Business Innovators Radio - Episode 49: One Fear Per Year: A Personal Growth Hack that Changes Everything with Janice Burt

Episode Date: March 2, 2026

In this episode of In the Zone, Construction Executives Live, we explore Janice Burt’s powerful idea of taking on one fear per year as a simple but life-changing growth strategy. Inspired by her TEDx talk and personal journey, Janice shares how facing fear builds confidence, resilience, and stronger leadership. A practical and motivating conversation for executives ready to step outside their comfort zone and grow — personally and professionally.In The Zonehttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/in-the-zone/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/episode-49-one-fear-per-year-a-personal-growth-hack-that-changes-everything-with-janice-burt

Welcome to In The Zone and Construction Executives Live, brought to you by U.S. Construction Zone, bringing you strategies for success with construction innovators and change makers, including In The Zone peer-nominated national award winners. Here's your host, Jeremy Owens. Welcome back to In The Zone, Construction Executives Live. I'm your host, Jeremy Owens, owner and founder of three generations improvements, and U.S. Construction Zone in sunny northern California. California. I'm thinking a lot of you guys trying to dig out snow right now, probably listen to the podcast, you know, using your snowblower. You know, hopefully things are going good for you guys. I know that when we watch the news, we kind of, I don't know, feel pretty good about our situation out here in California. So thinking about you guys, happy new year. Hopefully your holiday season was great. If you're like me, you're looking forward to getting back to a regular rhythm. And that's where we're at. We're in the end of January already. You know, you should have your goals figured out, all that good stuff, but we're going to talk a lot about that today. We are sponsored by the great team at build12.com. Automate your construction business into a revenue generating machine.

Check out build12.com. Ask for less. I'm telling him I sent you over there. He'll take care of you. We're also sponsored by Builder PayPro. Builderpaypro.com is an app that my buddy Matt and I created. It's the construction payment platform that saves you time, money, and gets you pay. fast, pay zero percent credit card fees, except ACH payments, invoice tool that directly connects

to your quickbooks platform, visit builder paypro.com and get a demo for me. I'm thinking about today's show, I really wanted this guest for the beginning of the year as we all wrestle with our goals, our resolutions. A lot of us, you know, we're ready to hit the ground running with all of our goals, January 1. they may still be around, they may not. So we're going to talk about a couple different tweaks that you can make this year with a goal. Today's show is called One Fear Per Year, a personal growth hack that changes everything. In this episode of In The Zone, I get the opportunity to chat with my friend Janice Bert

and discuss her powerful idea of taking one fear per year as a simple but life-changing growth strategy. inspired by our TEDx talk and personal journey, Janice is going to share how facing fear builds confidence, resilience, and stronger leadership. A practical and motivating conversation for executives ready to step outside their comfort zone and grow personally and professionally. Janice is an inspirational speaker, TV show, podcast host, court certified Spanish interpreter, voiceover artist, actor, yoga instructor, and author. I mean, I don't know. Can we add anything else there? Is there anything else? She has spoken on the TEDx stage twice with topics such as kicking the people pleasing habit and walking through one fear per year. Her purpose in life is to share hope and encouragement with others through the power of words and messy action. Please help me welcome. Janice, thank you for being here.

Hey, hello, Jeremy. Thank you so much for having me. I just have to say how excited I was, when you invited me on here, just knowing your heart and that you're in the construction business and kind of combining those two things. I was like, oh, this is going to be a great conversation. You're so welcome. Thank you for being here. So how did you get to where you're at? I mean, this is, you know, describing what you do, but also describing what your purpose

and life and life goals are. How did you end up where you're at? right now. Well, if I were like in my 20s and you would have asked me, where would you be 30 years from now? I could not have even imagined like what my life is at the moment. Partly because I had it in my mind, I got married really young. I was 20. My ex-husband was 19. And I just saw my life. was going to be, you know, married. We had two kids. That was going to be it and travel and, you know, do some fun things and stuff like that.

Well, as we know, life happens and unexpected things happen. So I ended up going through a divorce. Man, it's probably been 13, 14 years now. And as a codependent people pleaser, that rocked my world. you know, I'm sure everybody has those moments in their life where it just flips on its head. And you're like, wait a minute, this is not my life. This is not what I signed up for. This is not what I expected at all. And so in that place of just complete heartbreak and confusion and like, what the heck is like, is this up? This must be up. That's down.

You know, just like, ugh, that kind of thing. I had to make. some shifts. And I will say mainly that taking personal responsibility was a huge thing as opposed to blaming, which I will tell you I was really good at. Yeah, such like human nature too, right? I think it's easier to think that than it is to deal with yourself. Right. So like tell me that that transition of divorce. Like, how long did it take you? Did you take a bunch of time to, to come to these conclusions, like, because everyone's journey is different there. And, you know, I've experienced here, too. And it's, you can't control it.

Yeah. And I would say it's layers. It is what, you know, it's like that onion where I initially was like peeling back these little layers of kind of awareness about myself, about the situation. It did not happen all at once. So if anybody's in that really rough time, just know that it does take time and to kind of surrender, I guess, is the best word, to the process of life. And, you know, the learning, growing process, which is always kind of painful. It's just uncomfortable.

Like you think about the diamond being formed or the butterfly coming out of the cocoon, it's challenging. It's going to feel uncertain and uneasy and sad and you're going to be mad. And there's all these stages of grief that we go through. So it was like, you know, up and down and all around. But my main thing was really putting one foot in front of the, like, what's my next best baby step to healing my emotional wounds? because I could just tell like something is off in me. It's not stable.

Like I felt very almost like that generalized anxiety. So talking about fear, like that was controlling my life. And I really didn't realize how much it was controlling my life until I went into this particular hypnotherapy session. We'll talk about. But I just also know that during that time, I think I did almost every type of therapy. Just like I do a lot of things you were reading things that I do. I like figuring out, okay, you know, maybe cognitive behavioral therapy is good for certain things. But you know what?

Maybe EMDR is good for other things. Neurofeedback I did. Attachment therapy. Hypnotherapy. So I tried a lot of things. like that. Well, let's let's talk about the hypnotherapy. So how did you come to that? I mean, obviously, you were trying all the things, which is kind of back to your point of you were trying to control it and that you were actively trying to solve this. Like, you didn't like this feeling, right?

So it was like, I'm going to take some responsibility and figure this out on your own, which is commendable because that's difficult. A lot of people want the pill, want the quick thing that will, like, let's just take this pain away and really not deal with it. necessarily and hopefully it just kind of goes away. So how did you end up in hypnotherapy and what was the result of that bad boy? Yes. And I know what you mean. Like there were times I just want to say where I felt like I would drown that because of my emotions,

almost like they would overtake me. And I was like, how can I survive this? So I had those moments of. just like this is rough, you know? Heartbreaks are are not this simple little easy thing. Oh, just get over it, especially when your identity is all attached to the person or the thing. You know, maybe you play sports and you break your leg and then you can't do that thing you love. Like if your identity is so attached, it can feel devastating to like your identity. you know so anyway sidebar but um so the hypnotherapy i'm i'm a little bit of a cheap skate um

so i went on to group on because i was like let me see if there's anything i can try that's hang out that's where they hang out maybe not the best option but but it worked out because i i saw this hypnotherapy session i was like wow i haven't heard heard of this. It sounds a little like scary and odd, but when you're in so much emotional pain, I feel like you will try some things that normally you might be a little bit like, I don't know about that, but I was like, I'm going to, yeah, I'm going to try this. So I pay the whatever 30 bucks or whatever it was. And went and saw this lovely woman who had me, like did a guided visualization basically.

So it gets you in this really calm, yeah, this calm state where the brain shatter, like all your thoughts are not as intrusive. You're just, you know, relax and rested. And she's guiding me to visualize certain things, right? And so she said, okay, we're going to start at the top. I'm going to count down to 10. You're going to walk down these stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs is a door. Can you see it? So I'm like picturing this. Yeah, I could see the stairs. I see the door. So she's like 10, 9, 8, whatever, blah, blah, blah. You're going down. You're going down.

Go deeper. Go down. So I'm going down. She's like, okay, you're in front of the door now. Yes, here's the door. Do you see it? Yes. She said, okay, now you're going to open this door.

And when you do, you're going to walk into your safe. place. So I thought, this is great. I get to walk into my safe place. Beautiful. All right. Are you ready? Yes, I'm ready. Okay. Open the door. So I open the door and I take a step and she's like, what do you see? And I'm like, darkness. And she said, I was like pitch black. She goes, what do you feel? And I said, fear and I start bawling in this hypnotherapy session. And then I realized at that moment, I'm like, there is no safe place inside of me that exists. It's all fear. And that revelation in and of itself, you know, they talk about blocks that we have,

barriers and subconscious stuff that's holding us back. That was that was mine. Wow. Wow. So after this session, like, how did it all kind of unfold in bringing it to your real life, right? So you have this moment, but what happens tomorrow? Okay. Well, she didn't leave me in that space. Okay. She's like, there you go. Be happy in your fear. No, she said, okay, here's what I want you to do now. Okay.

Okay. Picture a clear bubble. Can you see it? And I'm like, yeah, I got it. A clear bubble. Take all of the fear, all of the darkness that represents the fear. And I want you to like put it all inside of that bubble. So in your mind's eye, you're still using your imagination. Okay. Okay. All of that fear is in this clear bubble. Have you done it? Yes, it's there. She's like, so now it's like this black bubble. It's not clear anymore. She said, now I want you to watch that bubble float away. You're going to release it and watch it as it goes. Okay, I'm watching it gets smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller. And she's like, is it gone now? I said, yeah.

And she said, now what do you see? And it was this clear, open, blank slate, like an empty, white space. And she was like, perfect. Now you can create your safe place. What do you see now? And I got to create. I saw a tree. I saw grass. I saw some like little, you know, stream flowing by. It was peaceful. It was beautiful. There was a blanket under the tree. I created that then to have this safe place inside of me. So on a subconscious level, I had ignored. acknowledged the fear, recognized like, dang, I have my, my entire life has been controlled by this fear. I have now released it. And now I am the creator of something new. Whatever I want to

put in that safe place I could put. Awesome. My safe place is a lot like the unhappy Gilmore. It's similar. It's similar. So that's interesting. So that was kind of like your your pivotal moment, right, where it's like, okay, so you created this safe place. And then did you kind of develop this one fear per year right right then after or that's still how it takes time to develop? No, it was right after that, I thought, okay, now I need to create something different in my life. I need to show up in a different way. And if fear has been holding me back, well, what do I do about that? I can't ignore it anymore. Now it's, I'm aware of it. So, you know, it's one of those things that I said,

what if I did one thing every year? Because when you start breaking free from fear, it can feel super daunting. It's like, oh my gosh, I have to do like there's all these fears, fear of failure, fear of judgment. A lot of mine were around social. What are people going to think? I don't want to let people down. I want to be... Same with divorce, right?

All those things are the same with divorce. Exactly. Exactly. And that had kind of opened my eyes to, man, people are already kind of disapproving or not liking the fact that I'm divorced. So that's already like a stabbing the heart. I'm not like the good girl anymore that has her her shit together.

So it started peeling back that layer. Okay. That's interesting. So kind of it's so many ways you can go after this. But so that that, so after you created this one fear per year, I mean, the old adage of everything's on every good thing's on the other side of fear.

All those things kind of coming true for you, right? What was the first one you picked? Because in that moment, you're like, okay, I got to get over this. Did you pick one at that moment to try to overcome? The very first one, yes, it was to, it didn't start off as the marathon. The first one was to do a half marathon. Okay. Because I would watch people run and think, what insanity is this?

Like, how are people running for that distance? And so many people, because I would run and get that side cramp and just feel, you know, like, how is it done? I felt like it was impossible, honestly. I was like, but obviously it's not because tons of people do it. Right. So that was the disconnect. I'm like, it's something with you. If all these people are doing it and people who are older than you, maybe more out of shape than you, whatever,

and what is it that's making you feel like it's impossible? Right. So I join a training group, which is key. I will say if anybody wants to join me on this one fear per year journey and just really start walking through fear, do it with people. That has been the main thing for me is always finding a group, or one person or a mentor or a coach, whatever. Yeah. But that helped me so much to train for it, obviously, because you've got to train. So you set the goal, then you kind of reverse engineer.

What is it going to take to get there? Right. But they made it easy in the training group because they have their whole thing. Yeah. Do X, Y, and Z. You're going to make it. Yeah. Have you run a thing?

I run a marathon. That was a one and done for me. Same. Yeah, I wanted that, one and done. Same. So I did the half. And then because I had already joined this group, and they were staying together to continue training for the full marathon, the CIM.

I was like, this is once, it's a once in a lifetime. I've already been training. I already am in the group. Why not just go for it? I'm just going to keep training and I'm going to do the marathon. And so, yeah, within, I think it was three months after the half marathon, I did the full. And then I was like, yeah, and I'm good. That's good.

We're going to leave it there. Let's try something to. Great. So when did the TEDx thing come up? What was that like after you've done it a few years or how many how many fears did you overcome before you started kind of developing a talk that you wanted to share with others? Well, the first step in that and public speaking was a really big fear. Obviously not so much public speaking, but the fear of criticism. The fear of failure. Judgment, failure for getting my lines because I had an experience. when I was a teenager where that happened and I lost a contest and those things get so deeply embedded in our subconscious so that if we don't deal with stuff that happened in our youth, it follows us. It is in us until we're able to be like, oh, this thing happened. I haven't processed it. Now I'm going to start processing it. So,

What the heck was I just talking about? I totally lost my train of that. The TEDx, though, trying to get to how you got to that. Yes. So, terrified of public speaking. So I joined Toastmasters first. Which have you heard of Toastmasters? Oh, of course.

Yeah, my dad was big on that too. Really? Yeah. Okay. Have you ever done it? I have not. It's probably a fear. Yeah?

I mean, yeah, I mean, it's definitely a great idea, especially if you are going to be doing public speaking. because it's like it's almost guarantee you overcome that fear, right? I mean, it's like just repetition. It is so helpful. I will say, and to find a group that is safe and everybody's there to encourage you just to get, you know, improve. And here's some tips. And it's great for leadership development also.

So it's not just a public speaking thing. Right. Because you evaluate other people's talks. Yeah. And you have to do impromptu, which by the way, that for me, terrifying at the beginning. Like the thought of doing an interview like this where it's like, maybe I don't know the next question and what if I get it wrong? And I'm not.

There was so much anxiety around that. And so Toastmasters helped a whole lot. But because I knew my fear had to do specifically with speech contests. Because that's where when I was a teenager, I had that failure that I carried with me for years. I signed up for several contests. And I think I've signed up for maybe four or five throughout these last, this last decade. And I lost. And I lost.

And I lost, you know, but to me, it's all walking through fear. So it's a game. It's a game. I'm doing it. I'm doing it. but the cool thing was in 2023, so just two years ago or so, I was like, I'm going to do one more speech contest. And then I'm out.

Like, I don't need to do any more contest. I've done this fear enough. The marathon of contests. Yeah, exactly. I'm like, I think I'm going to be good. So I do the contest and I end up winning. And the prize, I couldn't believe it was the. best thing I ever could have imagined. It was a trip to Kenya to speak at schools and

universities over there to encourage the children in Kenya. And it was such a life-changing, eye-opening, beautiful experience to go there and stand on a stage in front of thousands, I kid you not, thousands of teenagers, young adults, because we did both schools like elementary and college. But I will say, I felt like I gave nothing to them, and they gave everything to me. Like the beauty of that culture, you think with such few resources, you know, I did have kind of this prejudice

that they would be unhappy or just sluggish or, you know, like you're not feeling the best because you don't have a whole lot. They were some of the happiest people that I have ever met in my whole life. So it was just like this extraordinary experience all from walking through that fear of, you know, what, I'm going to do a speech contest. And it doesn't matter the outcome, but how cool to be able to actually win one and win one was such a beautiful prize, you know, at the end. Yeah. Have you seen that movie? Yes, man, with Jim Carrey.

You need to, if you haven't seen it, you need to watch it. Because it's basically him saying yes to everything because he was such a no person before. But in that process of saying yes, it just turned into so many great blessings that kind of, that he would never have been if he wouldn't have said yes to. And so it was just kind of like that where it's like you say yes to that and you don't know what's coming next. And like that's that's the beauty part is is that you need to say yes to get to it. Absolutely. And not take it so personally or to heart, you know, when you don't get the win.

And that's what I've loved about the mindset shift for me about walking through fear as the goal. It's not, I'm doing a speech contest because my goal is to win. I see. I'm doing a speech contest because my goal is to become a courageous person. Like, and courage is simply walking through fear, doing the thing that scares you. Right. So the TEDx talk, I mean, obviously that had to have been some fear. I mean, you've obviously developed your speaking skills, toastmasters, all these competitions. But how was that event? I mean, I was there, by the way, and you were the best.

I liked your speech the best. But that was a great event and that was a great talk. And you were so comfortable. There was not a nervous sense about you. So, like, how did you handle that? Well, that is so interesting because I will say I have spoken before and recently, actually, you know, recently a couple years ago, where I have shaken so badly on a stage like shaking. It's almost that animal part when animals get scared in the wild and they literally shake.

That's your nervous system. That has happened to me in the last like two years on a stage so badly. I was shaking so badly in front of mind you, CEOs, professional speakers. I mean, amazing human beings that I actually had to fall to my knees and speak from my knees because it was such a visceral nervous system kind of response. But on my knees, I was able to say, nothing is worse than living your life in a prison of fear. Like, nothing. Not even this.

It's nothing's worse. So, yes, the TEDx talk went well and I didn't shake and I was solid. I will attribute that to the amazing TEDx community that supported us, whom you know a ton of their friends. Yes. They were there for us in such a way and we practiced together some of the participants, the other speakers and I. So I practice that speech more than I have anything else ever. And so there is something to be said for practicing and rehearsing and getting it so embodied. Yeah.

Shout out to Jen, Christina, Matt Lockren. Those are people that can, I don't know, bring out the best in you. Like that was really cool. I mean, Jen's got a whole thing. This is a heard thing, right? is developing good speakers. So, I mean, it's nice to have that in your hip pocket to make sure you were able to perform the best you could, right? It really was.

And it does those steps of courage, because I had a lot of fear standing up there, they do result in more confidence for the next time and the next time. And even me falling to my knees, that. That also was this... It's a powerful moment. That's a... Right? And what you said during that moment was perfect, right? If you would have like caved to the fear, it would have been like, that would have hurt the talk.

But instead, you were making a point of like, you can't let it control you. Like you visually saying, I'm doing it. Yeah. What are you going to do? You know what I mean? Like just that's, that's, I mean, pretty powerful. I mean, maybe that was maybe that was. maybe that was a God thing.

Maybe that was like you need to hit your knees right now. I'm so glad you said that because it felt very spiritual. It felt like, you know what? With human eyes, this would have been a complete loss and a failure. But with divine eyes, you know, if you see it a different way, I was like, I was just a vessel. And there was no ego at that point. Like, you can't salvage. You can't salvage.

go in that moment, you're just like, I'm on my knees. What do you want for me? Right, right, right. No, I mean, that's great. That's what I would have been seeing in that moment, you know, is like, wow, this is like, this is somebody else is kind of using her and this talk and this body to, to prove a point. And we all want encouragement, like we want to see each other in the other person, you know, and to be someone you can relate to and go, man, I feel that same amount of fear. And it feels terrifying. And yes, if she can do it, if this person can do that, if whatever, then there's hope for me as well. Yeah, totally.

So out of this, you know, obviously there's always fruits of going through this fear thing. how did it transform some of your relationships? Tell me about relationships, career, and I mean, most importantly, self. I mean, you can't get a good relationship if you're not cool with yourself first. Like, full stop, right? Yes. And I will say with the codependent people pleaser parts of me, that has been a journey and continues to be. I mean, we're on this journey. I say if anybody's like, I've arrived, run far away. Right. Like, you know, I'm in the trenches.

I'm in the process of doing that. You know, when I say doing that, it's like of eradicating as much as I can this need for approval, for validation from outside sources, no matter who that be. Right. You know, I don't care what your title is or your, how much money you have, the power that you might have, you know, almost also being able to see it through different eyes that way. Right. And really focusing on myself, in the sense of my own self, if there's a little bit of hate in

my heart, jealousy in my heart, which has been a big struggle for me, insecurity in my heart, then that's what I need to focus on, you know? Not like, oh, pointing fingers and this person. And trust me, I've been a pro with that. So I get how good that feels and like how justified we can feel in doing that. Right. But it gets us nowhere, us personally. Right.

Right. So obviously you were able to kind of crack away at that at yourself. And then did you end up meeting somebody hinted? Did you like? Well, here's what's funny about that. So I go through a divorce. I had dated a little bit. And then I realized I'm kind of attracting similar people.

So that must be me. Again, instead of like, oh, why are these people so emotionally? unavailable or you know things like that oh maybe that's in me so let me not date for yes oh i think i said a year yeah in my mind and then i joined toastmasters started doing that and i met this this character lewis um and we just hit it off he's a great communicator great guy to talk to um he has his own physical challenges. I have my emotional challenges. And we just connected in a way where I felt like, oh, I could talk about some of this stuff. So we took it very slowly. He was on dialysis at the time. So that was another factor. But we, we just, I didn't quite last the whole year. I think it was nine months. So I broke my own

promise to myself, which I say don't ever, I know. I know, Jeremy. I think about it too. I'm like, come on, Janice. So close. But yeah, we started dating and that's been, man, like 12 years ago now. Wow. So it's a, it's a process of me talking about truly what my thoughts and my feelings are.

without censoring, you know, being able to be very open and honest with him. And also setting boundaries is huge for people pleasers. I'm sure any people pleaser out there knows. It's hard to kind of set boundaries. Like, no, this is what I need. This is what I want my life to look like and my relationship to look like. And hey, you got to take care of yourself just in the same way. I have to take care of myself.

And then when two healthy people, when I say healthy, I mean physically, mentally, spiritually, and it's always a work in progress, but like that you're working on yourself, you know? Yeah. They come together and then that's a beautiful relationship because you sharpen each other, call each other out. You can strengthen things. Yeah. So huge.

It's that accountability thing. But, you know, I love what you said there about. you know, we're not arrived. And if someone feels that they are, then that's going to be difficult relationship, especially someone who's on a journey of improvement. Like, that's just, that's not a good combo, right? So that's great. I mean, I wanted to get back a little bit to the people pleasing and talk a little bit about,

we chatted a little bit about the subconscious mind and that I was kind of mentioning that I'm in a mastermind group when we talked about it. You know, we're all walking around basically living 95% of our subconscious. is controlling our lives. And we don't know that. And then if we don't chip away at that, then we're basically just kind of going to succumb to fears, you know,

self-talk negativity, what our parents told us, what our childhood told us. So tell me a little bit about that journey with you. Oh my gosh. I had the worst soundtrack in my head. I mean, it's funny.

I gave a speech once and I talked about how it's like, the voice of Darth Vader on one hand, like, you know, just the worst things you could possibly say about yourself to yourself. Yeah. And then realizing that that is, that's the very first step, it's just that awareness of like, holy crap, I just said I'm a total loser to myself. Or you look in the mirror and you're like, ah, this mess, you know? Like, what is happening with this mess? So funny, but like, yeah, the first step is like, hey, I didn't realize I did that 20 times a day. Exactly. And you have the awareness of like, dang, Darth Vader is like on one shoulder.

And so then I would talk about, hey, why not choose the voice of the cute little green, pokey-eared, you know, creature Yoda instead, who was like the voice of truth and reason and love, you know. And it's been, that also is a journey because it is, if it's so deeply ingrained, and it's in our self subconscious that I'm not enough. Whatever that is, for each person, it's a little bit different depending on your background and, you know, but it's either, I'm not smart enough. I'm not pretty or handsome enough.

I'm not, what, like, valuable enough. for someone to love me. All these, and those are all subconscious beliefs that get instilled in us when we're young. And if we don't do the work, the personal development work, they stay there. That is, it's just the craziest thing to me. I mean, this is new me, new to me. Like, I just learned this this year. So, like, I was like, wait, what?

So, like, it's crazy that it's not common knowledge. But I was lucky in that I had great upbringing and I felt like I had pretty good self-talk-ish, but still realizing that there's these paradigms that I have from just comments of my childhood, you know, be tough or don't cry or, you know, the things that boys get, you know, those are just common. Those are just everyday things, especially in our generation, like that you have all these things that you didn't know that kind of created you. Well, and in your industry. Oh, God. I mean, like, I would love to hear, if you don't mind, I know that I don't want to switch the interview around, but like, what have you learned in that mastermind? Like, what's been a little bit of that aha moment?

Because I'd love to hear it. Yeah. I mean, I think it's like you said, you have to do the work. And it's about basically a 30 minute a day program that you get, that you get, that you get to do. And it's like rewiring your brain. It's I am statements. It's goal statements. It's trying to weed out those things that were a negative for you and you turn it into a positive. Like instead of I am not, I am that and you just got to say it over and over and over again. And then you realize and then also gratitude. You know, I'm a year into a gratitude journal.

And that's, you know, I'm sure there's a lot of construction people listening going like, look at this guy, this guy. This guy. But it changes the way you feel about all the things you have around you. You think about those kids in Kenya who are people in Kenya that are happy. I don't know. We're in Folsom and most people don't seem happy. And it's like, so it's like you can be grateful for waking up or whoever roof over your head or the blue sky.

It doesn't have to be things or money or it's just the. everyday blessings we have. And when you kind of retrain your brain to be like, man, they're all around me. Like, then you're just happy. You're just like, my kids are healthy. Like, maybe the number one thing. Like, okay, that's pretty much all I need. Totally.

Yeah, that was an amazing experience. Just there's, they didn't even have water super accessible. You know, it really is the like we're walking to the well to get water. And by the way, it's dangerous sometimes to walk to the well. Like you might, you might die on the way. I mean, crazy stuff that we just first world country. Yeah. Yeah.

And so that's why I'm huge. I'm actually leaving to Egypt next week. And I'm huge on travel if you can, especially, I mean, if you have the resources here. Yeah. And you've only been in the United States your entire life. Right. Like go somewhere where life is done differently. Right.

It's so eye-opening. I mean, I lived in Mexico City as a kid. And I think that gave me, man, it's one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me was to raise me in Mexico City because I saw a different culture. I lived it. I felt like I belonged almost to that culture and people group. and they just are more community-based. It's more family-oriented. It's just different.

Yeah. Yeah, you're a little bit more well-rounded that way. So tell me a little bit about what was your favorite fear you overcame. I want that one. And then after that, what's your fear for this year? Oh, yeah. Man, so the favorite fear is so hard for me. But I will say the most terrifying, like legit, terrifying.

for so many reasons was the bodybuilding competition that I did. I think I was 42. So, you know, I've had two kids. I've stretch marks and like all the things. And I just, and I've always had a kind of a comparison to other women thing. So that already on top of it is its own thing. So I'm standing on this stage in like a sequenced bikini and high. high heels next to 20-year-olds.

And like not so the fear of being judged, right? Somebody criticizes you, oh, look at that's not quite right. Whatever, that's all there. But then the fact that there are like five men actually judging you with their little pads and giving you like, that's my worst fear. Don't, oh, she's a 10. Oh, she's a four. You know, like I just talk about a trigger.

Yeah. triggering. And so I was like, I don't want that to be me. I know that that's an old script, the insecure tomboy kind of girl I was. I was like the girl who played football with the guy. I was one of the guys, you know? Right. Not very feminine. And then so I would watch all my friends be super cute and feminine and get all the attention that I secretly wanted, but was too terrified. so I would cover it up with the baggy clothes.

So it goes back to our youth almost every time when we have these hangups as adults, just look back. Like what were the experiences? What were the things? And in a self-love kind of way, not in a, I don't criticize young Janice. I'm like, man, I have compassion for young Janice. And I think that makes the world of difference in how we view it. So anyway, super side tangent, but the bodybuilding competition was crazy.

And partly when you do something that you are so scared to do and you accomplish it, that is where that confidence, like if I can do that, what can't I freaking do, Jeremy? That's exciting. That's exciting. No, you're right. I mean, that was a super triggering one for me. that would be crazy. Yeah.

That's amazing. So what's your fear this year? Do you always figure it out like you know January 1 what you're going to do or like? No. It's not linear like that. And to be honest, I've actually done more fears because you kind of build this momentum. And then like you said with the yes thing. Yeah.

If an opportunity arises and the fear boils up, I'm like, yes. that's it like that's the one you kind of intuitively know i don't want to do that because of fear okay so for all of us novices who want to do this what so is it just that listening to the the fears that you have and go in the opposite direction or like how do you go about finding the one that will break through i would say there's two ways you can look at what the fear is so i have a fear of people's judgment or I have a fear of rejection. So I am going to face that fear. What's a way to face rejection?

You sell something, go door to door. Like, you know, there's certain things that you know, okay, I can do this and that really is going to trigger that fear. Or what I kind of more prefer and what I've more done is what's something that I've kind of wanted to do, but fear has held me back from. doing it. And that could be, it could be having a hard conversation. Like for me, having a hard conversation and conflict were terrifying things. Yes, me too. Yes. Yes. And so there have been times where I intuitively know there is a person that I need to have a conversation with

because I just know that, you know, that's the direction. And, but I'm terrified. I don't want to confront. I don't want to have the conflict. So that could be one thing. I've done that in the past. I've had a very difficult conversation with my dad about some bad choices that he has made in the past that have impacted me that I had to just call him out on and say, this is how it is. And I need to express this. And so different things like that.

So I would say that route, what do you want to do? or instinctively are like, I really should do that, but I'm terrified. But you use the excuse of don't have time, you know, work, all the other things that we typically, you know, we have the excuse just ready. It's ready. Oh, it's ready. Because that fear can be a very powerful emotion. And, you know. Yeah.

And I wonder about that. I think about this often. I read the book, Anxist Generation. talking about my kids era and how difficult it is for them to live through their life with that stupid computer in their hand and social media and all the things that they have. But I also wonder about their resilience and how well they can overcome fear. And, you know, I think we're a little different in that we didn't grow up with the technology. So we have like this, you know, we can put it away and it's usually not a problem for us. but like I wonder that for them like how much more difficult this would be for a young adult to do this fear thing and dang I'm going to be talking my kids about this but you know it is though because and I just read something if if you can go on a computer and I guess kids are doing this and finding you know kind of a relationship on there with I mean I don't know if it's AI or an actual person

person, but just you don't have to take them out on a date. Like, you don't have to do the scary stuff. That way you're hiding behind a screen. That's, that's rough. I mean, they do have, but that's why it just has to be intentional. Like, hey, we got to do some things to step outside of our comfort zone. Yeah, I just feel like theirs is going to be just communicate, you know, like face to face, like have the hard conversation.

Like those are going to be very difficult for a lot of them, right? Like just tell them, tell them your fear. Tell your, tell your person that you're with your biggest fear. Or like, I mean, it just seems like it's just more challenging for them. And I do, I'm hopeful that things change, but I'm also like, man, with more technology, just going to get worse. And then, yeah, you're just communicating with your robot now and that they just please you. Like, there's no, like, arguing.

So it's like, where are we headed here? Well, and that's the thing, too. Some of the best things or results in my life have been from doing hard things. So if you are completely, and that's the whole growth concept. It is challenging to grow. You are going to have growing pains. That's like why it's called that. And if people are not.

doing that and just hiding behind the screen, you're right. That's going to be challenging. So it's up to us, I guess, as parents, as mentors or coaches or whatever to the younger generation to be like, hey, guys, you know, it's going to be hard, but so worth it. And here's some ways and encourage them. Right. Yeah, I'm kind of curious about this. With all that you're doing right now, I mean, your speaker, author, podcaster, yoga, instructor,

you have a TV show. I want to hear a little bit more about that. What excites you the most? And I know that you have the goal of like, you know, reaching people with a lot of your messages. So what which avenue is kind of filling your bucket the most right now? Interesting. I don't know if there's one particular one because they all mesh a little bit.

But I do love inspiring. people just encouraging people, almost like a cheerleader. I feel like it's a gift or just something that comes naturally to me where I love for people to really feel hopeful about life. And it could be that there were many years where I just felt so much anxiety, it's just so horrible, trapped in this prison of fear that I want other people to know that there is a way out. There is hope. So I would say that's my main thing that I keep being just pulled toward it because there are times where I'm like,

I don't want to feel the fear again of speaking or I don't want to shake again like that one time, even though, you know, it's, I have to push through my own human resistance of wanting to be comfortable. Yeah. To say, you know, maybe this is part of the reason I'm on this planet Earth is just to use my voice and my experiences to encourage other people to, like, step into their own power and to truly start to love themselves, to see the beautiful. creation that they are and spread their gifts around. Because if not, like, you know, we're unique. Like, there's not another Jeremy Owens, you know? And if you don't say your truth as you're learning and growing,

nobody's going to say it for you. Yeah, very true. I think it's what you said to me is like I feel like is a key to happiness in a lot of ways is finding something that you can leave behind. And legacy is a big word for me. And that's part of why I do this, is that I want my kids to be proud of me in the end. I want to leave something for this industry more than just the house I remodeled. Right.

And so it's, if it's, if you don't have that in your job, then I feel like you have to go find that out out in the wild. Whatever your treasure talent is, then go. find that and I think it would just be so rewarding. I don't think a lot of people find it or even really search or seek for it. I think we're just so many people are like, you know, clock in, clock out, go do their thing. And it's just like shit, 10 years goes by and you're like, I didn't do anything different. And I think that's part of the reason there's so much angst and anxiety and stress is that, you know, have the outlet. What you're just described is very rare for

someone to say like, I want to encourage. I feel like you're doing exactly what you're supposed to do right now. And that's, that's a rare thing to hear. Well, and I feel the same about you. I know we were talking offline a little bit about the construction industry and the mental health kind of crisis around that. Yeah. So, yeah, remind me what that was again that you had told me. Yeah. So construction's been number two in suicide deaths as an industry behind. And they have fishing and agriculture is number one. It's been that way for decades. And we've kind of swept it under the rug and not made it common knowledge.

I have no idea why. I think it's just part of the reason we're there in the first place is that we don't want to talk about it. And so that has been the problem. And now we're talking about it as an industry. And now it's common knowledge. And now it's like realizing that this isn't a quick fix. this isn't something you just do this. It just starts with conversations and it takes a long time.

And we have business owners that don't have that skill. And so it's like it's just a chipping away process that unfortunately is not like an overnight success. And then you have drug addiction and you have opioids and you have all the other crap that has come at the industry. And you're like, wow, we have, it's going to take some time. And so it's a little daunting at times, I think. But I feel like that's what's so cool about you doing this and shining the light. That's what it takes is us individually going, yeah, do I want to be that person who's going to stand up and acknowledge kind of the elephant in the room and talk about things that sometimes, you know, men aren't supposed to talk about, especially in a certain industry. So I just think like you're doing that exact same thing in your industry.

And I love it. I'm here for them. Thank you. Yeah. I feel like I'm in the right spot. And I know I love doing these because like I, you know, I can just talk and listen. And it's usually a thing topics I want to hear about and I want to learn more about. But also I can speak for both of us in that our, you know, we're always available for someone who needs that conversation.

And that's really all I want to be is like, hey, if you need, you need to call me or we need to jump on a call, like being available. And I think a lot of people just don't have people that are available to them for whatever reason. And just being, just saying that out loud and saying like literally I'll take a call from anybody. And during COVID, I did that. I was like, I did the yes man thing. And I was like taking Zoom calls from people all over the nation, even people in Australia. just random conversations about construction and how we can help each other network. And it's just like, I can't tell you what that does.

And just like meeting you, it's like going to TEDx and going to Granite City events and going to things at Tech Week. I'm like, I don't really belong here necessarily, but it's just like you're getting out there. You're meeting people of like minds that are like doing cool things. And you're like, that's the people I need to be around. Yes. And it's that, I know there's stats on, you know, the people that you hang around, but it's huge. Like it makes all the difference in the world who is in our corner, who we rub shoulders with. So, yeah, I think it's awesome that you're doing the mastermind and, you know, those types of groups and networking where it's about more personal growth and self-discovery.

Awesome. Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you so much, chance for being here. I mean, I think everyone who listens to this is going to want to do, figure out what that fear is for them this year. I think it's exciting because it brings you hope that there's more, there's more to you and there's more for your life if you just can overcome a few things.

And once you get through them, like you described over and over again, it's like a conquering moment of like, then I can do anything, Like this realization like I've been holding myself back. Like this has all been me and not that person. Like that is a crazy realization that if people just get that and that's it, it would change your life. Absolutely. Yep.

It really does. And then you feel you develop self trust, self love, the confidence, all the things that we're looking for, you know, when you see it and you're like, oh, I want that. How do I get that? walk through those fears and you develop that. That's the courage muscle. Nice. So how do people stay in touch with you, like maybe want to work with you in the future?

Where do they go for that? Yes, I am at Janiceburt.com. And I do a monthly newsletter where I give, you know, like guided meditations or little yoga videos or poems, just, you know, random stuff to encourage people. And then I have the one fear per year.com podcast. So it's a website that has the podcast. So if you want to hear other people's stories about walking through fear, go check that out. But yeah, and again, reiterating what Jeremy said, if anybody wants to jump on a Zoom, need some encouragement, I am here for it.

Awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Janice. Thank you, Jeremy. You're welcome. Thank you all for being here for another episode of In The Zone Construction Executives Live. I'm your host, Jeremy Owens. Let's go conquer some fears this year.

Like Janice said, reach out if you need some support or encouragement. Looking forward to a strong 2026 and more guests like the awesome Janice. So thank you so much for being here, guys. Bye. You've been listening to In The Zone and Construction Executives Live with Jeremy Owens. Be sure to subscribe to In The Zone and stay in the zone. the know with the best minds in the construction industry. To nominate an innovator or changemaker in the construction industry, connect with your management peers, and stay up to date with

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