Goosebumps all over my arms, my breath held for goodness knows how long, my heart racing and I found a lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes.
All this while I was listening to Michelle Obama’s Democratic Convention Speech. Oh my! What a woman, what a delivery of such words full of impact.
I was listening to her speech – more focused on the actual words than who they were about. I was not thinking of Hillary Clinton or the elections. The words, the emotion, the impact – was about each one of us in our own leadership roles be it at work, at home, social and community organizations, as civilians.
*disclaimer: I am not representing any political party or individual. This article is purely inspired by content that can inspire you, me and everyone out there who wants to make a difference.
What do we aspire to be? Do we want to be regarded as role models for the next generation and generations to come? We need to carry ourselves in such honourable ways and know that we are ‘leaving something for our kids’.
Let’s look at some of the key phrases she uses and really soak it in. Can we take some of it or all of it and apply it to our own roles? You do not need to be a mother or for that matter a parent but just a person in a community who wants to leave a healthy heritage.
MO: “spent decades doing the relentless work to actually make a difference”
That’s a Mother, that’s a CEO, that’s a teacher, that’s a Guru, that’s a Volunteer, that’s all of us. Everything we do serves a bigger and a higher purpose.
MO: “when she did not win the nomination eight years ago, she did not get angry or disillusioned”
The game of life is not easy. There are moments we win there are moments we concede. Some days I’m a winner, some days I’m still running. But who draws the finish line? We’ve created it ourselves and get disillusioned by it. Keep your goal and vision in sight always… and don’t waiver with emotions. You’ll get there – ‘there’ is ‘where’ you definite it to be.
MO: “proudly stepped up to serve”
We do as family members no matter where in the hierarchy we are. We do as team players no matter what our position is. We do this in our respective communities to serve as a ‘whole’.
MO: “she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. ….(she) has never quit on anything in her life” (‘she’ can be replaced with ‘he’)
Some of us buckle, some of us throw in the towel some of the time. But most of the time, we get back up and do it all over again, and again, and again…
Something to keep in mind – keep yourself surrounded by great leaders but more than that surround yourself with a great support group who will not let you loose sight of your goals.
MO: “when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can’t make snap decisions. You can’t have thin skin or a tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well-informed.”
As heads of families and organizations, as members of the community – we hold a lot of power that most of the time we are not aware of . How we affect the moods of the people around us. How we can be encouraging or discouraging. How we can create a positive or negative environment. How we react to the people around us – calmly or do we lash out? We underestimate the power we have – but once we become aware of this power – we need to be smart and constructive in how we use it.
MO: “Someone whose life’s work shows our children that we don’t chase fame and fortune for ourselves; we fight to give everyone a chance to succeed. And we give back even when we are struggling ourselves because we know that there is someone worse off.”
I want to be that someone for me. For my children. For the children in my family. For the children in my community. Can you be that someone with me?
MO: “we are all created equal, each a beloved part…”
So why do we discriminate? We are all created equal. Who are we to judge who’s worthy of our time, our attention, our love, our respect? We are all a part of the ‘big’ picture. We ALL make a difference.
MO: “It is about leaving something better for our kids.”
AMEN! That’s my bottom line and the reason for why I need to continue to grow.
MO: “Volunteering to coach the team, teach the Sunday school class, because they know it takes a village.”
A little time spent to enhance our community, to serve our community, to serve the children.
MO: “Leaders … who show our kids what decency and devotion look like. Leaders… who have the guts and the grace to keep coming back and putting those cracks in the highest and hardest glass ceiling until they finally break through, lifting all of us along with …”
“I want a leader who is worthy of that truth, a leader worthy of my girls’ promise and all of our kids’ promise. A leader who will be guided every day by the love and hope and impossibly big dreams that we all have for our children.”
I want that leader too to inspire me. I want to be a little or a lot like that leader too to inspire someone..
*thank you Michelle Obama for that fantastic delivery and inspiration*