Walk Into the Future

Tag: Self Awareness

  • Why Black Lives Matter (BLM) matters today!

    BLM

    (Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay)

    “Human rights are something you were born with.  Human rights are your God-given rights. Human rights are the rights recognized by all nations on earth.  And any time anyone violates your human rights, you can take them to court”.

    (Malcolm X.)

    Dictionary.com defines human rights as a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person.

    Interesting to hear politicians, everyday Americans and TV news programs talk about the Constitution but most only cite the Amendments that fit a small segment of society.  A lot of folks will scream for their Second Amendment rights even though it was written when the country did not have an Army and militias were needed to defend the country.  These same folks do not make a peep when the Fourteenth Amendment is brought up.

    14th Amendment cliff notes version:  No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person in its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

    The Fourteenth amendment seems clearer to me in today’s climate than arming a militia we do not need because we have professional armed services (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Guard and Reserves).  Imagine if all Americans were treated equally as described in the Fourteenth amendment.  The world would be a better place right now.

    Had a fantastic conversation with an older gentleman last week about all the things (protests, marches, etc.) going on after the death of George Floyd.  The gentleman is a retiree and he drives the customer shuttle part time for a local car dealership.  He was giving me a ride home after I dropped my vehicle off for repairs and wanted to discuss current events.  He let me know he wanted to talk with someone but did not know how to start.  He asked if I would be willing to talk with him so he would have a better understanding of current events.  Guess I made him feel comfortable because I had only been around him 10 minutes before he decided I was the chosen one to enlighten him.

    He asked me two questions:

    • Why are people saying Black Lives Matter (BLM), shouldn’t all live matter?
    • Why are the confederate statues coming down so important today?

    Explained to him the BLM movement is needed to highlight the injustices black people continue to face with no end in sight.  No one ever said all lives do not matter but BLM is a way to focus on people who have been marginalized, forgotten, abused, and brutalized since being brought to America.  The BLM movement keeps the continued injustices against black people in America at the forefront and signals we will not be quiet anymore.  Anyone who says All Lives Matter, White Lives Matter or Blue Lives Matter have not been subjected to the same level of systemic racism, policing, sentencing, violence, government oversight and oppression as the people who need you to understand Black Live Matter!

    https://blacklivesmatter.com/

    I let my new friend know the confederate statues were routinely placed as racial dog whistles to a past that honored men who fought to continue slavery.  Most people do not know but a lot of these statues were put in place throughout the 1900’s.  The state of Arizona built a confederate monument in 2010.  Let me repeat that—the state of Arizona commissioned and placed a confederate monument in 2010!!!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Confederate_monuments_and_memorials

    Placing these monuments in public places is a slap in the face of all Americans but is reprehensible for anyone who was subjected to slavery, cruelty and death at the hands of the men others are trying to honor with a heritage claim.  Does Germany or Japan have statues of American Generals who fought against their countries?  What would they think having to walk by statues of these people daily?

    The confederates who are depicted by the statues fought against America!  They would be considered enemies if they were from a different country or race.  They were traitors against the American government and fought to keep black people as slaves, but some people want to hide behind a heritage claim for why these statues should remain.  They are a part of history but should not be given a higher regard than true American heroes who did not become traitors against their country.  Confederate generals, soldiers, sympathizers, and apologists are traitors to the American way of life.  Who would claim being a traitor as a heritage to be proud of?

    My new friend and I departed after having a great conversation.  I am happy he felt comfortable enough to want to talk with me.  He let me know he would talk with his grand kids later that day to help them understand everything happening around them and become a better BLM ally.  Smalls steps on this journey!

    Who can you help understand the BLM movement?  What support do you need to keep the conversation moving forward?

     “It’s a privilege to educate yourself about racism instead of experiencing it”.

    (Sir John)

  • Congrats to the Class of 2020—Go Jayla!

    Grad 2020

    (Image by Annalise Batista from Pixabay)

    “Follow your fear”.

    (Tina Fey)

    We are halfway through 2020 and the ebb and flows of the year have been tremendous.  Most people I know came into 2020 with major goals, plans, and the right mindset to make positive things happen.  We continue to move forward but the COVID-19 pandemic has adjusted how we Walk into the Future daily.

    Looking forward to getting back to things that resemble normal life but do not know if/when that will be possible.  The term new normal is being thrown around and means we must redefine what is considered normal in the future.

    One thing that does not require a new normal is how proud I am of my niece, Jayla Williams!  We have been on a special journey for the past 24 years and I am excited to see her next money moves in the future.

    The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped a large portion of planned activities for everyone but one area we had to put on hold was celebrating Jayla’s graduation from the University of Central Florida.  Family and friends have reached out to congratulate her for this phenomenal feat, but we have not been able to gather the crew and throw the blowout party this accomplishment deserves.  No worries Jayla, we will get it in when safe! 😊

    My joy for Jayla’s graduation is because we first talked about going to college when she was 5 years old.  Some may think this is a bit young, but my goal was to create a mindset where we knew the direction of the journey.  Please note, all the work, time and effort were put in by Jayla and it was a joy for me to watch her tick off objectives towards this goal.  My role simply was support, reinforcement, someone to bounce ideas off, and a silly uncle joke when needed.

    It is amazing to look back on this journey and see the adult she has become.  I am sure this progression is nothing new for parents to view but for the cool uncle this has been an awesome ride!

    The University of Central Florida conducted virtual graduation ceremonies for each college.  The College of Business hosted the largest number of graduates which ensured we would be glued to our computers until they got to the great Williams last name. Did not realize how excited I would be sitting on my laptop waiting to officially hear Jayla Williams being declared an Integrated Business graduate from the University of Central Florida College of Business.  Luckily, I had the foresight to get my phone ready for the quick photo opportunity provided while hearing Jayla’s name.  This put a huge smile on my face, and I texted the photo to family so they could share in my joy!

    Looking forward to when we can get back together to throw the big blowout party she was expecting and deserves.  That day is coming, and we will celebrate the 24 years and counting for the journey we are on.  Cannot wait to see what the future holds for my class of 2020 graduate—big things I am sure!

    Congratulations and Go Jayla! 😊

    Uncle Calvin

     “Fall forward.  Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.  You have got to take risks”.

    (Denzel Washington)

     

  • Walking into the Future and making money moves!

    Money moves

    (Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay)

    “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

    Urban Dictionary defines money moves as:  a term used to describe a bad individual on the grind.  This person works hard to make moves to elevate their financial success, fame, or status.  Simple enough, huh?

    It is normally associated with financial success but does not have to be limited to obtaining a financial payout to be considered a money move.

    I have referred to several opportunities associated with my Walk into the Future as money moves.  Never attempted to associate them with a financial outlook but always saw them as leading to future goals and outcomes.  Money moves came up again in a conversation with a friend and we agreed I should detail how I am making money moves.

    Mentoring and people building daily is the money move with the most impact for me.  Enjoy sharing wisdom and helping my tree branches grow in their daily endeavors.  Making a difference daily remains a goal for me and I look for additional ways to make this happen.  Turns out helping others allows me to stretch my skills and continue to grow right along with them.  I get to increase my knowledge while researching topics to leverage during my mentoring sessions.  The money move centers around limitless growth for me and the tree branch and keeps us both moving forward.

    Blogging weekly is the money move that provides me with a creative outlet.  Never shared my thoughts or aspirations in a public platform before but turns out writing my ideas for others to read forces me to act.  Sounds simple but there is not a way for me to back out of a process once I have written it down and shared on the Walk into the Future blog.  My tree branches hold me accountable for the things I write, and I want to make positive things happen.  A lot of things I have accomplished over the past two years are related to me generating content for the blog.  Amazing how the written word bounds you to commit to the things you write.  Turns out I had a lot to say but never really said anything—now you cannot get me to be quiet! 😊

    Participating as a guest on multiple podcasts has been an unexpected money move but enjoy the process now.  I am not a huge follower of podcasts but know the format continues to grow and is extremely popular.  View my time on podcasts as another way to inspire people and grow new tree branches.  People reach out to me on LinkedIn to let me know they enjoyed my work on the Mastering College to Career and Intern Whisperer podcasts.  I have done multiple episodes with both podcast partners and look forward to shooting more soon.  My friend, Daniel Botero keeps pushing me to start my own podcast.  Never say never but I have not committed to this as a new money move project yet.  It may be something I seriously consider for a 2021 project—we will see.

    Being a running tourist is the money move with the most transformational impact for me.  Never set out to lose a specific amount of weight but running more and longer distances has allowed me to shed pounds and keep them off.  I sleep better and have a ton of energy to tackle my daily activities.  Running also provides me with a platform to clear my mind and generate content for the Walk into the Future blog.  A lot of blog topic ideas are generated during one of my weekly runs—I should take a voice recorder with me but luckily, I am able to remember most of the ideas that pop into my head while out running.  Running also provides me a mechanism to remain competitive as I compete with myself to beat a previous race or training time.  I also compete with my tree branches as we share personal best race times.  I am chasing one of you (Kume) right now to improve my 10k time—getting closer! 😊

    My speaking platform is the final money move for me to highlight.  I find this to be an effective way for me to reach new tree branches.  Always looking for additional speaking opportunities (pre COVID-19) to share my knowledge with others.  I have been able to adjust speaking topics into blog articles and vice versa.  The spoken and written word remains a powerful combination and will continue to leverage them moving forward.  Plan to get back into the lab and generate new speaking topics because I anticipate being back on the speaking circuit once the COVID-19 outlook gets better.  May look for ways to leverage the virtual platforms like Zoom to engage people with technology.  Got a lot of new ideas to try out just need to remain patient and then unleash on the world.

    So, as you can see, money moves can be anything you want them to be.  You do not have to receive a financial windfall to get fulfillment and make a difference.  Think Biggie says it well!  (see below).

    “Don’t chase the paper, chase the dream”.

    (Biggie Smalls)

    What money moves are you making right now?

  • Walking and being black in America!

    Candles

    (Image by Pexels from Pixabay)

    “To be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage”.

    (James Baldwin)

    “I’m a black man in America so I always feel there’s a target on me”.

    (Wale)

    The Walk into the Future blog has provided me with a creative outlet where I can share my thoughts, leadership philosophy and life adventures.  It puts a smile on my face when I look back at this journey and see the quality of my writing and content improve daily.  Never thought an electronic journal would become such a huge part of my daily life.  I smile every time someone follows the blog or sends me a comment.

    Well, I did not smile so much today!

    The battle we fight daily as black men in America has been playing out on every major TV network first with Ahmaud Arbery (killed jogging), then Breonna Taylor (killed sleeping) and now George Floyd (killed while handcuffed).  Think about that last sentence for a minute!

    I know there are others out there who have faced the wrath of America but there was not video evidence of what happened to them.  Black America has been hoping and praying these incidents would stop and we can fully engage in the American dream—good thing I am not holding my breath—this never seems to end!  Why not?  I know this is not a simple question to answer but it needs to get answered soon.

    Got several text messages from my friends to check on me to see how I am doing with all of this.  Thank you for thinking of me and reaching out!

    Think it hits closer to home with my friends because they know how much I am out and about with my running program.  Seeing a black man get killed while out for a run highlighted our plight to my friends—yes, that could have been me.  I have had to reassure my mom, brothers, and friends that I am doing everything I can to stay safe when I am out for a run.  Sad to say I must think about being able to make it home safely when I go out for a run.  How many who read my blog have these thoughts when you go for a run?  Life is weird, huh?

    My running outfits are selected to provide me with the most visibility as possible.  The extreme bright, loud, and sometimes fluorescent colors are used so everyone will know I am not hiding anything or trying to blend in.  I want to be visible and remembered by everyone who sees me running through their neighborhood.  I also make a point to speak, wave, and smile at everyone I encounter because I do not want them to feel threatened.  Surprisingly, most do not wave back but that is not the point of my actions.  I smile and wave whenever I see a police car drive by too.  Cannot be seen as a threat while exercising!

    (Do I look like a runner?)

    I also make a point to carry my retired Air Force identification card when I am on my runs in case I encounter police.  I have found police are less threatened when they realize they are talking with someone who has served the country.

    When driving I always show my military identification if I get pulled over for any reason first, then I provide whatever identification is requested.  Please know both hands remain on the steering wheel and then I explain in a clear, distinct voice what I am doing if ordered to produce anything else.  I am sure most black people follow this same process to avoid misunderstandings that leads to…you know!

    Being a black man in America is exhausting!  I have a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, a Master’s degree in Counseling/Human Relations, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Air Force retiree identification and recognized nationally for authentic leadership development.

    Now, imagine what black men without my credentials must do to survive in America.  The insanity must stop!

    NOTE:  I will get back to my normal tone next week—thanks for allowing me to vent.

     

    “I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color”.

    (Malcolm X.)

    “Usually, when people are sad, they don’t do anything.  They just cry over their condition.  But when they are angry, they bring about change”.

    (Malcolm X.)

    Time for change—let’s get out and vote, remain vigilant and demand change—we must do better!

    How can you help?

    Great article:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/05/29/george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-killings-make-hard-blacks-breathe-column/5278108002/

  • Walking with a month of inspiration!

    Mattie inspiration project

    (Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay)

    “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”.

    (John Wooden)

    My Walk into the Future has provided me with a new perspective on how I see and live life.  This process has created transformations (mental and physical) which allow me to walk daily with a mission to make a difference daily.

    A great aspect to my Walk into the Future has been the great connections I make and reconnecting with friends and family.  I have mentioned one of my mentors, Mrs. Mattie Fouraker who I met in the 10th grade.  She was my Typing 1 teacher and the skills I learned from her have led to many successful outcomes for me over the years.

    I started sharing Walk into the Future blog articles with Mrs. Fouraker to show her some of the things I have been doing and a way to say thank you.  Decided to print a few articles and mailed them to her so she can have them readily available.  Got an email from her to let me know she received them and a huge surprise.

    My mission to make a difference daily and sharing blog articles inspired her to create an Inspiration Project.

    She decided to get busy and find ways to inspire others in her life daily!  My mentor put a smile on my face by emulating something I do—truly humbled when she told me what she was doing.

    She cut out my mission:  to make a difference daily and put this on her refrigerator with a monthly calendar underneath.

    Her goal is to do something to inspire someone every day of the month and record the deed on the calendar.  Thought this was a very purposeful way to inspire others and make a difference daily.  In fact, the ability to look back on a month’s worth of difference making must feel great.  I love this idea and grateful she shared her project with me.

    I will follow her lead and record my daily difference making initiatives to get a better understanding of impact AND to keep me focused.  I am sure there are days I may fall short but having a visual tool will keep me on-track.  The monthly good deeds may also lead to future blog articles—we will see!

    Challenge accepted

    So, now I challenge everyone who may read this post to join Mrs. Fouraker and me on this Inspiration Project journey to make a difference daily.  Create a calendar, excel spreadsheet, or Google doc to record who and how you made a difference today.  Do this for a day, a week, or a month to see the impact you have on the people in your daily walk.  Track your inspirations for as long as you want but thought this was a great way to highlight the importance of helping others.  Who is with me? 😊  This could also be the beginning of you establishing your own tree branches.

    Who can you inspire today?  What will you do to make it happen?  Thanks!

    “Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does”.

    (William James)

    Note:  Mrs. Fouraker is a regular reader of the blog now. She follows along weekly on her iPad —hope you enjoyed this one and thanks for the inspiration! Hope to see you soon!😊

     

    Time to Inspire

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

     

  • The Wolf of Networking

    Wolf of Networking

    (Image by InspiredImages from Pixabay)

    “Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program”.

    (Susan RoAne)

    My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with opportunities to make a difference daily.  It helps that I have opened my eyes and mind to all possibilities and the opportunities keep presenting themselves to me.  The journey moves forward!

    The title of this blog article references the Wolf of Networking.  I have identified myself as a People Builder, running tourist and Inspiration Man in multiple posts.  Well, say hello to my next moniker, Wolf of Networking! 😊

    I selected this new moniker to have fun with a project that has been years in the making.  My past roles in university career services allowed me to build and maintain a network with recruiters who primarily hire recent college graduates.  I was responsible to find, network and recruit these recruiters to come on-campus to hire students.  My unit put on career fairs, networking events, professional development workshops and scheduled on-campus interviews to connect students and recruiters.  So, this put me in a prime position to learn inside information on how different organizations created their on-campus recruiting programs.

    The Wolf of Networking had to compete with other schools for recruiters’ attention and resources to ensure our students got opportunities.  Happy to say we won more battles than we lost and maintained a robust on-campus recruiting program at multiple schools (UCF and FSU).  Shared tricks of the trade with other wolf packs (UF, USF, FAU, FIU) to help them become more successful getting employers on their campuses.  Found it was easier to keep employers in Florida if other schools were viewed as attractive options—I am competitive but also practical.

    I leveraged the Wolf of Networking status to build my handpicked wolf pack and I am happy to see the great things they are doing around the country at prestigious institutions.  We stay in contact to ensure the pack continues to grow.

    Went back to my wolf pack mentality recently to help a tree branch network with recruiters for future employment.  This tree branch had heard about my contacts but did not fully understand how connected I still am in the college recruiting world.  Happy to say they get it now! 😊

    I was presented with a list of 9 organizations of interest for future employment.  I had professional contacts with 8 of the 9 organizations on the list.  Some of these contacts are also personal friends so it was a bit easier to get them to respond to my requests.  My tree branch now had people inside the organizations they wanted to work for looking out for them.  Nothing was promised but my network was looking out for my tree branch just as I would.

    I tell people I work with you are always networking even when you do not know it.  Look for ways to benefit others and then when you need a helping hand people will respond to you.  Think my tree branch will look at the Wolf of Networking from a different perspective now.  The wolf makes positive things happen! 😊

    Who can you help reach their goals?  What action steps are needed for a successful outcome?

     “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives”.

    (Michelle Obama)

     Network Tree

    (Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

    2020 Wolf pack:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-apgar-m-s-38ab4035/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenkume/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/mforges/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/vrhanikuhaynes/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-a-collins/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadevite/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/pagetisdale/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaylabriwilliams/

  • Daily flowers—send them now!

    Purple Rose

    (Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay)

    “Don’t wait for people to die to send them flowers”.

    (Reverend Simmons, New Bethel AME Church)

    It is amazing the things we retain from our childhood.  I attended weekly Sunday school and church services at New Bethel AME church while growing up in Jasper, FL.  I am sure Reverend Simmons said some other amazing things but the quote above always stuck with me.  Never understood it as a kid so maybe that is why it stuck with me all these years.

    Thought it was a weird saying until I fully understood his meaning.  It can be interpreted multiple ways, but he was reminding us to cherish/celebrate the people in our lives while we have them.  Waiting for a tragic incident is a bit late to let people know what you think about them.

    I decided to write this post 3 days after Kobe Bryant, his daughter and friends died in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles.  I am not much of an NBA fan but watched Kobe during his Hall of Fame NBA career and more intently after he retired.  He ventured into business, screen writing, venture capital investments and his sports academy as part of his life after basketball.  He became successful in these endeavors because he displayed a thirst for knowledge and sought out mentors to learn new things.  He continued to look for ways to get better and make a difference in the world.  Believe he was on the verge of expanding his portfolio in the entertainment world but never got a chance to complete this portion of his legacy.

    I will not dive much further into Kobe’s life, but his unexpected passing brought me back to what Reverend Simmons reminded us EVERY Sunday—Do not wait for people to die to send them flowers. 

    I use a lot of quotes in my daily Walk into the Future, but I am sure my tree branches have never heard me use this quote with them.  May seem weird to share so much with them but not this one aspect of my background.  Allow me to provide a bit of clarity and how I leverage the quote in all my interactions.

    I take my role as a tree seriously and believe I should model positive things for my tree branches.  I also want to continue to make a difference daily.  So, I provide theoretical flowers every day to my people!

    I make a point to text, call, email, LinkedIn, visit or carrier pigeon (LOL) someone daily to provide them their flowers.  May look like:

    • Happy Monday!
    • Happy Friday!
    • Go (insert name)!
    • How are you?
    • How are your students doing?
    • How’s the family?

    I could add more to the list but believe you get the message.  It may be small things but once I understood what Reverend Simmons was telling us I discovered a ton of ways to provide flowers daily.  Some of you may prefer real flowers but I cannot afford the daily costs so guess you will have to be happy with my texts, calls, emails, LinkedIn, visits and hopefully those dang pigeons arrive soon! 😊

    So, do me a favor, look around and identify who you need to send flowers to and get busy!  Thank you!

    “It’s the one thing you can control.  You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t.  So, don’t take it lightly”.

    (Kobe Bryant)

    “Live for yourself and you live in vain; live for others and you will live again”.

    (Bob Marley)

     Happy Mother’s Day!!!

     

  • Transition towards the future!

    Transition

    (Image by Volker Sachse from Pixabay)

    “Light precedes every transition.  Whether at the end of a tunnel, through a crack in the door or the flash of an idea, it is always there, heralding a new beginning”.

    (Teresa Tsalaky)

    I spend a large amount of time generating lists in my daily Walk into the Future.  This is not a new phenomenon because I find my lists help keep me focused and moving forward in multiple areas.  I track everything:  daily activities, weekly to-do lists, yearly goals, every gym workout, every mile I run and how fast I ran them.  Small correction, I do not track what I eat—may need to add this process since I have decided to eat better in 2020—we will see!  Guess a grocery list would help with this, huh? 😊

    Decided to discuss my list making process because a tree branch wanted me to write an article about what the transition from my previous work life to my current Walk into the Future journey looks like.  His interest was more in understanding the transition because a lot of people talk about making a change but never really discuss what happens during the transition.

    Of course, my transition started with a list.  I sat on a beach on 4/14/18 and created a PRO/CON list to give me a visual of why/if I wanted to Walk into the Future.  Did a complete assessment and put items under the PRO (stay) or CON (walk) column to give me something measurable.  The list was heavily populated on the CON side so my decision to Walk into the Future was easy to make and backed by data.  I will not dive into what was on the list but wanted to share there was a process involved to help with this decision.

    “Transitions in life can offer opportunities for discovery”.

    (Robbie Shell)

    Throwback article on moving forward:

    I am sure there are books and additional articles written by others who have transitioned from one work environment to another.  This process is unique to everyone who decides to Walk into the Future—I will share things unique to me and my current Walk into the Future.

    Humility

    Being humble signals a willingness to learn and continue to grow.  I have never professed I know everything, so I continue to be a lifelong learner.  I read, network and ask questions when I do not understand something.  Humility can speed up the transition process by seeking others to help along the way.  Therefore, I never turn down meetings, speaking engagements or random conversations—I am learning as I go, and everyone can be a good source of information for me.  I have maintained relationships with mentors and expanded my mentor pool to ensure I’m continuing to learn and grow.

    Patience

    How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time!  This is an old leadership axiom to get people to focus on the process and not get overwhelmed with the perceived end results.  Most things in life are a process and can be overcome with a patient approach.  I have had to display a high level of patience during my Walk into the Future because not everyone I encounter is trying to get to the exact place I am.  They may not even know how to help me get where I am headed and may need to refer me to someone else.  I have learned the art of the follow-up call/email very well during this period! 😊  Remember, one bite at a time.

    Sense of Humor

    Laughter is a great way to release endorphins and makes you feel good.  Laughter is also needed in this process because I do not take everything so seriously.  Life is stressful enough without us adding more to it.  I make a point to laugh, tell jokes and enjoy life to the max.  I smile when I pitch a proposal to organizations for speaking engagements and I smile when organizations so no thank you.  I generate a big old grin when I book a gig—it feels good!  The key I believe is not to get too high or low during this process—laughing daily helps with this.  I make a point to smile, laugh and enjoy myself when presenting to others—believe people relate to others who smile.

    Confidence

    Spend any amount of time with me and you will understand I do not lack confidence.  This really helped when making the decision to Walk into the Future.  It also leads to the ability to keep moving forward even when things do not go my way.  I have heard the word NO more times than YES during this process but cannot let that distract me from my mission to make a difference daily.  My lists mentioned earlier help as well because they allow me to check things off—never discount the importance of checking things off a list—it shows progress!  I view life as a journey and confidence helps every step of the way.  Positive self-talk is an outstanding way to get and maintain your confidence levels.

    Mental and Physical outlets

    My blog articles cover a lot of topics as I continue my Walk into the Future.  I purposely seek out activities to enhance my mental and physical well being daily.  My daily workouts, running program and yoga practice are designed to boost my physical fitness and allow me to generate endorphins.  Never discount the impact physical activity provides to daily life.

    I am an avid reader, so bookstore and library visits are a regular part of my program.  I gravitate to blogs, online articles and LinkedIn to ensure I continue to learn new things.  My book topics range from self-help, psychology, poetry and autobiographies.  I do not venture into fiction much—John Sanford is the only fiction author I read on a regular basis.  Discovered him by accident over 20 years ago while stationed on Okinawa, Japan.  Been reading his work ever since.

    I maintain a journal which helps me process my thoughts and aspirations.  This is a weekly process for me or anytime I am at the beach.  Lastly, the Walk into the Future blog provides an outstanding mental outlet vehicle for me.  Get to write and test out ideas here right in front of YOU! 😊

    So, there you have it.  This is still an active transition for me as I explore new ideas, topics, interests and partnerships.  This journey will continue, and I am sure there will be pivots needed but the smile on my face will not go away.

    Enjoy your transition as you walk with me!

    How can you make the transitions needed for your journey?  Who can you partner with to enhance the transition period?  Thanks!

     “Life is a transition”.

    (Lailah Gifty Akita)

  • The mirror can lie! Blaze your own trail

    round leaning mirror with white frame
    Photo by Emre Can on Pexels.com

    “If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.”

    (Audre Lorde)

    Really love the words presented by Audre Lorde.  The concept of creating your own definition of self is vitality important to truly progress in life.  There are people who look in the mirror and automatically see bad examples staring back at them.  Please know, the mirror can lie and the bad examples from the past do not have to hinder the present and/or future.

    Bad examples can manifest in multiple locations.  I will focus on two specific areas to help highlight how bad examples can and should be used to fuel a positive Walk into the Future.  The two areas I focus on are leadership and personal development. I’m sure everyone has a story on bad examples in these areas as well.  My attempt will be to show how these bad experiences can be leveraged for a positive tomorrow.

    Leadership

    Would like to say everyone I’ve worked for has been an outstanding leader but that would not be true.  It may not even be realistic to expect EVERY leader to possess the capability to be outstanding.  Turns out the leaders who were not the best provided me with enough tough lessons to sharpen my leadership skills.  Please note, I’ve had some great leaders/mentors in my life who I lean on even today.  Their lessons are with me daily, but the few bad leaders impact my leadership style and methods as well.

    I gravitated towards the Authentic Leadership style because I’ve seen organizations destroyed because the so-called leader wasn’t authentic.  They profess being a genuine and transparent leader but then their true self comes out and it is the opposite of authentic.  Seeing these type leaders in action reinforces why the concepts of authenticity, self-awareness, having a moral compass and relational transparency are so important in my leadership style.

    I’ve seen leaders who walk by their direct reports’ multiple times in a day and never say hello.  Seems like a small thing but how can you say you care about your people and can’t acknowledge them?  Not saying a leader must stop and talk every time they see someone but it’s a lot easier leading people when you are relatable and engaged. Also, only talking with direct reports when something is needed or due signals the leader only cares about the bottom line.  Staff will do more within a positive and nurturing work environment.

    These are two leadership examples I leverage to help build my authentic leadership platform.  I proactively do the opposite of these leadership examples because I’ve seen them in action and how they deflate staff and organizational morale.

    That’s my approach, things I don’t like or disagree with from a bad leader, I simply don’t repeat—not rocket science but it works.  No need to subject others to these habits—create positive energy and blaze your leadership trail to enhance the work environment.

    Personal development

    There are instances where environment can hinder personal development but many more where great outcomes occur almost against all odds.  Life is impacted by choices (good or bad) and we have the capability to choose not to mirror bad examples but learn from them.

    I love working with college students from South Florida.  They routinely tell me they’re the first person in their family to attend college and they want a different outcome for themselves.  They don’t want to forget the struggles from home but use them to continue to grow.  They also strive not to repeat some of the bad neighborhood examples others succumbed to.

    They tell me of proactive actions they took to avoid running with the wrong neighborhood friends.  These people may have been well intentioned but set bad examples of how to truly progress in life.  They experienced family and community situations that potentially could hinder growth, but they didn’t let these things stop them.  These things were used as inspiration to overcome obstacles.

    Environment is an important element in personal development but can be overcome—I’ve seen it done.  Mentors and positive examples can help with personal development.  Self-awareness and learning from bad examples can increase the ability to blaze a personal development trail.

    “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    How do you define yourself for you?  What does your personal or professional mirror reflect? How can you leverage bad examples to enhance your Walk into the Future?

  • Stop limiting your progress—remove personal roadblocks

    Road Block image

    (Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay)

    “Love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort and keep on learning”.

    (Carol Dweck)

    What is holding you back from accomplishing what you want out of life?

    This question and subsequent answers can be applied to your personal and professional life.  I’m a huge advocate for positive energy helping us meet or exceed our life goals so, begin the process to remove anything that would limit your progress today!

    Dictionary.com defines progress as forward or onward movement toward a destination.

    Let your daily thoughts, actions and words lead you toward the progress your desire in all areas of your life.

    I’m a firm believer we can talk ourselves into or out of anything in life.  I’ve started answering the question how’s your day? with the response fantastic.  I use this response to trigger the destination I’m seeking and ensure my thoughts match the destination.  I know this is a simple explanation but how many people have you heard say the following:

    • I’m not a morning person…
    • I want to work out but don’t have time…
    • Working on this project is going to suck…

    They have just created a negative thought pattern for the highlighted activities.  Not saying simply putting a positive spin would make everything work better BUT it can’t hurt.  Why create these roadblocks for yourself?  Positive self-talk can be used here to get better outcomes.  It takes time to adjust your mindset but should be worth the attempt.

    “There is no elevator to success.  You must take the stairs”.

    (Unknown)

    Next, put the necessary actions in place to match your positive thoughts.  Identify the things needed to reverse the identified roadblocks.  Using the same thoughts listed above can help highlight how actions can help with your thoughts:

    • I’m not a morning person…
      • (Action: establish an earlier and consistent bedtime)
    • I want to work out but don’t have time…
      • (Action: start small, walk during lunch or after dinner; work out at home)
    • Working on this project is going to suck…
      • (Action: research the project, look for ways to influence positive outcomes)

    Finally, put the appropriate words in place to ensure your thoughts and actions move you towards the progress you seek.  I leverage reggae and specifically Bob Marley songs to get me in an Irie state of mind prior to speaking engagements.  This may seem like a small factor, but I’ve found sustained success when I do this.  Playing reggae also enhances the mood and mindset of my audience.

    I routinely write the following words in my notes prior to speaking:  eye contact, speak clearly, move the crowd and have fun.

    These words are consistent with the outcomes I want from every presentation.  I mentioned in an earlier post I still get nervous prior to speaking even with my experience level.  Writing these words prior to an engagement give me the focus needed to ensure a successful presentation.  My words in this example influence my thoughts and lead to positive actions.  Simple, huh?

    This is not an overnight process!  It takes time and self-awareness to fully understand how your thoughts, words and actions impact your daily interactions.

    What roadblocks have you created that limit your progress?  What thoughts, actions and words can you leverage to remove these roadblocks? Thanks!

    “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right”.

    (Henry Ford)

    Open Road

    (Image by Rohan S from Pixabay)