Phil Januszewski Shares Earned Wisdom: Resilience, Sharing Your Gifts, and Real Joy

Every person has a story that teaches valuable lessons. Here’s is the Earned Wisdom of Phil Januszewski. He’s a high school chemistry and physics teacher who spreads his message with positive energy.

Tell us a little about yourself, including your experience in education/lifelong learning and anything else you’d like to share.

Phil Januszewski here! I’m a 20-year public high school chemistry and physics teacher in the suburbs of Chicago who loves bringing positive energy to everything I do. By day, you’ll find me in the science lab teaching chemistry to 15- and 16-year-olds, and by night, you’ll find me delivering motivational speeches to adult givers—like the beautiful and incredible educators I work with every day!

Around 2018, I was introduced to the book Big Potential by Shawn Achor, and it changed the trajectory of my life. I began obsessively diving into positive psychology and the science of happiness and flourishing. The growth and empowerment I experienced were something I was incredibly grateful for, as they filled my tank just in time for COVID to hit.

Though I wasn’t thrilled with teaching during the unique challenges of virtual school, I found myself staying more positive and resilient than many others around me. That realization pulled on my heartstrings and called me to help adults—not just kids—flourish. That’s when I created the Positive Growth Lounge LLC, a speaking company dedicated to helping adult givers thrive instead of just survive.

What have you learned from someone you know that has made you a better person?

One of my accountability partners and close friends, Rosalie, has reminded me to love people wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return. The positive upward spiral this creates is truly energizing, and the joy I experience from supporting others is next-level.

My favorite ways to show love are by connecting good people through introductions, surprising them with homemade baked goods, or genuinely expressing enthusiasm for who they are—simple as that!

What “earned wisdom” do you have that others can benefit from?

We all have unique gifts to offer the world, yet we often overlook them or fail to recognize the impact they can have on others. I’ve found that simply by being my positive, energetic, and friendly self, I’ve created countless unique and memorable growth opportunities. The more we lean into our individuality and share our gifts, the greater the positive impact we can make on the world.

What personal or professional development book (or both) would you recommend? Why?

My favorite book to recommend is The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. The science supports the idea that being happy first makes us more likely to find and create success. Too often, we get it backward, believing that happiness comes only after we achieve success.

What is your favorite song on your morning commute to work?

My morning commute usually entails me listening to an audio book or a business/personal development podcast. (I love to learn and expand my mind.) Then about 5 minutes before I get to work, I like to throw on some good heavy rock or heavy metal music to kickstart my day.

Feel free to add anything else that you think would be helpful to others.

If you want to show up to your life less tired and more inspired, try these three things:

1. Identify the things that fill you up and bring you real joy.
2. Build them into your daily schedule, even for a small amount of time—make sure they happen!
3. Once you’re thriving, find ways to give away your unique gifts to the world.

By intentionally doing these things, you’ll feel yourself flourishing more than ever! Sending love!

Here’s how you can connect with me:

Email: Phil@PositiveGrowthLounge.com

Website: https://philjanuszewski.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilJanuszewskiSpeaks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philjanuszewski

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@philjanuszewski

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philjanuszewski

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philjanuszewski

Twitter/X: https://x.com/philjanuszewski

Subscribe to Positive Growth Lounge Emails

Are you interested in sharing some of your “earned wisdom.” If so, let’s get in touch. I look forward to sharing your story with the Why Edify community.

❤ Enjoy this Article?

🍵 Show Your Support and 🤗 Share It