A powerful motivational speech about overcoming adversity and transformation. The speaker shares their personal journey through addiction and recovery, using the Phoenix as a symbol of rising from life's darkest moments to discover inner strength and purpose.
Her Story
About Janee
My career path was not traditional at all. I went to college and majored in social work and minored in music. When I left college, I finally got into the field and spent about 17 years in the school system working with the special needs population - children with Down syndromes, Asperger's, autism, and medically fragile children. This work was near and dear to my heart because I had given birth to a child born with autism. That really shaped a lot of what I ended up doing in my career. I eventually left the classroom and went into the office as a case manager. My approach to music and my training in music has helped me with outreach and impact, and my mission is to spread love, peace, and joy through music, but music is also a part of my professional work. In 2023, while working as a case manager for Goodwill services under the Ability One program, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to re-figure out how I was going to work because I was still very sick, throwing up a lot, and having side effects. I asked myself how I could still impact my community without being able to be in a traditional work setting. So I am no longer in a traditional work setting - I am a freelance social worker and community advocate now, working for no one but myself and God. I have credentials and papers, but besides that, I have a degree in life, and it's worth more than anything I could have ever gained, because it's a compilation of everything I've ever experienced.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Janee
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the influence that my mother had on my life and her passing along sheer tenacity and the relentless fight to never give up. My mother passed my senior year of college, and at that point, I didn't know if I wanted to continue. I kind of wanted to give up and throw in the towel. I had an aunt that told me, don't you dare. You know the things that your mother fought for - for civil rights, for freedom, in the 60s, the marches. Don't let it be in vain. So yes, I did lose her, but at the same time, I gained insight. That experience taught me to keep fighting no matter what obstacles I face.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is, if it didn't happen on paper, it didn't happen. Documentation is everything. A person can come back later and say that something was not agreed upon, it did not happen, it did not occur, you didn't shake on it, you didn't sign it, but if it's on paper, it can't be denied. A lot of times, what's on paper is protection, and it is protection for individuals who can't vocalize and speak for themselves. This advice has been crucial throughout my career in social work and case management.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give is to have a great resume ready and together at all times, and be ready to give it out, shoot it out, share it by phone, email, or whatever. Believe in yourself and in the industry that you are in. When you're paired with peers that have different levels of experience - some may have 20, 30 years of experience under their belt - come into the industry being confident about the knowledge and the information that you have gained out in the field. It's not just the knowledge that you gain in book or in theory, but it's going to be the actual hands-on work that you do that's going to be most impactful. That's what I've seen at the end of the day. What I gained hands-on, no book could teach me. Working with autistic children was quite a challenge, but when I had an autistic child of my own, it really took it to a different dimension. The hands-on experience will help prevent that burnout that I experienced. Burnout is a real thing, and you better have that work-life balance. Life keeps happening, and in the midst of it, we must endure. I always like to let women know, you can rise again. If you ever need to make a comeback, you can make a comeback, and you are the master of your own destiny.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are important to me are having sincere empathy and compassion with any individual that you serve, reach out to, or have to impact. We never know - any one of us could be in a situation where we need help. We're all just two paychecks away from basic demise, unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Any domino effect of events could actually change that, and that's what happened to me in 2023 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer while working as a case manager. I had to figure out how I could still impact my community while dealing with illness. This experience reinforced my belief in approaching everyone with genuine empathy because I understand firsthand how quickly circumstances can change.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Janee
RISE
Rise, motivational speech encourages the reader to rise above all obstacles like the Phoenix from the ashes.
RISE: Renewed, Inspired, Strengthened, Elevated
Good evening, everyone,
When I think about the word rise, I don’t just think about standing up. I think about overcoming. I think about surviving. I think about becoming.
Rise is more than a word—it is a decision.
A declaration.
A mindset.
A movement.
Tonight, I want to speak to you from the heart about what it means to be:
Renewed. Inspired. Strengthened. Elevated.
R.I.S.E.
There is a powerful symbol that perfectly captures this message—the Phoenix.
The Phoenix is a mythical bird known for one extraordinary thing: when it faced destruction, it did not remain in the ashes. It rose from them—stronger, wiser, and more powerful than before.
Think about that for a moment.
The very thing that could have destroyed it became the birthplace of its transformation.
And isn’t that how life works for so many of us?
Some of us have walked through heartbreak.
Some through disappointment.
Some through sickness, rejection, betrayal, loss, fear, failure, or uncertainty.
For me, part of my journey was surviving a 20-year addiction to alcohol and pills.
For two decades, I battled something that tried to steal my peace, my purpose, my confidence, and ultimately, my life. Addiction is not just a physical struggle—it is emotional, mental, and spiritual warfare. There were days I felt lost. Days I felt broken. Days I questioned whether I would ever truly be free.
My addiction came with consequences.
I endured two DUIs.
I endured embarrassment and ridicule.
I experienced alienation from my family and from people I loved.
I lost my driver’s license.
I faced the overwhelming burden of license restoration costs and legal fees totaling more than $10,000.
And beyond the financial cost was the emotional cost.
The shame.
The disappointment.
The feeling of wondering whether people would ever see beyond my mistakes.
There were moments when I felt like life had reduced me to ashes.
But today, by the grace of God, perseverance, support, and determination, I stand before you with four and a half years of sobriety.
And I don’t say that casually.
Because sobriety was not easy.
Healing was not easy.
Facing myself was not easy.
There were moments when giving up felt easier than pushing forward—moments when the weight of shame, pain, and struggle felt unbearable. But something inside me refused to die.
Even in my darkest moments, there was still purpose inside me waiting to rise.
That is why the Phoenix means so much to me.
Because I know what it feels like to sit in the ashes.
I know what it feels like to be consumed by the fire.
But I also know what it feels like to rise from it.
I had to learn that every challenge I faced was not sent to bury me—it was sent to build me.
Every setback became a setup.
Every painful chapter became preparation.
Every obstacle became an opportunity to discover strength I didn’t even know I possessed.
That is what happens when you choose to RISE.
You become Renewed—no longer trapped by who you used to be, but awakened to who you are becoming.
You become Inspired—understanding that your journey has purpose and that your survival can become someone else’s hope.
You become Strengthened—because pressure produces power. Storms develop endurance. Adversity reveals resilience.
And then... you become Elevated.
Elevated in your thinking.
Elevated in your vision.
Elevated in your confidence.
Elevated in your purpose.
The principles of RISE helped catapult me toward success because they taught me that my past did not disqualify me from my future.
My addiction was part of my story, but it was never the end of my story.
I learned that pain can produce purpose.
I learned that struggle can create strength.
I learned that survival can evolve into leadership.
And I learned that when you rise mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and professionally, there is no limit to where life can take you.
Like the Phoenix, I discovered that sometimes you must go through the fire to discover your wings.
And maybe someone listening tonight feels like they are standing in the ashes right now.
If that is you, hear me clearly:
You are not finished.
You are not defeated.
You are not forgotten.
You are becoming.
Your rise may not happen overnight, but every step forward matters. Every lesson matters. Every scar carries wisdom. Every challenge is shaping the strength necessary for your next level.
Do not fear the fire.
Use it.
Let it refine you.
Let it develop you.
Let it reveal the greatness already living inside you.
Because rising is not reserved for the lucky.
It belongs to the determined.
So today, I challenge every person in this room:
Rise above fear.
Rise above limitations.
Rise above doubt.
Rise above your past.
Be renewed in your spirit.
Inspired in your vision.
Strengthened in your faith.
Elevated in your purpose.
And when the world sees you rise, let them know this:
You were never meant to stay in the ashes.
You were born to soar.
Thank you.
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