Nelson Mandella’s famous quote!

“Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves,’who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; you playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. You were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So go ahead and shine your light! Brightly!

When Leadership finds you!

I came across this article in an old toastmaster’s magazine written by John C. Maxwell Ph.D and just have to share it with you cause I think it’s great!!

“Forty years ago, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. stirred the passion and imagination of Americans with his dream of equality for all people. Reflecting on the life of Dr King, I am reminded that history has demonstrated that leaders often emerge during periods of great change. For every major turning point in American history, great leaders assumed the mantle of leadership: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman come to mind.

What is interesting is that great men and women usually don’t go looking for leadership. Instead, leadership finds them. When Dr King received the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, he said, ‘History has thrust me into this position. I neither started the protest, nor suggested it. I simply responded to the call of the people.’ King’s words reminded me of Plato’s, ‘Only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it.’

So if you want it, you shoudn’t have it. Instead if you commit to other things, leadership will come. What do people who become great leaders commit themselves to that lead them to greatness? Here are four key commitments:

1. They commit themselves to growth. King was a life-long learner. he said, ‘I question and soul search constantly to be as certain as I can that I am fulfilling the true meaning of my work, maintaining my sense of purpose, holding fast to my ideals, and that I am guiding my people in the right direction.’

His widow, Coretta Scott king, confirmed this by saying that King ‘worked so hard and studied constantly – long after he became a world figure.’

2. They commit themselves to a larger-than-life vision. King saw the civil rights movement as the continuation ‘of that noble journey toward the goals reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Constitution itself, the Bill of Rights, and the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution.’ Dr King portrayed the movement as not simply a conflict between white people and black people, but a struggle between ‘Justice and Injustice.’

3. They commit themselves to action. Dr King always advocated specific and practical initiatives. Great leaders point to the problem and then clearly give several solutions. King would ask how it is that we can have all the great technology in America and yet cannot make the Constitution work at a luncheonette in a Southern Town.

‘What is needed,’ he said ‘is a strategy for change, a tactical program that will bring the Negro into the mainstream of American life as quickly as possible. when evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind.’

4. They commit themselves to a legacy. King said he wouldn’t ‘have any money to leave behind,’ but he wanted to ‘leave a committed life behind.’ This is best demonstrated in that he said he didn’t want ‘a long funeral,’ not even ‘a eulogy of more than one or two minutes.’ He wanted no mention of his Nobel Peace Prize or other awards he had received. Instead, ‘I’d like somebody to mention that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. Say that I was a drum major for justice, a drum major for peace, a drum major for righteousness.’

Dr King was right for the moment. He showed the nation a better way. Milions of us live with the hope of an even greater future as we remember his dream of when ‘little black boys and back girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.’

Dr Martin Luther King Jr didn’t look to become a leader. Leadership found him, and because of his commitment, he was able to answer leadership’s calling. That is a great lesson for all of us to learn. When leadership finds us, will we be the kind of people who can step up and lead? What we commit to now will be the determining factor.”

This article is just as pertinent today when we look around at our world community. Aboriginal children  in deplorable conditions in Australia where their human rights are being violated and conflict in many, many other parts of the world where innocent people are terrorized just to name a few. Insightful and visionary leadership is as critical today as ever, don’t you think?

What is our strategy for change?

It’s all in the touch

It’s all in the touch

the touch of love

the touch of healing

the touch of compassion

the touch of reassurance

the touch that says

“You are special, wanted

held in high regard”

It’s all in that touch

that very special touch

the touch you give through us

who reach out to those in need

to those who need to know.

Help us to be channels of your touch

in this dark world

to bring your love

healing

compassion

 and reassurance

to a world that knows

none of these.

‘heart2heart’

Anything is possible!

From  a very young age I have always believed that anything is possible……

Despite my current circumstances ….(I’m 44 yrs old now)…I have always strived to learn more, to be more….. and to do more!

It is critical that we continue to strive to make a positive difference in this world…for us, for our children, grandchildren, our friends…

However it is our old conditioning that we are always working with….and this takes some study and dicipline to change…..but it is possible!

Why do we want to change, you say?

Because if we are not growing and changing and learning new things….then we are going backwards.

More later…