Jane Genovese | Self-esteem | I told myself I was stupid
Self-confidence and self-esteem produce results. This award-winning, young environmentalist of the year has already set up two businesses and used her life experiences and passions to help students and educate others ...
I am 25 and live in Perth, WA. I was born in Australia of Italian/Latvian parents.
I first became concerned about global warming whilst studying Environmental Law. Learning about the Inuit (Arctic Eskimos) losing their way of life due to rapid climate change shocked me. I couldn’t understand why this issue wasn’t being constantly thrown in our faces by the media. It didn’t make sense.
After being tired of arguing with skeptics, I decided to focus my energy on educating people who are willing to listen and make a difference.
In 2007, I created a workshop "Global warming: Too hot to handle?" and the e-book, "Global Warming: A Mind Mappers Guide to the Science and Solutions". I deliver climate change and environmental workshops in schools as well as the “Be the Change” symposium in Perth, Western Australia.
I graduated from university in 2009 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychology with first class honours. I completed my thesis on Western Australians and their attitudes towards climate change policy initiatives.
I was awarded Young Environmentalist of the year at the 2009 Western Australian Youth Awards.
I also founded the business "Live the Solution", which aims to help you:
- Live sustainably.
- Explore alternatives to materialism and consumerism.
- Educate and empower you to take action and combat global warming.
- Help you to understand global warming through the use of mind maps; and
- Provide freedom from mental traps and negative conversations that inhibit you from making a difference.
I am also the owner, coordinator and presenter of "Learning Fundamentals". It's an organisation committed to making available to students indispensable learning techniques to give them the edge over their studies.
I want students to walk an easier path than I did while studying. I found high school stressful. I worried a lot, told myself I was stupid and couldn’t do it: it was totally irrational thinking.
I also didn’t know how to study smartly, but through a bit of trial and error and a lot of research, I found ways that really helped me. I want to share these with others.
I created and run fun, interactive workshops on essential skills for life and learning before, during or after school. I run them in schools. My workshops include goal setting, memory techniques, exam strategies, getting organised/time management, and managing stress and emotions.
I have also taught internationally at Zhejiang Normal University in China and worked as a facilitator for Perth companies GoZone and The Phoenix Team.
What has helped me build my confidence is learning to speak in public in front of large crowds from an early age. I have been involved in public speaking since aged 10, winning State Champion Public Speaker at age 12.
How do I stay confident? This is a really tough question to answer. I can't pin-point my confidence to one thing. Being confident and learning to trust myself is still a work in progress.
One of my favourite quotes is: "I have, despite all disillusionment, never, ever, allowed myself to feel like giving up. This is my message today: it is not worthy of a human being to give up." Alva Myrdal, winner of the 1982 Nobel Peace Prize.
Learning Fundamentals website.
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1, Nov, 2009
Reader Comments (1)
High school, college and university can certainly be stressful and many students do not have wise study techniques - how wonderful to have you share your experiences and give them such good guidance. Thank you so much for being a featured woman - you hold up the light for so many of us. It is so easy to worry about the environment but you have gone beyond what most of us do and taken real and relevant action.
Keep on shining
Rachel.