We were lucky to catch up with Dayna Steele recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dayna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?
I am a rock radio Hall of Famer. I was a popular motivational business and conference speaker. I had written ten books at the time. It all came to a screeching halt when my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As my “therapy group,” I posted the good, the bad, and the bizarre on Facebook for two and a half years. Thousands of people joined me as I cried, laughed, and drank too much wine.
Once she was gone, I decided I would not let her (or me) have gone through this for no reason. So, I wrote a book, and I continued to post; the experience became a dark comedy play and soon a podcast. The official bio:
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Official bio:
A leading voice for Alzheimer’s caregivers, Dayna Steele is the author of Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine and the playwright/actor of the dark dementia comedy, The Woman in the Mirror. When her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she navigated the horrific journey with the help of friends and strangers on Facebook, the basis of her Alzheimer’s survival manual and play.
The Woman in the Mirror play is a dose of therapy and sanity along with laughter and wine because when it comes to Alzheimer’s, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. Dayna chronicled her mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s through a series of posts on Facebook for over two years. These posts, the humorous stories, and the expert advice she collected through this trying time became the book and critically acclaimed play. Dayna is developing a podcast of the play, which will become a weekly series devoted to helping caregivers. The project team consists of an award-winning Broadway director, producer, and general manager.
Dayna is a rock radio Hall of Famer, the creator of the 101 Way to Rock self-help book series, a popular business speaker, and ran for the US Congress in 2018 with a healthcare platform. She has written 16 books, including Rock to the Top: What I Learned about Success from the World’s Greatest Rock Stars and 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities for Success Every Day. Her books, including the newest, 101 Ways to Rock Networking, can be found on Amazon and wherever books are sold. You can reach her on most social media platforms @daynasteele #survivingalzheimers.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
There is NO such thing as failure; it’s just another lesson learned. If you don’t pay attention to something that didn’t work or go just right, you are destined to make the same mistake again. Pay attention to what doesn’t work, figure out why, and move forward.
Being let go from the job I had since a teenager for over 20 years, I was at a loss and had no idea what I would do. It turns out it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I tried a lot of things, many that did not work, but others where I succeeded spectacularly.
Most of what we all do on a daily basis is not brain surgery. No one is going to die if you do something or try something and it doesn’t work. Just learn and move forward.
If you are a brain surgeon, do not listen to this advice.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Reading. Reading everything you can get your hands on in your field and totally unrelated subjects. Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Knowledge makes you a more interesting person to network with. Reading opens your eyes to new people, new ways of doing things, and new opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://surviving-alzheimers.com/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daynasteele
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daynasteele/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daynasteele
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynasteele/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/daynasteele
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/daynasteele
Image Credits
All photos property of Dayna Steele