Episode 1443: Interview with Venchele Saint Dic About Discovering Her Calling

[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: Thanks for joining us on episode 1, 443 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

[00:00:08] Venchele Saint Dic: I'm Venchele Saint Dic. I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence, and impact the world by using your time, your talent, and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to recognize your growth is never a straight line is key.

[00:00:26] And one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the Inspired Stewardship Podcast with my friend Scott Maderer.

[00:00:42] My faith journey has definitely been a cornerstone of my identity and resilience and it definitely influenced like both my personal life and professional endeavors. I would say growing up in a Caribbean family, Faith was not just a belief system, but it was a [00:01:00] vibrant community that nurtured support, love, and mutual respect.

[00:01:05] Scott Maderer: Welcome and thank you for joining us on the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent, and your treasures for your true calling. In the Inspired Stewardship Podcast, you will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others, and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.

[00:01:36] In today's podcast episode, I interview Venchele Saint Dic. I ask her to share how her faith journey and her life journey are connected. I also asked her to share with you how she's worked to discover her calling, and Venchelle also talks with you about how she marries her work in public health and the work she does helping others discover how to write well.

[00:01:58] I've got a new [00:02:00] book coming out called Inspired Living, assembling the puzzle of your call by mastering your time, your talent, and your treasures. You can find out more about it and sign up for getting more information over at inspiredstewardship. com. Inspired Living. That's InspiredStewardship. com, Inspired Living.

[00:02:22] Manchelle is the author of Journey to Redemption in Faith in the Amazon best selling book, Passport to Self Discovery, Volume 2. She is in a doctorate in public health leadership, and she is the founder of MESFAMICARE, Incorporated. She has demonstrated leadership and innovation in public health equity, communications, public outreach, social inclusion, and diversity, among others.

[00:02:49] Her writing skills, subjects on public health, resilience, communication skills, assertiveness, personal development, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, travel, community [00:03:00] health, mental health, relationships, culture, race, customer service, and health systems. Her past writing stories have been included on the Goodman Project, the National Medical Association Harness Magazine, and many other sites.

[00:03:16] Welcome to the show, Venchele! Thank you for having me, Scott. Absolutely. I look forward to talking to you and sharing a little bit about your journey with the listeners. I shared quite a bit in the intro about some of the things you've done and where you're working now, working on the writing coach and working to help others with writing as well as doing some writing yourself.

[00:03:38] But would you talk a little bit more about kind of your journey and your background and what's been Kind of some of the unique things about your journey that have brought you to the point where you are today.

[00:03:52] Venchele Saint Dic: I think this is such a fascinating question because again, I get asked that question all the time, but [00:04:00] my journey really began living on the small island of Haiti.

[00:04:04] I was born in the States, but I grew up there and I was surrounded by abject poverty, even though I didn't grow up in poverty myself. But it had a profound impact on me and just the way that I show up in the world, the way I show up for others with empathy and from a heart centered place. And then again, from moving from Haiti, coming to the States, trying to define my why, because originally I wanted to become a pediatrician.

[00:04:37] I wanted to work with children. And then when I went to college as a again, majoring as a pre med I realized that I may have been like I, my mission was very clear in terms of improving population health, but the means like in terms of becoming a pediatrician would not [00:05:00] allow me to do that.

[00:05:01] It would just be more case management work. And so that's how I switched to public health. And it's like the way that I can, describe it is when you are on a path I was on this path and then I was met with an intersection and I was given an opportunity to pivot or to continue. But if I had continued, I probably would have been miserable.

[00:05:24] And I think as soon as I switched to public health, life just opened up, doors opened, opportunities presented themselves. And so that's how I knew that I was in the right, I was on the right path. I was in the right major. And then things just blossom from there. But again, besides my public health background, I'm also a writing coach or a writing brand strategist for my side business Pathway Coach Writing.

[00:05:51] And that journey literally started, I would say, back in college. But at the time, I didn't see many people [00:06:00] making writing or turning writing into a business. And so I didn't have the, I didn't have the model. And I'm a firm believer you can only model what you've been exposed to. And and and at the time I had people asking me for content feedback and then I realized, you know what?

[00:06:18] Maybe down the road, maybe this is something that I could look into, but I wasn't really serious about it at the time. But I continued to hone in on my craft. And that's how Pathway Coach Writing started as like a referral type of program where people would refer folks to me and I would help them with their writing needs.

[00:06:36] And then finally, I think around 2019 right before the pandemic that's when my friend told me, Vanshell, you can't keep doing this as a referral. I think you need to build a website and really think seriously about turning this into a full fledged business. And so that's how Pathway Coach Writing was born.

[00:06:55] Scott Maderer: So let's talk a little bit about a couple of those things. So first off, let's back up a minute. [00:07:00] And you mentioned you pivoted from pediatrician to public health. For anyone that's listening I'm a firm believer in explaining what we're talking about. Public health.

[00:07:10] I think we've all heard those words, but from your point of view, what does it mean to be working in the public health realm?

[00:07:19] Venchele Saint Dic: That's a good question. For me, I think that when I chose to go into public health, It literally means to me to be of service for free. This is not the career you go to, to become a billionaire.

[00:07:35] This is the career you go into to help people fix their problems. And I know it sounds it sounds terrible because you have surgeons, they depend on someone getting into an accident in order it's just that, but that's the way the world goes. So for me, I depend on people who have pervasive problems like homelessness, people who are just having a [00:08:00] hard time from a day to get up from bed.

[00:08:03] And that's why I come into play where I provide these frameworks, I provide these resources so that people can get better. So when you work in public health, you're in the business of improving people's lives, but specifically on the health aspect of things.

[00:08:20] Scott Maderer: And how do you see that connected to what you started doing in the writing room?

[00:08:27] Venchele Saint Dic: I think like it in order for me to really answer that question, I would have to share with everyone that I am the daughter of immigrants. And I definitely think that being an immigrant profoundly shaped my perspective and added depth to that calling. And because like, when I think about it, public health in writing, people wouldn't Immediately it's counterintuitive to try to put these two together, but [00:09:00] then that's what my mission has been trying to marry the two because I do believe in the power of words.

[00:09:07] I do believe that words can either what may be funny to me may be deaf to someone else. And that's why I'm just very careful in terms of how I show up and how I speak to people. And I think that it goes back to living living in Haiti, coming to the States, helping my mother acclimate to the to a new culture.

[00:09:31] I think being an immigrant. Definitely has had its challenges, but it taught me about resilience and adaptability qualities that are both essential in both my writing and public health endeavors. And I think also that this experience also fueled my passion for advocacy and social justice which has inspired me to continue to work on behalf of communities that face barriers in terms of health and education.

[00:09:56] So I think that. When I think about marrying [00:10:00] public health and writing, it's really a story of finding my calling and about leveraging my background and experiences to address the needs that I saw, like in the world around me, and to articulate those needs and solutions through my writing. That's how I think about it.

[00:10:16] But again, When we talking about calling, it's not like a summit that you reach. And then it's okay, this is it. Like I've learned everything that I need to learn. It's an evolving process. And so I'm still in my journey. I'm still learning. And one of the things that I like to talk about on the show is I think a lot of times we confuse calling with career calling with an assignment is what I call it, and the calling is the drive behind it.

[00:10:42] Scott Maderer: The assignment is how is that calling playing out in the world and that can be a hobby that could be a career that could be volunteer work that could be whatever you know it may or may not be, quote, your day job. It could be. But it [00:11:00] doesn't have to be it, that passion.

[00:11:03] And it sounds like the passion that you have behind you of equity of care, of empathy, of showing up for people in a way that's authentic. It plays out when you're doing the writing work and it plays out when you're doing the public health work and it probably would have paid out, played out as a pediatrician too but as you realized, Hey, wait a minute, The public health there's more pieces in the right place if I go that route than if I go the pediatrician, right?

[00:11:32] So let me refine it as I go. So that, that, that makes sense.

[00:11:37] Venchele Saint Dic: And I think you bring up a good point like making that distinction because yeah, like when I'm talking about finding my calling, like I explored many intersections of my passions and skills. And sometimes I think.

[00:11:53] For some people, it's, it becomes like a morning process of skills that they thought that [00:12:00] they wanted to apply to the assignment and realizing that whatever the assignment that you are given may not be aligned with the skill sets that you have. So you have to make a decision do I keep going or do I stop and reevaluate the situation?

[00:12:15] So that's, I appreciate you sharing that. Do

[00:12:18] Scott Maderer: Do I work to develop those skills or do I pivot and go a different direction? And it's not that one of those is right? The other's wrong. You have to discern, which one of these routes do I wanna take? What moves me along?

[00:12:30] So would you share a little bit too we like to talk about the intersection between our faith journey and our life journey. Would you share how, as you've gone through these different experiences living. overseas, living in the U. S. being surrounded by poverty, you mentioned, and it back in Haiti, as you've gone through these different experiences, how has that affected your faith journey?

[00:12:54] And then how has that evolving faith journey affected your life journey?

[00:12:59] Venchele Saint Dic: [00:13:00] That's again thank you for sharing that with me. My faith journey has definitely been a cornerstone of my identity and resilience, and it definitely influenced like both my personal life and professional endeavors. I would say growing up in a Caribbean family, faith was not just a belief system, but it was a vibrant community that I grew up in.

[00:13:22] Nurtured like support love and mutual respect. And I think it instilled in me a sense of purpose and a commitment to service, which are integral to my, to both my work, my writing and my work in public health. And so I would say as I navigate the challenges Of migrating and I'm trying to find the word adapting to a new environment.

[00:13:45] My faith provided a sense of continuity and strength. It definitely has been a source of comfort and guidance through life's uncertainties. And also now that I think about it, a motivating force in my pursuit of [00:14:00] equity and justice and public health. So if nothing else, my faith encouraged me to view.

[00:14:05] Every interaction, every single one of you who are on my path as an opportunity to serve and uplift which is aligning like perfectly with my professional goals to advocate for and empower communities. So I think in practical terms, when we're talking about the intersectionality of my faith and my life it, I think my faith taught me the importance of listening.

[00:14:30] Compassion and integrity which are qualities that are essential which are qualities that are, they are hard to develop because again, given the situation, given the people, because some people will test you on the journey. And I know that's, I know that for sure, for me, I feel like I've been tested and I continue to be tested even to this day, because sometimes you could be working with someone with a difficult [00:15:00] client, and how do you show them compassion?

[00:15:02] How do you listen to them with love and continue to motivate them to approach their work with humility? And so that's how I do it in my line of work, both in public health and writing. I really try to strive for positive impact. Whether I'm crafting a narrative or developing a community health initiative, I think if nothing else, my faith journey.

[00:15:25] in my life at least, continues to be a driving force as I seek to live out that calling and make a meaningful difference in the world.

[00:15:34] Scott Maderer: So when you think back you mentioned you're still on that journey of really fully discovering your calling. And by the way, I think all of us are, but you've also it's been in the fairly recent past for you that you've started to figure out some things like you said of that intersection of, Hey, this is the route I should go instead of that one.

[00:15:57] If you're talking to somebody [00:16:00] right now who maybe is struggling at one of those intersections themselves, they're, they've been on a route. Now they're hearing some things or feeling some things or discovering some things that are making them open up to maybe I should be going left. Maybe I should be going right.

[00:16:14] I'm not sure yet. What advice would you have or what, tips would you have for somebody who's at one of those intersections right now?

[00:16:23] Venchele Saint Dic: I would say that if you find yourself at an intersection and you're starting to feel like what I like to call like this dissonance between your feelings, between the environment that you're working in, listen to that inner voice.

[00:16:38] Because my my, I firmly believe that when we're talking about calling. And you're working, you're living out your calling. There's a sort of balance and the moment that you find imbalance, that's when you need to stop and start researching What are some of the things that you're good at? [00:17:00] That was the first question I asked myself.

[00:17:02] Actually, even before I asked myself those questions, I was trying to figure out the how public health and writing complimented each other. Because I think we've been trained as people, when we're talking about risk management, doing risk management work in our lives, to just focus on the negative, what's not working.

[00:17:22] I focused instead on what was working and how I could amplify those strengths. And then the moment that you start to think that way, the next question is, where can I utilize those strengths? And then go after go after, when I say go after, go and research, like those places, those spaces, and talk to people who are doing the work that you want to do.

[00:17:49] That's how I approached it. I know this is just one of millions of ideas and strategies of going about it, but that worked for me. And I think what it did in [00:18:00] the process is it empowered me to do even more, to research more, to network more. And that's what's, that's, that comes with finding your calling.

[00:18:10] That's that comes with the package find out what works and amplify that instead of focusing on what doesn't work.

[00:18:21] Scott Maderer: So let's talk a little bit more about the writing work that you do and pathways to what you do over there. For somebody that's listening that maybe has been struggling a little bit in this area maybe they have some things that they feel like they want to put together.

[00:18:38] writing has been a challenge for them. What do you do as a coach and as somebody that, that helps them with their brand and what advice would you have for somebody who's struggling in those areas?

[00:18:53] Venchele Saint Dic: I would say when it comes to writing, I think people need to understand that writing [00:19:00] requires time and energy.

[00:19:01] I know when I work with my clients, I never promised them that, Hey, I'm going to work with you and your book is going to be a bestselling book. And in some places that some of my clients lended bestselling books, but the thing is what made a difference between them and the people who are hoping to get this done within six months time is that they honed in on the process of writing.

[00:19:26] They were not focused on the outcome. They were not attached to a specific outcome, because I think when we're attached to specific outcomes, it can bring it could disempower us, it could just make us almost recalcitrant to, or even reluctant to continue the journey. So I would say, if people are struggling with writing just start small.

[00:19:50] Commit yourself to writing a single sentence, literally, or a paragraph each day or every other day. I'm the, I'm also advocating [00:20:00] for not spending an hour writing. Just because even for me, I'm currently in a doctoral program studying public health leadership, and we have tons of papers to write.

[00:20:13] And and for me, I just, I don't commit to an hour, like every if you have 15 minutes here and there, take those 15 minutes jot things down, it doesn't have to be in full sentence form, because what the brain will do. is that once you put those ideas down and you move away from your computer and you go walk and you go do something else, it's going to try to make connections between your thoughts.

[00:20:39] These differing thoughts. So bad, by the time you get back to your screen, you'll be like, Oh, I thought about this idea. I thought about this idea Oh, you know what I need? So it's just really. Build it as a routine. Gradually increase the amount of writing that you do, but also be mindful [00:21:00] of your energy levels, because that plays a huge part in the quality of your writing.

[00:21:07] And try to schedule writing times that you're naturally more, where you're more naturally alert and creative. For me, it's the morning time. I'm more alert after I do a workout and then I start writing, but it may not be the case for other people. And I want to also speak to, because I'm sure there are people in your audience who are parents as well.

[00:21:25] And that's why I even brought the 15 minutes because their time may be further reduced. So I think that's something to take into account.

[00:21:34] Scott Maderer: And I think for a lot of people too it's not like writing is what they're. a lot of times it's not their quote full time thing, yeah. There's other things that they have, whether it's a full time job, whether it's being a parent, whether it's whatever, that they have. Most of us don't have the luxury of writing being our full time profession. Obviously there are people that do that, [00:22:00] but actually, most people I know that have books, including people that have bestselling books, it's still not their full time thing, exactly. That part right there. It's part of a larger thing. I have a book coming out and it's not I am not looking at this book as, oh, that's going to replace my income. It's just one more piece of a larger puzzle that, that fits into what I'm doing. That, that makes perfect sense.

[00:22:27] And so tell us a little bit more about who comes to you for help, what do they look like who's the ideal person to reach out to you for the work that you do in that realm.

[00:22:40] Venchele Saint Dic: Oh, absolutely. The people who come to me are either fellow writers themselves, people who are novice, people who have never written in their lives before people where English is their second language.

[00:22:54] It's not their first language. So they again, those would be because they're tiers [00:23:00] tiers of writing groups. So they would be considered novice. writers businesses, all businesses, restaurants non profit organizations c suite level executives as well have reached out to me, other coaches, other consultants and I also, one of the things I've done for myself, and I think it's been a huge benefit, is not to It's not to pinpoint, not to pinpoint myself to one specific genre.

[00:23:30] I know some people do that where they'll say, you know what, I'm really good at helping people writing nonfiction book, but I've done a lot. In terms of manuscripts, even email writing, AI writing And so the gamut of projects that I've received a huge and it's in, and I keep it in as a, I keep it as a general genre on the [00:24:00] website for a reason.

[00:24:01] I just don't. I don't specify because I want to attract people with different levels of projects and then also diffuse my continuous learning, which is one of my top five strengths. I'm a learner at heart.

[00:24:15] Scott Maderer: So I've got a few questions that I like to ask all of my guests. But before I ask you those, is there anything else about the work that you're doing or your experience that you'd like to share with the listeners?

[00:24:27] Venchele Saint Dic: I think I want our listeners to just remember that consistency is key. And it's not just in writing, it's in life really taking the time. To do the self evaluation assessments. I do 1 every year and I think that helps me to understand like what you did well. And what was some areas that still need attention that may be an impediment to your progress into your growth.

[00:24:55] And so I welcome people just to understand that [00:25:00] consistent efforts add up and that you're always right where you're supposed to be. I know that when you go on Instagram you go to other social media channels, you may trying to compare your beginning to someone else's ending.

[00:25:15] But trust me, that person is just showing you pictures. They're not showing you the process. And so hone in on your process. It will pay off. I know it did

[00:25:24] Scott Maderer: for me. I would add to that. Don't even compare your beginning to someone else's beginning. Much less the middle of the end, because again, beginnings aren't even all the same.

[00:25:36] You don't, we don't all start from the same place on the race. If that makes sense. There, there are people that have advantages or disadvantages to the starting point. And I've even seen folks mess up there where it's I should be able to do this because this person did it.

[00:25:53] It's yeah, but y'all aren't even at start at the same place. So it's going to take different. different set of skills, different set [00:26:00] of experiences. And that's okay, but recognize it. Don't beat yourself up for the fact that you're in a different place, even at the beginning.

[00:26:09] Venchele Saint Dic: Absolutely.

[00:26:10] Scott Maderer: Oh, I love that. My brand is inspired stewardship and I run things through that lens of stewardship. When you hear that word stewardship, I've discovered that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. So when you hear that word stewardship, what does it mean to you?

[00:26:25] Okay,

[00:26:28] Venchele Saint Dic: I need a moment for this one stewardship because I've heard this word used Interchangeably in so many different situations, but then I went I go home and I think to myself, but This was not stewardship. I would say stewardship to me it's a responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.

[00:26:56] I think it's about being accountable [00:27:00] not only for managing tangible resources because that's how they use the word most of the time, but also for me, at least. As an aspiring leader for nurturing growth and potential and others in the environment, because people cannot do their best work unless you create the environment for them to do and so even now that I'm thinking about it and just going through replaying the scenario, replaying all the questions that you've asked me thus far, I think personally stewardship has been and continues to be a guiding principle in my professional endeavors in public health. And my personal commitment to community service.

[00:27:41] And I think it ties very nicely with the notion of having a calling which further influences how you approach work and how you approach every project and every relationship in your life. And so yes, stewardship, I, if I had to assign an [00:28:00] adjective to the word stewardship.

[00:28:01] I would say responsibility, being responsible for what you've been given, for the assignment. That's the word we've been using throughout the show, assignment that you've been given.

[00:28:12] Scott Maderer: So this is my favorite question that I like to ask everybody. Imagine for a minute that I could invent this magic machine.

[00:28:20] Okay, this machine, I could take you from where you are today and transport you into the future, maybe 150, maybe 250 years. But through the power of this machine, you were able to look back and see your entire life and see all of the connections, all of the ripples, all of the impacts you've left behind.

[00:28:37] What impact do you hope you've left in the world?

[00:28:42] Venchele Saint Dic: Oh, I struggle. I struggle with that. I struggle with answering that question because because I have to detach myself from. This whole idea of having an impact from the sense of, I'm going to be in the [00:29:00] spotlight. Sometimes there are many people out there who are making an impact and we don't even know their first and last names, right?

[00:29:06] And so I think if we're going to talk about the intangibles things that life the things that you can buy for free, I would say, I want to be known for empowering communities and enhancing the wellbeing of individuals. through education, advocacy, and leadership. And be mindful of the fact that I did not even give you a theme.

[00:29:32] Like I didn't say in behavior health. I didn't say in And I'm doing this on purpose with intent because I just feel like if I've, if since I've shared that I am a continuous learner and I've shared that this is a finding your calling is a cyclical process because it changes from season to season. I'm allowing the universe and I'm allowing God since I'm a believer [00:30:00] to.

[00:30:00] Fine tune that theme, but that's what in the core, at the core, that's what I want to be remembered for. I want to leave a legacy where people can say my name and say, you know what, this woman contributed to a world where equitable access and education were not just ideals, but they were realities.

[00:30:20] And then to further inspire others to pursue and expand this work. Knowing that the ripple effects of such efforts, you will continue to improve lives far into the future, far into like when I'm gone. That's what I would want to be known for.

[00:30:38] Scott Maderer: So what's on the roadmap? What's coming next as you continue on this journey?

[00:30:44] Venchele Saint Dic: Ah I think like just like I have started since last year, just like we're doing right now is really expanding my reach through speaking engagements sharing my knowledge, my writing and [00:31:00] my role as a public health leader. I think what I would want in terms of the journey and what I pray for is that I'm continuously placed in the right places, the right spaces with the right people where I can continue and actively work on collaborations that allow me to influence health policy and educational frameworks in public health.

[00:31:26] And then I think if since AI is not going to leave anytime soon if nothing else is going to continue to be amplified is I think now I've come to a place where I want to start exploring in innovative ways to integrate technology and new media. To enhance public health messaging and engagement.

[00:31:49] And I think like when I think of it each step is really about deepening my impact staying adaptable to change and then always moving forward [00:32:00] with purpose, that last part, moving forward with purpose is key.

[00:32:08] Scott Maderer: And you can find out more about Ben Schell over on her site at pathwaycoachwriting. com. Of course, I'll have a link to that over in the show notes as well. And Schell, is there anything else you'd like to share with the listener?

[00:32:24] Venchele Saint Dic: I think the other The other message that I would like to share with the listeners in summary of our session together is really to walk their path with purpose and then also to to block out the noise because life will be filled with distractions.

[00:32:44] And I think the purpose of coming or walking into your calling is learning to differentiate. The messaging that's coming from your inner voice, your inner intuition versus [00:33:00] what's coming from the naysayers and people who are not necessarily walking to their calling, or if nothing else, they are confirming that you're doing the right thing for yourself.

[00:33:10] And and so that's what I would say.

[00:33:13] Scott Maderer: Awesome.

[00:33:14] Venchele Saint Dic: Thanks so much. Thanks so

[00:33:24] Scott Maderer: much for listening to the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoyed this please do us a favor. Go over to inspired stewardship. com slash iTunes rate, all one word, iTunes rate.

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