as, you know, we bring our whole selves to work now, um you know, authentically, like we do as women, we have different challenges, sometimes with caregiving, sometimes with, um you know, with it and education or imposter. So, you know, there’s just, there’s a lot of things that we deal with that um it would be great to have a heads up on. Don’t you think like, Hey, did you deal with this too? Yes, I did. Like have those honest conversations. I really like that idea. I think that’s important.
27:47.26
Lorie Jones
What is the thing, April Joy, that you are most proud of?
27:54.11
April Joy Damian
This is the the million dollar question, Lori.
27:56.47
Lorie Jones
I know.
28:02.10
April Joy Damian
So for me, leading, and i know I know it’s a real book, and it’s been a very influential book in life, but really leading purpose-driven life, right? Connecting my life with the work I do, the way, the choices I make, even like in the service that I do outside of my formal titles, connecting it back to my why and my purpose for being on this earth, right?
28:32.36
April Joy Damian
a Very discerning of like, what are the unique God-given skills and um expertise that I’ve worked at?
28:32.77
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
28:43.93
April Joy Damian
What am I most passionate about? And how do I use all of me, right, to be of great service so that hopefully my little section of the world is much better than it was before I got here, right? And I think being able to always discern and compare, like, does this life choice and this space that I’m in now contribute or is aligned with my life’s purpose, right? And so I think that has allowed me to be more discerning. And as my mentor in med school said, just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it. And so I’ve been able to say no to things that aren’t serving that purpose.
29:30.49
April Joy Damian
It has allowed, it has created more margin in my life and more joy in approaching the work, right? Because when you see someone who’s, it becomes effortless, right?
29:41.80
April Joy Damian
Like it’s still a lot of work, but
29:42.25
Lorie Jones
yeah
29:44.77
April Joy Damian
it’s not forcing it, right? And it’s being able to do it with more ease, knowing that I can say no to things that someone else, that might be more aligned with their purpose, right? And then knowing, again, having that discerning spirit of how does that saying yes to my purpose leading by example, right? Letting my light shine in my corner of the earth.
30:15.32
April Joy Damian
I’ll create an opportunity or plant a seed for others who are coming up to do the same. Because at the end of the day, I remember a fellow Truman scholar had mentioned this. At the end the I have to live with my own life’s decisions, right? It won’t be my mom. It won’t be my husband.
30:32.29
April Joy Damian
won’t be my supervisor even and my mentors, right? At the end of day, I have to live with my own decisions, right? And so how do i be honest with myself and say this, this is where I can be of greatest service and I’m living out my life’s purpose.
30:51.06
Lorie Jones
I like that. And it probably does help with boundaries, huh? with with the Makes it maybe easier if you practice it to say no to certain things because they’re not aligned with your life’s purpose.
31:05.60
April Joy Damian
Yes.
31:06.58
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Okay. Well, I’m going to try that then. I’m not even joking. i really do have a hard time with boundaries and saying, no, I i just take on everything. And and I think that um if I was to sit down and be very clear, it might help. So I love that. Thank you so much for that suggestion.
31:28.79
Lorie Jones
Any advice for a young lady who’s just kind of starting down this path that you’re so successful at that might help her to be successful like you?
31:43.31
April Joy Damian
you have say three things right we just talked about purpose so staying connected to purpose right like what is north star what where is your moral compass leading you Right. And titles and roles will change. They’ll come and go. But it’s our values that should always. And I i use absolutes very sparingly, but really values should always anchor you. Right. Our at Moses Weitzman Health System, we talk about being always grounded, always groundbreaking.
32:14.74
April Joy Damian
Right. And so we can achieve so much. But at end the day, it’s about really being deeply grounded, deeply rooted in our purpose.
32:23.94
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
32:24.63
April Joy Damian
see Second is building relationships intentionally, knowing that can’t succeed alone. The importance of community and mentorship are very powerful to one’s success, but also one’s sanity.
32:43.42
April Joy Damian
and then finally, not feeling that you have to wait until you’re ready to lead, right? There’s a need. Again, this is coming back full circle to the comfort crisis. So if Michael Easter is listening, he must be very proud, but um like really leadership grows through those tough times, right? It grows through courage, grows through action, and then being able to learn along the way, right? Being able to take those risks along and then learn from them no matter what the outcome ends up being. um
33:19.16
April Joy Damian
And so those are the three things I would advise share with a young lady just starting in their path.
33:25.08
Lorie Jones
I like that. Thank you so, so much, April Joy, for spending so much time with us and just sharing your story and your journey and some really good ideas. Honestly, i’m i I’m making notes and I’m going to sit down and I actually do this. I tell some of my guests, I’m like, oh, I’m going to think on that. And I have a little note and I do think on that. and And I sit down and make some goals based on what they’ve said. So So if nothing else, you definitely have impacted me today. So thank you so, so much, April, for spending some time with us and just going through this journey with us.
33:57.57
April Joy Damian
Great. Thanks, Laurie. Thank you for having me.
33:59.99
Lorie Jones
um If I have a young lady who wants to reach out and ask questions, how does she get a hold of you?
34:05.14
April Joy Damian
Yeah, she can find me on LinkedIn. So it’s my full first and last April Joy Damien can find me on LinkedIn. I think I’m the only one under that name.
34:15.61
Lorie Jones
I love it. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it.
34:18.49
April Joy Damian
Great. Thank you, Laurie.