Josiane Peluso is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Medicare for New York City and Long Island. She handles the downstate New York market.
Josiane received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion and then paid her way through CUNY-Brooklyn College, where she graduated with a Master’s degree in Community Health Education. Before joining her current position, she worked in a call center for two years.
Josiane has always had an interest in healthy living and health education. She started her career in managed care for a health plan nine years ago as a health educator, educating low income communities about different health disparities and how to live healthier lives. From there, she progressed into a variety of different roles. She pivoted out of quality management health education into marketing, community outreach, designing outreach programs that can generate more brand awareness and drive enrollments into various government programs. She has also handled general management, operations, and now she is a Sales Director, focusing on Medicare Advantages plans in downstate New York.
In the last few years, what lifestyle, habit or behavior change has had the biggest positive impact on your life?
I always stay consistent in my physical activity and exercise regimen. I have made a concerted effort to make physical activity and exercise part of my daily routine. I also don’t make it a chore. I make it fun by going hiking, long walks with my dog and my husband, doing a lot of swimming during the summer months or when I’m on vacation, dancing, playing tennis, playing golf, and cycling. I do a lot of indoor cycling in the winter months. Anywhere that I find joy in the exercise I do, then I do more of it. Instead of making it about looking good, I made it about how it makes me feel. Making physical activity and exercise a priority makes me feel more confident about my body image, and overall, I feel healthier overall in my mind, body, and spirit because of these choices.
When you feel unfocused, what do you do?
I take a pause. It’s that simple. I take a pause. I detach. I’ll listen to a guided meditation if needed, or I’ll listen to a guided affirmation, depending on what I feel unfocused about, and then I tune back into what I need to focus on.
I also play a lot of classical music which keeps me focused when I am working on projects. It also helps me re-focus and get into the zone. Sometimes we’re unfocused just because of what’s happening in our physical space, therefore, I make sure my physical space of where I need to be is reflective of the focus that I need to have for whatever I am trying to accomplish.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
I would say the most important advice is to always conduct yourself with integrity, show up at everything you do with an impeccable work ethic, and have the right intentions behind why you do what you do. Also don’t take rejection or criticism from other people personally.
I suggest ignoring the societal pressure of what they “should” be doing or putting “should” on things as opposed to what they feel is right for them.
What is one lifestyle trend that excites you?
My Peloton is a lifestyle trend that really excites me. I really love it. The instructors are so motivating. They push and inspire me to achieve levels of endurance and strength. I have access to classes 24 hour, 7 days a week, so it fits perfectly into balancing my work/life schedule.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
My high school guidance counselor helped me to realize that there are so many variables in life that we cannot control. If we focus on what we can control, which is staying true to myself, being grateful for all opportunities and experiences, the good and the bad, we’ll find the lesson within each opportunity and each experience which will allow us to grow through these experiences which springs you forward into understanding the greater picture of why certain things happen. She taught me about radiating positivity and always looking for the positive or the lesson within each experience. If we have good intentions, things will work themselves out for my greatest good and for the good of those I’m here to serve. She really helped me to give me that perspective.
What’s one of the biggest life lessons you’ve learned?
Perspective is a beautiful thing. Typically, I tend to worry a lot if I have lost perspective. Everything that is happening in our lives can seem so big at the moment, so important, so do or die, but in the big picture of life, it’s just a single adversity. If we are fighting with our spouse over something silly, or bothered by the job that we didn’t get, I would say most of the things we worry about won’t matter 10 years from now. It’s important to stay focused on the things that truly do matter. unless it’s life threatening, let it go and move on. Let things go in your inner being, not just saying, oh, I let it go, but you have not let it go. Innately let it go and change your perspective.
What do you think it is that makes you/someone successful?
Daily habits make someone successful, from when they wake up to when they go to bed and everything they do in between, the conversations they keep with themselves and others, their mindset, to discipline to stay consistent with their habits, with their eating regimens, with everything that they do. Their vision of how they see themselves and what they want to achieve and the why behind the vision will affect their success. Is it just appearance or is it because of some greater purpose? If it’s for a greater purpose, then that’s success. If it’s because of how it appears, it’s empty, and to me, I do not view that as success. I think a positive attitude is huge and having faith.
How do you stay motivated?
I have a fire within me that keeps me on track. This is just who I am. But when I feel like my fire is going out and starting to dim, I re-ignite it. I will re-light it by listening to motivational speakers, people that inspire me, YouTube videos, podcasts, my instructors that I use for fitness, or my network of people in my inner circle. That helps me stay motivated. It’s about knowing where I’m losing the motivation and then tapping into the resource that can help me re-fuel my flame.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I actually wrote my own eulogy recently. It’s interesting that I’m asked this question. The legacy I would like to leave behind is that I helped people see the potential they had in them and encouraged them to make courageous decisions to live their best life, even if it meant defying societal odds that were placed on them. I added value to peoples’ lives and made them feel inspired to be the best that they could be. I helped people when in need. I helped them get through when they had a tough situation and it gave them the faith that there are good people in the world who are there to help for no reason other than to help. I helped others without self-serving purposes. I want to be remembered for being generous and thoughtful.