Villages – Walk Into the Future

Poetic Fridays

(Image by Christine Sponchia from Pixabay)

Motivated?

What motivates you?

I would guess things quite different from what motivates me

The drive I seek comes from things I have seen

Some good, some bad

Some fair, some foul

The secret here is to use them all

Never let the opinion of others sway your desire

To reach the pinnacle you aspire

Continue to work to meet and exceed your goals

Remind the doubters that you are in control

Dreams will become reality soon enough

Got to keep working because life can be rough

Find your motivation, live your dreams

A motivated life is a wonderful sight to be seen

Knowledge

The series of daily challenges presented

Provides a template to view

How to conquer the challenges?

It is all up to you

Life provides many opportunities to grow

The direction you chose, only you will know

Continue to strive through the growing process

Knowing that you hold the key to it all

The knowledge you gain

Helps to move your journey forward

And makes the challenges easier to maintain

Note: All original verses by the author.

Irie vibes–control the controllable

(Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay)

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them”.

(Maya Angelou)

Control the controllable is one of my favorite sayings. Do not remember where I heard it first, but it has been a way of thinking for many years. Try to leverage this saying when things appear difficult and I need to remind myself to trust the process.

I shared the saying in a LinkedIn post back in April and was pleasantly surprised with the number of views (900+), reactions (20+) and comments the post garnered. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we view normal and it can be easy to get overwhelmed with everything happening around us.

Dictionary.com defines control as the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events.

Control the controllable can serve as a positive mantra to help tackle difficult times and situations.

Take care of yourself

Taking care of yourself can be done in many ways. For some this may mean ensuring you make time to exercise. For others this can be done by eating a healthier diet. This combination is a critical aspect of controlling how you function daily. A key component some of us may have forgotten until now is the mental and emotional elements in your life. COVID-19 has made us view life differently and reveals the importance of mental health. The ability to seek and find clarity should be at the forefront of taking care of yourself.

Take care of others

Who are YOUR tree branches? Make sure you reach out to them to help them navigate this new way of life. Most people will tell you they are doing okay but keep checking on them. They will appreciate the effort and it helps you keep your tree growing. You can also reach out to people who are not tree branches; make someone’s day and become a mentor to help move them forward and provide some guidance.

Continue to practice physical distancing

The government and news agencies penned the term social distancing. Believe this connotation has been a problem from day 1. Most people had never heard of this term prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and it may have confused some. I like the term physical distancing because it says right in the title to stay away from others. We have got enamored with social media and everything that comes with it—think a lot of people could not understand what was really being asked of them when told to practice social distancing. Regardless how you address the term, physical distancing is something we have some level of control.

Create personal outlets

Look for personal and creative outlets to leverage the things you can control. The Walk into the Future blog has become a major way for me to express a creative side I really did not know existed. I get excited researching topics and then challenging myself to create an article someone else may want to read. Have no idea if anyone is really reading this stuff but I keep plugging away because it is something I control.

Running and weightlifting are other outlets I utilized to control the controllable for myself. Journaling outside of my work on the Walk into the Future blog has a calming effect for me. Most times when writing in my journal I can generate work and life ideas to implement later. Handwriting content in the journal also makes me slow done a bit and really think through what I want to write down. Always recommend journaling to anyone who will listen to me because it is an excellent outlet to express thoughts—try it! 😊

Reggae and the beach are other outlets I have available to me daily.

Open your eyes and your mind to see your outlets!

“The control center of your life is your attitude”.

(Anonymous)

Live, love and laugh

Life can be a compilation of good and bad. Let’s focus on the good and leverage the positive energy this mindset brings. Live daily, love often and laugh always! (I just made that up). 😊

What daily things are within your control? How do you maintain this control? Thanks!

“The moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.”

(Kobe Bryant)

The true anniversary date

anniversary image

(Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay)

“A year from now, you will wish you had started today”.

(Karen Lamb)

Dictionary.com defines an anniversary as the yearly recurrence of the date of a past event and the celebration or commemoration of such a date.

The first Walk into the Future article was posted on this site on 6/18/2018. The true anniversary date for me is 4/14/2018—let me explain why I say this.

I sat on the beach at St. George Island (SGI) on 4/14/2018 with the idea of deciding which direction I wanted to pursue moving forward. The Walk into the Future concept was not on my radar but needed the beach atmosphere to help with a huge decision.

So, I sat on the beach on this prophetic day with my beach towel, cooler of beer, reggae, pen, and paper to figure this thing called life out (Prince reference).

I have used the concept of a pros/cons list in the past to help with major decisions and my goal on this day was to identify pro/con items to inform the decision I needed to make. Dr. Henry Cloud identifies successful people do not hang on to bad stuff for long in his book 9 Things you Simply Must do in Love and Life. The only way to label something as bad is to take a true look at it without emotion, hence the pros/cons list for me.

I finally admitted I spent too much time determining if I should stay in my old role. The interactions I had with students, employers, faculty, staff, and community members still appealed to me but there was always something daily to eliminate my joy. Turns out it was too much negative workplace energy. This is not a complaint just a stated fact from my perspective—negative energy can and will wear you down over time.

Fast forward to the list and the decision was obvious! There were 5 pros and 15 cons. I tried to manufacture some additional pros just to see if I could even this process out a bit, but this was the final tally. The 15 cons were present EVERY day and only 3 pros were daily items. I was amused when I saw the disparity of my two lists. I subconsciously knew this to be true but never wrote it out to examine more in-depth. Sadly, none of the cons listed were fixable—not one.

I laughed when I was able to view the list for the insight in front of me. So, on 4/14/2018 the Walk into the Future journey began after I made the decision it was time to move on from what I was doing. The work and making a difference daily were not the problem it was the negative energy—the opposite of the Irie mindset I seek in life. Dr. Cloud has another principle he calls Pull the Tooth. I decided to pull the tooth and Walk into the Future after I finished my beer and listened to a few more Bob Marley songs.

I decided to write this post after looking in my journal and coming across the page with my pros/cons list. Just happened to be 2 years to the date I wrote the items and wanted to share with my readers I just had an anniversary.

So, happy anniversary to the Walk into the Future blog. Here is to a few more years of writing, sharing adventures and making a difference in the world. Thanks for walking with me!

What tooth do YOU need to pull? How could the pros/cons list help with your decision?

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”.

(Walt Disney)

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.

14^th 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)

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?

The 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)

(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!!!

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?

My favorite thing about me!

Mirror

(Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay)

“On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom”.

(Michel de Montaigne)

My efforts to create content for the Walk into the Future blog finds me conducting research in multiple locations. I’m an avid reader so of course books, online articles and other blogs catch my attention daily. The goal is to generate fresh content others would be willing to read and share with their network. Always seeking additional content ideas as I Walk into the Future.

Came across an interesting guide during my research phase called 365 Days of Writing Prompts which was created by the Word Press editors to prompt bloggers with inspiration to write every day. Some of the prompts are an attempt to give bloggers a vault of topics which hopefully leads to finished articles.

I incorporate daily thoughts, conversations and events into Walk into the Future blog posts so most of the Word Press prompts are just things for me to view—not looking to write without a real purpose since this would not help promote my why on the blog.

Found a few of the Word Press prompts interesting enough to put aside to see if I could develop a future blog post. The following prompt is my first post using the Word Press guide:

Toot your horn: Most of us are excellent at being self-deprecating and are not so good at the opposite. Tell us your favorite thing about yourself.

Perseverance is defined as persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success (Dictionary.com).

I’ve talked about superpowers and leveraging my why to make a positive difference in the world. My favorite thing about myself at this point in my Walk into the Future is my perseverance.

My goal is to tackle each day with positive energy as I continue to move forward in the world. Would like to say things always go my way but that’s not true or a realistic outcome. I continue to persevere even when things don’t follow the plan; my positive energy mantra allows me to quickly regroup, make new plans (pivot) and then move forward.

The Walk into the Future title was selected for the blog because it gives me purpose and enhances how I interact with others daily.

Perseverance in my daily Walk into the Future allows me to continue to focus on how my words, thoughts, actions and why lead to small wins daily. The win could simply be a comment from one of my tree branches, family or blog followers, but it provides the positive energy to strive to do more in this world.

So, there it is, perseverance is my favorite thing about myself! Will continue to work on projects and topics to incorporate my why to see where this journey leads. Always striving for positive energy and outcomes in everything I touch—Irie mindset daily!

What is your favorite thing about yourself? How do you display your favorite thing to others? Thanks for walking with me!

“A true genius admits he/she knows nothing”.

(Albert Einstein)

Guest Blogger Friday: Melissa Forges

Guest Blogger Friday Villages

(Image by Magdalena Smolnicka from Pixabay)

Today my guest blogger is Melissa Forges who is one of my closest tree branches. Melissa will be featured here for Guest Blogger Friday:

Villages: A success factor

When you think about the factors that have helped you become successful, which one stands out?

For me it’s my villages. My personal villages always come to mind because it’s through the support, resources, and encouragement I continuously receive, that enable me to thrive in the many areas of my life. I strongly believe a community has the power to cheerlead you to persevere and be the candor, the frank wisdom you need to be guided in a specific direction. A group of people, whether you call it a village, or another name can be a success factor in your career and life as you Walk into the Future with others by your side.

As the old proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child”, so if child rearing, a noble yet daunting responsibility requires additional input and involvement, how much so for career, relationships, and other complex areas in our lives as well. The good news is there’s no boundary on what topic a village can be created around, how many villages you can be a part of, how many people in the village or how long it needs to last (it may serve for a specific purpose or time frame). The one ingredient is all must share the core identification of the group.

My villages are casual mom-groups to professional development organizations – and everything in between.

I’m part of a text-chat group with a handful of former coworkers and friends where we send jokes, encouragement, and levity during hectic work weeks. Another village is one that’s online via Facebook with 11,000+ members to provide networking opportunities, idea sharing and a safe space to feel heard and represented in our chosen career field.

Although I treasure all my villages as they are all unique, I appreciate one at work where we meet periodically throughout the day, especially at the end of the day to “check-in”, give feedback and provide advisement for each other’s projects and challenges, like a village think tank. The sincere support and sisterhood help each of us to shine, and I find that uplifting.

As one village makes me shine, another makes me sweat! This group of hard-working women are as diverse as they come but we all meet up three times a week, keep each other accountable and inspire one another to attain our fitness goals. I’ll never forget when we were tasked to plank for three sets of 60 seconds after an intense workout. Seems easy right? Well, not for me at that time! My arms were shaking from fatigue, sweat was dripping, and I was about to throw the towel in – but my village was not about to let that happen. Everyone began shouting my name and for me to not give up. I didn’t realize I needed a boost, but I sure used their energy and felt determined and was able to complete the exercise enthusiastically. The village helped me achieve the plank goal, shaky arms and all. It wasn’t about the planks; it was the group that helped me stay focused to achieve more than I thought I could in the moment.

That’s what villages can do. They call you higher to exist above mediocrity; they provide insight you may need for a decision or help you stay on your toes so to speak. Also, as villages call you higher, they become clusters of family whether they’re in-person or virtual because at the base of a village are the people, you’re building relationships with.

You may be in several villages and didn’t even know it. Think about the groups you periodically interact with and how you mutually serve one another. If you cannot think of one, maybe you can create one and it can even be online. Start with an interest or skill you enjoy or would like to develop. For example, it can be sports, business, or a hobby. You’ll find there are people, village people (pun intended) out there just like you looking to make a connection. Get out there and “raise a child”, metaphorically speaking, and build villages to incorporate into your success factor for life, career, and beyond!

What village(s) are you a part of? How has your village helped your success? If you’re not a part of a village, what type of village can you create?

Thank you Melissa for your outstanding insight on villages!

Follow Melissa here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mforges/

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