Comfortable?

Is time on your side? 
Are you comfortable with your life or stuck in life?
Do you truly know who you are and what your heart desires?
What's holding you back?
Do you need a jolt?


Whichever it is, don't get too comfortable with the status quo or delay fulfilling your dreams. Opportunity is right around the corner and it's important to get focus, seek it out and work smarter and harder.


You have the power to make real change in your life and it starts with acknowledgment and taking the first step.


I hope this inspirational message from Pastor Chris Fraley will fuel your passion and help you move forward.


"Disturb me, Lord, when my dreams come true only because I dreamed too small. 
Disturb me, when I arrive safely only because I sailed too close to the shore. 
Disturb me, when the things I've gained cause me to lose my thirst for more of You. 
Disturb me, when I've acquired success only to lose my desire for excellence. 

Disturb me, when I give up too soon and settle too far short of the goals You have set for my life." 




                                                                                                                                                                                               Image source

Friends Helping Friends

Three months ago, a colleague/friend and I were having a conversation, and out of the blue she asked me if I would be her mentor.

At first, I was a little taken back, but soon realized that this person trusted me, and believed that I had the ability to help her get where she wanted to be.

"Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“You know that I will be taking this very seriously, so get ready,” I said.

Here’s the thing – we’ve known each other a few years and I always told her that she had choices, and I questioned what was holding her back from reaching out for her goals. In her, I saw potential.

But it took for her to ask, and for me to respond, to make what I call the ‘coaching alliance. At that moment where suddenly things are clearer and a person is ready to take the next step into the unknown, and have faith as their guide.

That day, my friend chose to move forward with her life, and I couldn’t have been happier to be there through her journey.

On that very day I gave my friend a few challenge questions to think about over the weekend.

Let’s talk strategy, I told her. Together, we both agreed upon a plan, including:

1. An agreement to work together for three months, with a meeting every Wednesday during our lunch time.

2. A Q&A about her life experiences, specifically, her concerns, fears, accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses.
3. Created short-term, mid-term and long term goals.
4. Provide her with books, articles and online resources.

5. Introduce her to the art of networking.

6. Focus on interview skills and self-presentation.

The result: As time went on, and we followed our strategy, I began to see subtle changes in her.

More confidence. A positive outlook. An emerging belief that she could achieve anything she put her mind to.

With increased confidence, my friend found herself mentoring relatives, changing her approach in conversation, thinking and acting differently.

The growth wasn’t just one-sided; I too grew in my abilities as a better person, coach and mentor.

This is her testimonial:

Celia,

I want to take the time to say thank you for coaching/mentoring me. You've taught me to set goals and to take steps to achieve them, to believe in myself, go after my dreams, take initiative for the things that matter most to me, and how to be fearless. You pushed me past my boundaries. You have truly shown me the meaning of professional development. You have a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude, and you gave me the kick in the pants that I needed to wake up and take my life and career seriously. Thank you again.

~Desiree

  

Image Source

If you could...

If you could do one thing, what would it be and why?

This past May, I had the opportunity to attend my alma mater, Pace University's Undergraduate Ceremony. As an alumnus and a supporter of the university, I had the opportunity to re-live this memorable occasion from a different and refreshing perspective. To realize that I was a part of such a similar graduating ceremony 10 years ago was a reminder of just how quickly time flies and how many things one forgets about their own experiences.

The energy of this May graduation was simply explosive -- the cap, the gown, tassels, gathering of family and friends, all part of memories that one cherishes for life.
I soaked in every speaker, every speech, from this event but the one that stuck with me, was when Chuck Schumer, Senior US Senator from New York, shared a very thoughtful poem ("If" by  Rudyard Kipling) with the graduates. Just like them, it made me ponder my past, my future, my destiny, but most of all the value of life and the work that needs to be done.

Follow your bliss!

Rudyard Kipling
If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Poem Source

Picture Source 

MENTORING: Which side of the spectrum are you on?

What motivated me to write about this topic was my most recent mentoring experience this past fall. I've been volunteering with Streetwise Adult Career Ventures Program since February 2010 and could not have made a better decision.  It's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Not only have I been making a difference in the lives of others, but, I too, have been learning and growing throughout this process.

Through this mentoring exchange, besides continuously learning more about myself, I have gained more confidence and sharpened my listening, communication and presentation skills. I have learned to accept and appreciate people for who they are. We're unique in our own way. As mentors, our job is not to change our mentees, but to inspire and equip them with the tools they need to improve who they are and their personal circumstances, which in return will hugely transform their lives. We're all different, but have one common goal in life and that is to love and be loved.

Mentoring means the world to me, because I have been on both sides of the spectrum. You too may have been a mentor at some point in your life, maybe as a work colleague, a career buddy, a friend, a confidant, a family member, a coach, or a teacher. I've had amazing people to guide me throughout my life - family members, friends, basketball coaches, professionals.

My experiences with them have taught me two things:

1.  People are genuinely interested and willing to help, guide, support and encourage you without thought of personal gain. What catapults these relationships is our desire to dream, believe in ourselves and work hard.

2. People will give and show more of themselves only when you let your guard down and give and share more of yourself.

We're not perfect and we don't always have the answers to what life throws at us. Every now and then we all need guidance and encouragement. It is, therefore, important for us to seek the help of positive people who can challenge us and help us accomplish our goals. Even though you may have needed help at one time, that does not mean you cannot make a difference in someone else’s life. Use your expertise and the wisdom of your experiences to make an impact!

“Celia is a positive mentor because she knows how to be encouraging when she needs to be, tough when she has to be; when to listen and when to give direction. And she doesn’t always do it with a speech. Sometimes it’s just with a few simple yet important words that make all the difference. She doesn’t show impatience, and doesn’t make judgments. That is the best kind of help for anyone because you know you can tell someone your frustrations without being judged. She is there to help and you know it from the time you meet her. Her zest for life shows in the way she presents herself. She is always ready to go the extra mile!”

– Muneera, Fall 2010 Mentee and Outstanding Mentee Award recipient

RESOURCES:

Streetwise Partners

National CARES Mentoring Movement

Mentoring Definition
Mentoring picture source

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth" - Muhammad Ali