Working Towards Our Purpose

Welcome to working towards our purpose, a podcast that

offers a different perspective on what a job can be. For everyone

out there that's heard that voice in the back of their head asking for something

more, it's time Time to listen to it. I'm your host, Gino,

and join me as I interview people who have decided to work in their

own purpose. Together, We will learn, become inspired,

and hopefully find our own path towards working in our purpose.

Joining me today is Genevieve Paturro who is an inspirational speaker,

an author, a consultant, and the founder of Pajama Program, which is a

nonprofit she started to give pajamas kids who are living in shelters

and didn't have any. Her book, Purpose, Passion, and Pajamas

won the National Indie Excellence Award, and she was also featured on

Oprah. Genevieve, I'm really happy to have you here. How are you doing today?

I'm fine, Gina. Looking forward to our conversation. Me too. Me

too. So So why don't you tell us, you know, to get started a little

bit about yourself. I'm interested in, like, your background, your schooling,

like, what you did in the corporate world. I know you had a a corporate

career and, kinda just share, you know, whatever you feel comes to you.

Sure. Sure. Well, I was born and raised in New York in a

very, very traditional Italian family. So I know you know

a little bit about that with your name. You know? Yes. Yes. Yeah.

My dad came Off the boat from Italy with his father. He

was 15. And, of course, they wanted the American dream, you know,

and and my grandfather wanted my dad To get married and have a

family in the United States and give them everything that he could.

And so he married my mom who was American but Italian background,

And they raised 4 of us, and I was the 1st born.

So I felt a lot of pressure to uphold

all the traditions, and there were Most of them I loved. What's

not to love about, you know, just hugs and kisses

and great food and, you know, Always having family around. That

was all the good stuff, but my parents wanted me to get married and have

kids. I felt that. Although they didn't always say that, I knew that was expected,

but I used to sneak down and watch Mary Tyler Moore and watch

strong women, and I loved the idea

of Being on my own, maybe because I was, you know, the

oldest and I had 3 to to, you know, follow after me and looking

up, Yeah. To what I was doing and watching, and I was I felt pressured

to, you know, be a good example. But that was the the small

part of me that was Really leading me. You know, how can I be a

corporate woman in a in a man's world and make my way that way? So

I followed that dream. And it was rocky with my my parents, of

course, because, you know, through the for a loop, but I did

that. And I went to Fordham in New York, I studied communications,

and I worked at WFUV Radio. And from there, I went on to do

radio and then TV. And for 12 years, Was in the TV world

and went up to VP marketing, and it was an exciting life. It was

exactly what I expected. But I didn't realize

until a Voice in me when I had

a quiet moment in my apartment, a question

came to me from from here. I'm pointing to my heart because I know

the difference between this and this now, the head and I heard a quiet

whisper ask if this is the next 30 years of your life, is this

enough? And it stopped me cold, and I realized

there was something missing. That if I kept going at the rate I was,

workaholic, crazy schedule on my own, I'd be really

tired and alone in 30 years. And, yeah, the money

was good, and I had pretty things. But in a moment,

You know, sort of like the light went on, and I said, okay. But what

is that really gonna leave me feeling? And I realized that there

were things in that tradition that I'd been Raised in that would

have filled that hole, and one of them would have been children. So I thought,

how can I bring children into my life, in the life I have now?

And that's when I remembered a news report I saw of police and

social workers sort of storming an apartment and taking the children out of

a very unsafe, unhealthy,

scenario. And I said, I wonder if I can find where they bring

those children in these cases and maybe visit with them. So I called the

shelters. 1st, I called the police. They told me about the shelters, and I called

the shelters and asked if I could come in at night and read to the

children, And they welcomed me. And that's how

purpose started to come into my language because I don't know about

you or about your listeners, but Nobody ever asked me

when I was thinking about what I wanted to do, you know, have you discovered

your purpose? You know, that's important that your North Star. Never heard that

word. And even later, I thought purpose

was reserved for very special purpose, you know, famous people who did

something Earth shattering and, you know, changed the world,

like Oprah and Deepak Chopra and Einstein and Alexander Graham Bell,

all those people. But I've learned, you know, that if if I had a

purpose that I found through that, what came next,

everybody has a purpose. And I started

reading in the shelters, and that's when I met the little girl that changed

everything. So that's part 1. And

2nd part is is so simple.

I started reading to these children, and I

saw after I read to them the room they were going to sleep in. Now

this was an emergency shelter, so they were very safe,

Caring, loving caregivers, but it's not a home.

Certainly isn't a home you'd know or I'd know or probably your listeners and viewers

would know. So when I stared in that empty room with cots and futons and

the kids just they were in soiled clothes, whatever the

police or social workers grabbed them, They were still wearing,

unless there was something in their size at the emergency shelter just

for 24 hours to put on. They were uncomfortable, and and

they were wriggling around. And some of them were crying trying to fall asleep.

And I thought, this isn't bedtime. My mom's bedtime for us

flashed in front of my mind and kissing and hugs and snacks and

story after story and giggles, you know, and tucking us

in. And, of course, We had pajama time. We had put on

our pajamas, and that's what stuck out to me. No

pajamas. And they were trying to get comfortable in the clothes they've been wearing for

who knows how long. And I brought pajamas the next time with the

storybooks. And after I read them, I started handing them out. And

My world turned upside down when a little girl asked me quietly,

what are pajamas? And I found

myself trying to stay calm because I was exploding inside.

I was just heartbroken having to explain pajamas to her, and

the staff Passion told me she has no idea she's never had

pajamas. And that began this

obsession That now you know, that became Pajama

program 23 years ago. Thank you for

sharing that whole story. I really love, the way you articulate it

and and, you know, kinda how you walk through it and so many so many

different directions I can go in that. But I think the first thing I wanna

talk about is You mentioned early on, like, when you first heard

that voice in your head and and you were listening to your heart maybe

instead of your head. And That's something that, like, I've noticed

as of recent since I've left corporate, the difference between the 2. Right? Because you

can think your way out of anything, but, Like, feeling something

is is a much different feeling. And I think a lot of times as

someone who is very in their head, All the time, I used to be in

engineering, you know, very logical, analytical. Like,

figuring out or or being able to feel the difference between that 2, has been,

like, A game changer as far as making decisions and going forward.

Was that something that came to you easily, or, like, were you always

able to kinda, like, Make decisions with your heart versus your head? Was that something

you're aware of? How like, what was that like for you?

I think I think it was split. I think looking

back, there were heartfelt decisions in

there. But I know I ran everything through

my brain first. Mhmm. And it was

hard for me To trust what I wanted to

do because my brain was telling me, you have

a mortgage. You've been in this business for 12 years.

Where are you going to get money to pay for your life? You're

not gonna get money for giving kids pajamas, and you're gonna Fired because

you're doing all of this behind everybody's back, and you're really

a terrible employee all of a sudden, so you're not gonna get away with this.

So what are you doing? And so I felt that constantly,

which is why I didn't tell anyone for months what I was doing. I

was trying to juggle. You know? And in my book, One of the lessons is

leave juggling to the clowns because you obviously, I made a mess of

things, and I I really

I really had to find a way to switch

the leader from head to heart. And I

think I just consistently followed my

heart even though my head was saying, you're crazy. You're headed for trouble. You don't

understand. There came a point where it switched.

And because your brain our brains are smart.

What happened and I tell people this is what happens. Your brain

says, okay. I see. The heart's going so

I'm smart. Let me help. And that's really what it

felt like in time. So it

reversed. My my head still kept me

smart, but it It was behind the heart. That make any

sense? Yeah. That makes total sense. I I love the way that you said that.

Yeah. It's Almost like with a practice, your brain learns, like, alright. I guess

I guess we'll listen to this this other voice sometimes and, like Yeah. We'll

help it where we can. That Yeah. That's that's that's really interesting.

So tell tell me what it was like to to balance the the both of

them. Like you said, it was, You were keeping it a secret, and same thing

for me. Like, I never told anybody about the side business that I had. And

especially when I was sent home for COVID and and, like, nobody was watching me,

I felt Extremely guilty for doing both jobs, 2 laptops all at the same

time. What was that like for you, and and

what eventually made you break? Yes. I get

I get what you're talking about. But I was hiding in an office

because it was years ago when there was no COVID, and you couldn't bring your

phone to work, which was the size of a shoebox. And I was lying. I

was bringing in pajamas in suitcases because I was gonna make it

mad dash at lunchtime, and I never took lunch. I was a

workaholic. I came in before everyone, and I left after everyone. And then I never

took lunch. But now I was coming in late because I had to get to

any store that opened at 9 or earlier, Took a long

lunch and left early to buy pajamas and bring them to the

shelters. And I was coming in with suitcases and just saying I was gonna visit

a friend For a weekend, I was staying overnight, you know, and

nobody ever looked in the suitcase, so I thought I was okay. And I was

answering the phone because not only were the shelters calling me that I

was that I knew about, but they were sharing my name with other people who

ran shelters. So I was getting new calls. I didn't wanna miss any of them.

And my work was clearly deteriorating. I mean, because it was not a

priority anymore. I was more concerned about saying yes to

everybody who called and finding a way. So The bills were mounting.

My work was deteriorating. I was giving no one an explanation, and I

didn't have anyone that I had to tell. But I did

I did think it would come to a point where I'd have to tell someone,

and I needed some support. So I picked sort of a

neutral friend. I really thought about who to pick because I didn't want Because I

didn't want anyone to get me in trouble who knew what I was doing could

get to my bosses. And I didn't want anyone close to my family, but

I wanted someone who also was sort of a workaholic because I felt like maybe

they would say, yeah. You know what? I feel empty too. So I picked a

friend. We went out for drinks. And I practiced

before I saw her what I was gonna say, and every time I practice, it

sounded ridiculous. You know, I'm I'm gonna quit my job because I met this little

girl. She didn't know Pajamas were, I can't believe it. Can you believe

it? I just all these kids never had pajamas. This is

what I wanna do. And I just I was hoping she'd say I'll help you

because I needed help. Instead, she knocked me down

completely. I mean, Question after question, valid

questions. But to me, it was like she was stabbing me in the

heart. Why are you doing this? You're not saving their lives. Can't you just do

it on an afternoon, on the weekend? You worked so hard 12 years. How are

you gonna pay your bills? And it was, like, coming from

everywhere. And I I was I was just

I was torn up because I knew that she had valid

points and I had no answers, But I was heartbroken that she didn't

feel what I felt, that this can't stay this way. We need to

get everybody to help. So I clamped up again

for more months. So that was really hard.

That was really hard. Really hard. And one of the lessons that I I also

Teachers, you gotta get your cheerleaders because making a change like that,

as you've said, is is lonely, and you doubt

yourself. And you worry, you know, if you found out, at least I did, that

I'd be in worse trouble. So it was it was really

difficult for me. And then I just I just

tried again when I met a great guy who I knew that he expected

me, you know, to be a a 2 income relationship. And I

figured, let me tell him before I get in too deep. And I

said the same thing I said to to the my girlfriend, and he said, I

think you should go for it. And that was the 1st cheerleader, and it felt

really right. That's yeah. That's awesome. It

it's so important to Surround yourself with people who can,

I don't know, see see similar visions or see, like, the good in you, I

guess? Yeah. Or feel, like you were saying before,

lead with their hearts, but but so many of us don't.

Yeah. Yeah. You know? And the automatic Reaction is

the practical questions. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. And

and for me, figuring out, like, Why those

people are coming from there has been extremely helpful in not, like,

personalizing those conversations. Because I've had similar conversations when I first started

and Just felt stupid telling friends, like, what I wanted to do and then, like,

feeling small and not wanting to do it anymore. But there's there's such

value in, like, Being able to have a connection with somebody, and they kinda, like,

see where your vision is or, like, inspire you even more to

to keep going towards that. And, I mean, for me, like, networking

has been a huge help in that. Like, for a while, I was doing stuff

all alone, and then I became part of this co working place where I just

met all these awesome people. And yeah. There's it it's so much

help is all around you if if you're kinda, like, open and and willing to

it. And and also kind of being, like, intentional with who you share yourself

with, I think is is also kind of important. So so what was

the the the moment where you eventually did decide to leave

corporate? I mean, it must have been a difficult decision. It

was. Well, there was there was an episode at work

where I was, Packing up some

materials, and I was supposed to go on the road and send materials ahead of

me. And my boss He traveled a lot, which I was thankful for because that's

why I got away with a lot. Mhmm. He was there, and he came

over. And I I mean, I was always on edge because I knew There are

other people probably noticed I was a different person, and he might. And

he just looked at what I was packing up. And in that moment,

I saw the way I was organizing the materials, which

was a a mess. And he just said, what are you doing?

What are you doing? And my mind was like,

does he know? Was he asking me the deeper question other

than what are you putting in the box? And

that was the moment I said to myself, and I didn't say anything to

him. I said, I'll I'll fix it. I'm my mind is somewhere else. And I

and I knew then, and And I had to have a discussion with him when

I got back. I didn't tell him, and I don't know to this day

if he knows about that that moment. But I had to

say, I have to do something else, and I didn't go into it.

But, coincidentally, the company was having

some issues too, so I felt, okay, let me see if he'll

buy me part time to ease some

of the financial concerns he had,

and it worked. So I went part

time. And that was that was hard because that's a big

Salary change, but I didn't care, which was pretty selfish,

on my part. Because by then, I was with the

the the man that I married, and I put it all on him.

And I and I you know, through the rocky financial time, which

was a lot Because then I quit. I just always kept

kept saying to him, well, you told me to go for it, so, you know,

Now is the time you can, you know, you can help here.

Mhmm. And he didn't have a big paying job either, so

It was it was trying. It was really trying. But

when I knew I was letting somebody down and that I wasn't gonna

go back and fix it, I had to come clean, sort of. I didn't

tell him honestly, but I did back out, so I wasn't a disappointment

to my my employer. Right. And and even

to yourself, I'm sure, because it took you know, your whole career,

I'm imagining because I was the same way. Like, you wanted to be a good

employee. You wanted to do things well. And now Now all of a sudden, you're

not being a good employee and you're, like, almost questioning your own,

integrity and you'd be like, why am I, you know, doing this? But then,

You know? It it's for other reasons, and and, you know, like you said, you

had to move on to something else. Yeah. So yeah. That's I blocked

out the guilt Because otherwise, I I can you know, I think all of

us can carry guilt and do the wrong thing. And I I blocked it

out again selfishly Because I had work to do. I had

to get the pajamas, so I I focused on that, and I just put the

guilt in in a little compartment in the back of my brain.

Yeah. And and even that word selfish too, I think, is something that I think

about a lot lately, being selfish and being able to

Do what you think is right or or or to fill your own cup or

to to, I don't know, get yourself in a higher energy level.

Like, Selfish has, like, a bad term, but Mhmm.

If you can be selfish and get yourself into a position where then

you can help others, Then it's not really being selfish because in

the long run, you're able to help more people than you would have anyways. Like,

that's that's the biggest thing I noticed from corporate. Like, this huge anchor just came

off of me, and I was better to the people around me. I had time

to listen to my friends. I was more in the present moment. Like, that's kinda

coming from being selfish. And I don't know. I I guess, what what are your

thoughts on on being selfish these days in that word, selfish? Yes. I I

agree with you. I agree with you. I think we have to we have to

live our purpose, and we all have 1. And I think COVID showed us that

more and more people are saying looking back at their lives and saying, I did

all this and almost lost. We didn't know if we were gonna make it

through, and I did a lot of soul searching. And now I wanna switch doing

thing, you know, do something I really love, and it's Sort of an okay

feeling now, less selfish. But, you know, and I and I teach

this all the time. Listening to your heart And changing

what your path has been doesn't have to do with

starting a nonprofit. It has to do with what you love because as you said,

That is contagious. How you are when you are doing

what you're meant to do, what's yours to do, and you discovered it early

or late, It changes your relationships. It changes your

attitude, your vibration. It changes people around you for the better.

You know, you can make A $1,000,000,000 singing, and that's your purpose. And

look how you fill the world with love. That's not

nonprofit. The same with any Anything you do,

you're sharing something from your heart, and other people

feel it, and you raise their vibration as well. So it can be anything.

Yes. Contribution. I love that. And that's why I loved reading your book because it

it's you're doing that. Right? You're showing by example, like, what you

did to follow your purpose, and now you're other people around you. And and

even so, I know that you're, you know, doing more speaking and

writing you have a second book and Kinda like sharing your story now and and

getting to that stage. What what is that been like for you as far as,

like, transitioning to to be more of a, I don't know. Sharing

what you've done or or who you are. Yeah. Well, I

want to inspire people because, like you and I, we changed paths.

You know, we were already set for many years, and it's

okay to change. Yeah. Just just change if you

wanna change. And And doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter what you

wanna do. If it sounds ridiculous to other people, there are ways

to to Share and to find people who will support you

because we all feel like we're talking about alone and

embarrassed, and we don't know where start, I had no idea what a five zero

one c three was until I got a an onslaught of packages because of an

article in a magazine. And a letter came in that

Thousands of packages. A letter said, please send us your 501c3 so we can send

you a grant. And I didn't even know what that was. And talk about

feeling dumb and having to start to ask Questions about that because here I

am. I'd, you know, I'd given to some charities, and I volunteered once or twice,

but I didn't even know what that was and what it entailed. But I

knew At that moment, I had to do this to be

responsible to all the people who were now trusting me with their, you know, their

goods and their pajamas and their books for the kids and their money. So

I try to inspire people not to get stuck there and turn

back. But If I did it

because I did it in a in a messy way, but I learned a lot

of lessons, I want them to know it's not late, and it's

so, So worth it. Mhmm. So,

what what would be the first thing that you would tell somebody who, you

know, Has had the list of excuses or, you know, the monetary

reasons or thinks it's too big of a task? Because I think that's that's part

of it too. It's just it seems like this insurmountable task that you Don't know

where to start. What what would you say to to help somebody out like that?

Well, first, I'm a jumper. So I jump. I still do

it, And I figure out how to swim after I jump into the

water. But there's a slide and there's a jump, so I've learned

that. And for many people, a slide is either

Something to continue for the rest of their lives or something that will take them

to a jump. But if they are say they're in in a job that

they like, But they love to sing, or they love

to care for animals, or they love to do

flower arrangements, whatever it is, but they don't Think that they can make a living

or as much money as they need, then slide that into

your life, and I teach that too. Even an hour A

week doing what you love, whether you can do it hands on or you

can immerse yourself in the field, research, talk to people who've

done it. Find a way to bring it a little bit into your life every

week, and that will change your whole attitude. Because putting it

on the back burner and shoving it in the back It's such a disservice to

yourself and to your heart and to the reason that you're here.

It's it's not giving it The the breath and the

and the light that it should have. So even

an hour a week, and there's so many ways to get that power

in your week, Will make you feel great, and other people will notice the

change in you because you've given yourself this major gift.

And if for the rest of your life, that fills you,

then a slide, it is. And if you

find, whether you decide at the beginning, I'm ready for a jump, Or you

say, you know what? I like this slide. I'm starting to see a

path, then great. And I can help you get there, but you

know That you know, that's where you're headed, and it's a little

easier to digest. Yeah. I love that, because

it's it's not just black and white. There's there's many different ways you can go

about it. And I was I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday who

I hadn't seen in a little bit, and we were kinda talking about this. And

one thing that I was saying was, like, just Even just, like, talking about the

thing that you're excited about or you're passionate about, like, can you

know, you you tell somebody and you get a positive passion, and now you're excited

about it. Or maybe You get some feedback and it gives you an idea to

do something else and, like, just even, like, communicating that or or feeling

comfortable enough to communicate with somebody and and sharing something that maybe

feels vulnerable, which leads me to, like, the idea of human connection

and, like, meeting certain people who, You you know,

it's a there's, like, an unspoken thing about you. It

it's something that, like, I'm noticing all over the place now. And You meet somebody

and, like, another example, somebody that, like, I work with recently, like,

something that, like, I do that I don't really like talk about. I just, like,

shared freely. And I'm, like, wow. I didn't really expect to share that, but I

did because of this certain, you know, connection that you have with somebody.

And I I I don't know. Talk to me about, like, human connection from your

experience and, like, how it's important for you. It

changed everything for me, and and it sounds like It changed everything

for you too because it's it it's it was awful

holding in this bursting energy that I had,

whether it was frantic to try to get to these kids

or the joy when I got to them and the little things that, you know,

that I saw, their reactions to the pajamas and things like that. It was

Awful not to share that. And when

my new husband said go for it, it sort of

made me breathe, and, of course, I started to tell more people. And when you

share, you find your purpose. And not everybody has to be your

people. There's certainly people who probably would say

I was crazy to give up what I gave up, and the life that I

continue to lead, you know, Isn't as

affluent. I get that, and that's, you know, and that's

okay. But when you find Your people who are doing

what they love and want to hear more and and ask you for

support and Let you into their heart when

they are considering a change. This is

bond that that that's created, and then you can Show them

and lead them to more people who will be supportive. And imagine if

we all did that. We all shared. Oh, you wanna Play guitar?

Okay. I know some people. Let me put you in touch with them. And those

people have a heart open for the new

person. It's just It's just a magical connection that

we that we need, that feeds us, that should be more

natural than we give it credit for Because we're

as I say, we're in this together. And if I've learned

anything, and and it's my number one lesson Because people used to

say to me what I used to think about other purpose. Wow. Look at 1

person. Look what they did. Look at at Oprah. She's 1

person. What a difference she made. And Martin Luther King was

1 person and, you know, and all these purpose,

everybody from from a president to a scientist

came up with that idea. Oh my gosh. Einstein was brilliant.

He changed everything. But it's it's not. Even when people said

that to me, look at one idea, it's not. It's it's not the power of

one that changes anything. It's the power of one another that

moves mountains and moves people.

And that's the way I believe we get things

done for ourselves and as a community, and that's how we give back.

And that's how legacies are are started because

people are left with the the memory

of this wonderful feeling about something that they're a part of.

Mhmm. Yeah. No. I I love that too. Uh-huh. I love the

way that you describe that. It makes it when when you speak, it

resonates with me a lot. And, I think, I don't know.

There's a there's something in your book, that I remember a passion in your book

where you're talking about, not knowing How to get from,

like, a to b, but just kinda, like, going for it and having

trust, and then almost magically, like, these things would kinda, like, pop up.

And, You know, it it seems like a miracle or or

whatever word you wanna use to describe it. Can you talk to us about that?

Maybe give us an example of a time that that happened to you and, Your

your thoughts on that now? Yes. It happens all the time. It's the way it

it's the way that it is, but we

Some of us don't believe it. Some of us push it away because it just

sounds like it it couldn't happen to me. But I can tell you, it

happens more and more, and it happened all All the 20 some

years, and it still happens, with pajama program. I have lots of examples, but I

didn't I didn't believe in that either. I'd call them coincidences,

you know, my first Life's a whole you know, good things happen, put good

energy out, and, okay, good things happen. Oh, yeah. I'm thinking about somebody, and

then they call. Wow. What a coincidence. That's a one off. But

Things things when you're on purpose. Like, the

universe, the invisible god, everything you believe in,

because If you believe we're not alone, when we're on purpose,

which is the way I believe we were designed to be,

things do happen. So, For instance, in my book, I I talk

about at the beginning, when I had that letter from someone who said, I

need your 501c3, and I researched it, and I said, oh my goodness. This is

a process the IRS. I have to do this. I need a lawyer. Now I

did not have money. I didn't have a job. I was never a

saver. So I didn't have money, and then I and I had quit my job

at that point. And we're in my 1 bedroom apartment, and

the boxes were up to the sky of people sending us stuff.

And I said to my new husband, And I and I

made a fist when I was leaving that day. I need to

find a lawyer. Now I didn't say it on purpose. I didn't

make a fist on purpose, and I left. I called him at lunch because

on the way to the office, just an hour and a half later, I'm on

the corner to cross the street in Manhattan, and I hear a man Call my

name. Genevieve. Genevieve, is that you? And I turned and I recognized him, but I

didn't know who he was. And he said, I'm Santiago. I'm Mary Stone.

Remember? We met a while ago. I'm an attorney. You know,

I couldn't believe it. He said, let's catch up. You

wanna have lunch? And I said yes. And we had lunch,

and we caught up. I told him I need an attorney

because and I gave him the short version of the story. And he said,

Well, I don't do that kind of law, but I know somebody who does. And

I was off to the races. And that happened. And to this day, my

husband says, make that fist. When you need that, Whatever you

did in that moment, make that fist, and he'll bring it to you.

Yeah. I like that. The the physical action of something. Yeah.

Yeah. And and talk to us more too about, like I know you're a vision

board person and, like, manifesting and, like, you know, meditating on

things, thinking how things feel. How how important is that in your, like,

daily life? Is it something that you always come back to? Is it something you,

like, start with, or what's it like for you? Always. I'm I'm looking at my

vision board right there, and I change it, you know, at least once a year,

beginning of the year. And, yes, early on, my

number 1 cheerleader, my new husband, he said, You know, what

would change things? Because, of course, it was a struggle with the program financially.

And for me, just trying to figure it out

alone with his help and, You know, step by step. And

he said, what would be a game changer? This is a couple years in.

And I said, you know, getting on Oprah. And he said, okay. Let's

meditate. And I said, I didn't even know how to meditate.

And I said, well, everybody resting out on Oprah. I think

that's, like, you know, crazy. And he said, no. Let's go. And and he

there was a park by us, And we go there, and he he

literally told me, sit down, close your eyes, picture,

visualize, and Tell god, the universe,

whoever you want, you're open. Find a way. Find

a way to bring her Into the picture. Find a way to connect with

her. Sit quietly. And we did that. Now at first, I thought

this is crazy. You know, my mind was winning again in that

scenario, but I did it. I did

it. It felt fun. I pictured myself on her couch talking to

her. And, of course, you know, a couple years later, her

office called, her studio called, and I got on the show. So it it works.

And that's there are lots of other smaller things that happen that are on the

vision board, you know, goals and things. But It's

it's a daily practice for me, the meditation and the visualizing. And like I

said, I look at it. I'm looking at it now. It's everything from a picture

of me little Feeling joy because feeling joy as often as you

can every day changes your vibration, lifts

you, And, you know, and goals, financial goals, picture of

the beach house I want, all that stuff. You know, and I teach

it. You gotta Put up pictures that call you, that resonate with you, not just

picture of a Mercedes. Yeah. Look look through. It might be a Toyota

that calls you. That's the picture you need. Yeah. And and what was

it like when you finally, like, heard the news that you were

going to be on Oprah and that thing that you had Thought about and brought

into passion, like, was there. What what was that feeling like?

Yeah. Surreal. Surreal. You know, I I go into

detail in the book, and people can watch it on my website,

the episode, but it was very surreal. And when they called,

it was 2 weeks before from the first call to telling me that I would

be on the show. I didn't tell anyone, not even my husband, that they called

because they they kept calling and asking more questions. And, you know, of

course, I was waiting to find out if they were gonna say

okay or well, thank you very much. And I didn't want to

tell anyone because the last thing you ever want is to say, The show called

and then have to go around and say, but they didn't pick me, and I

did not want that. So I didn't say anything. And then she

said, You know, we'd like to book you. And then I I told just a

few people because, again, you have to get there. There's a tape, and it has

to go well, and there can't be any, you know, any Turnbacks.

So it was it was surreal in in

the the first part prepping with them for

my appearance, And then, actually, on the show, which

was really not how they prepped me because it was a surprise,

not to give it away. But that whole thing, what

came after was more than a game changer.

Mhmm. Yeah. That's that's awesome. And, yeah, I'll definitely leave some links

in the show notes so people can go see that video and, you know, get

to your website and all that sort of thing. I I do wanna Also ask

you about, certain things that, like, you've learned along the way. And, like, for me,

reading has been a really helpful thing, and there's certain books that have,

like, Pretty much changed the way that I see the world or, like, changed the

course of my life. Is there anything books or any other sort of things that

you've, like, been able to Consume and then it

changed, like, your vision on thing, anything that, like, stands out in particular?

Yeah. The the old books. You know, Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of

Positive Thinking, Bob Proctor's books

on, you know, how your thought influences and his videos

to this day. You know, he left us a couple years ago, but About seeing

things, and it's your attitude. It's your feeling, your vibration

that attracts things to you, whether it's good or bad, however you're

feeling. Those Those stories, those

books, they knew. Even Einstein is coming out now, Tesla.

All these people saw things in their minds, felt

things, Knew you know, you knew that they could

achieve they knew they had to go after what they wanted to achieve because it

was coming from some incredible forcing them.

And when you're guided and you feel this force in you

pushing you, pulling you to something, It's

it's an incredible overwhelming

feeling to go that way. And I think

people, you know, people I talked about it, you

know, the secret. It's it's true. You know? I lived

it, and I wouldn't have believed it before. But I lived it, and

I know it's true. And and every time I jump and try something

new, I have to get back to that and say, It's

real. You know? Don't get lost in the fear of something new all over

again. Just trust that it was the right time

to move. Yeah. That that that's a big one is fear.

And and I try to do that when I find myself going down those

spirals of negativity, like, thinking, like, am I thinking about this from a fear

standpoint or is it something else? And it's it's almost always something

being in fear. And then I can, like, recognize and be like, okay. Well, that's

just something that you're afraid of right now. You're not gonna feel like that tomorrow.

Just kinda, like, let it pass through you and move on to the next thing.

But yeah. Even just, like, For me, the language of energy

is something that, like, I learned from this book called The Celestine Prophecy, which

Oh, yes. I love that book so much. I tell everybody to read it. I

actually have multiple copies that I keep getting more. Read it again. Okay.

Yeah. I actually just started again, and I was afraid I've only read time, and

I was afraid to read it again because I didn't want it to be, like,

less significant. Yes. But as soon as I opened it, I was like, nope. It's

exactly the same. Yes. Yes. Yes. Good to know. I love that book.

Mhmm. Love that book so much. Yeah. So

what what's next for you? What what what are you excited about for the

future? Well, more live speaking engagements because we're

back doing live. And the reception's been

great because I think, again, Through and since COVID,

people are more willing to speak their truth and

find what they wanna do and Change, and

and so it's resonating. And I I'm I'm able to feel

like I can inspire people, and they're ready for it

More than ever. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. I I definitely

feel that as well. Mhmm. Just people getting, like you know,

It's it's almost like a society wide, like, energy of, like,

annoyance and, like, just they're tired of it. They don't they don't wanna,

keep doing the the previous way of living or, you know Yeah.

Wanting something more. I think that's that's always the language that I've always used. It's

like just wanting something more. Yes. Not enough. But and this

Because, clearly, it's a you know, we're transitioning as Mhmm.

As a human race to this foreign freedom

that we were taught And some people still hold

as not allowed, you know, as selfish, and you have to

play by the rules. And people who don't Wanna see the change are, you know,

bucking the system, and the people who feel like

I don't have to do that anymore Or, you know, or

or changing things. Mhmm. Yeah. I I agree, and

that's something that's very exciting to me. And meeting more people who who

are, you know, Existing out of love instead of fear,

I guess, is maybe what it is. So yeah. And then,

you know, as we're coming coming to the end of our time here, I always

like to ask, What what does purpose mean to you? And and in your own

words, what is purpose? Well, I think definitely

following your hard voice And going in, you know, on my website,

I I have an exercise to find your purpose and and start there. Because

if if you can take some quiet time

And talk to yourself and be honest and

write down what yourself is telling you, Paper and

pen, not on a computer. It can be an amazing revelation,

and you discover things about yourself if you're honest that have

been there for a long time that we just push away because it's not acceptable,

or we don't see how we're gonna do it, or we have to turn everybody

else's life upside down if we make these changes or do this thing or say

these things. But it's if we're

honest a 100% honest with ourselves in in our

quiet, moment. We'll find

we'll discover the purpose that we have that's

that's unique to us. It can be a singer, like

other people are singers, but you have your own voice. You know, it can be

that you create a job That's doesn't

seem but it's on anybody's radar, but you

can create something. It's there. It's it's in

there, but we've covered it up with mounds and mounds

of doubt and fear and the way it's Always been and what will

other people think that we really need

to take as much time. If you can't take 90 minutes,

You know, for this, then then I I don't know how

else you can be real with yourself to start.

Start giving it air to breathe. Start thinking about what

you've discovered in those 90 quiet minutes

and And see how ideas will come. Little doors will

open. Little coincidences will passion, and, you know, You know,

people are always asking for signs. You know, I'm gonna change my career if I

get a sign. People always tell me that. Right? And I and I say the

same thing To myself even now. I'll know if that's the direction. If I get

a sign, if in the next 2 days, someone calls me

who's in that field, then that's my sign. And it'll happen,

but it starts with being honest and

saying, I would love to change,

and I would this is what I would love to do instead. Then doors open,

signs come. Mhmm. Yeah. Being open to receiving the signs

is is the biggest thing for me. And, and even just, like,

being curious too for me has been this past year has been a huge

word for me, curiosity, and just being curious with the things that excite me. Even

if it seems weird or, like, you can't see what you would do with it,

just following it and being like, well, that's interesting. And then it leads you to

another thing It's another thing, like you're saying. So yeah. It's free. Right?

Freeing. Freeing. Yes. Very much so. And, yeah, the last

thing. If people really resonated with you, what, where can they find you? You

know, what's your website and that sort of thing? Yeah. My

website's genelvive pituro dotcom, and you

can find pajama program@pajama program .org.

Awesome. And I will definitely leave that in the show notes so people don't have

to remember it. And thank you so much for your time and for your

vulnerability and your stories and speaking

about your truth and and and sharing it and spreading it to other people

because it's really making a difference. And like I said, I had no idea who

you were until I found this book randomly in a bookstore. And and the words

that you specifically chose for the title caught me, and it's it's

been, nothing but positivity for me. So I I really appreciate that.

Oh, Gino, I'm so happy that you shared your story and that you're doing what

you love, and you took a chance. It's inspiring. And and

anybody that knows you, I'm sure, Just feeling that positive

change. Yeah. What a great reminder. Thank you.

Sure. Thank you for listening to Working Towards Our purpose.

If you liked today's episode and are interested in more, you can sign up for

my Substack newsletter with the link in the show notes where I Share

thoughts, tips, and ideas that I'm learning along my journey to help

inspire you. The show was produced by Pleasant Podcast at pleasant

podcast.com.