AUTHENTICITY. Are you living truthfully? Is your essential Self shining through every day or trying desperately to break through from an inner cage? Many of us hide our light–by trying to be someone else. We don’t speak up. We go along with the crowd. It takes years of coaching and therapy to peel away the…
ONE. Can one person change the world? What will be your legacy? Whenever anyone says, “What can I do? I’m only one person,” I remind them of Gandhi’s insistence that personal change and the ability to bring about social change are linked. It starts at home with you. That is the essence of his often repeated quote: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” For him, it wasn’t a trite statement; it was a responsibility of the living. The PWR – Purpose With Results philosophy is based on discovering your own Life Purpose and then inspiring others through it.
THE X FACTOR. What sets you apart from others? What do you add to the world that is outstanding or just different? Does your business have a unique competitive advantage? What is your X Factor? Think about this scenario: two entrepreneurs have similar backgrounds, pretty much identical business proposals, and exposure to the same professional network and one of them secures funding and becomes a success while the other struggles. One seems to attract “luck” while the other doesn’t.
MEDITATION. Are you familiar with peace? Are your responses to challenging situations controlled or reactive? Could you benefit from greater focus, concentration and awareness? When people find out that I teach meditation as a part of the yoga sessions, it elicits a variety of responses. Some have questions, such as: “How long do I need to meditate?” “Would it conflict with my religion?” Others submit their own perceived limitations: “I can’t stay still.” “My mind is always full.” “I don’t have the time.” “I tried it but nothing happened.”
From May 21st through May 24th, 2009, I participated in the 5th Annual NAACP Leadership 500 Summit entitled “Ensuring our Legacy” at the Phoenician Hotel and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. I spoke on the Summit General Session panel entitled, “Let’s Stay Together: Maintaining Family Connectedness in Tough Economic Times” moderated by Hazel N. Dukes. I also taught morning yoga classes.
THE BUZZ: On Thursday, April 30th, 2009, I did the red carpet interviews for the HealthCorps Annual Green Garden Gala. The event raised over $1 million to expand HealthCorps’ groundbreaking in-school health educational and mentoring program, which is growing across the country. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Founder and Chairman of HealthCorps, and his wife Lisa co-hosted the Gala. I interviewed Quincy Jones, who received the “Music for a Better Life” Award, as well as other notables such as LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, Ben Vereen, and Donna Karan.
DILIGENCE. Do you always do your best? Do you remain focused on your goals? How often have you given up when things seemed difficult? In 2007, I finished my doctorate in World Religions and became Dr. Kennedy, or “Dr. Terri K.” as my friends are calling me. As a busy entrepreneur, I had to be focused to get the work done in-between leading corporate workshops, speaking at events, coaching private clients, teaching yoga classes, and writing this column and other articles. It wasn’t easy and often required me to sacrifice “play-time” such as catching the latest movie, for “cerebral time” which usually included taking an exam or researching for another paper. Since it was a goal I wanted to achieve, I worked steadily on it over the last few years.
From April 13th through April 17th, 2009, I participated in the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The Summit brought together some of the world’s top policy and decision makers to discuss that region and global challenges. I also attended a special Young Global Leaders gathering. President Lula of Brazil was there and I had a “Meet the Leader” session with President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia.
THE BUZZ: From March 29th through April 8th, 2009, I participated in the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program – Global Leadership and Public Policy in the 21st Century. It brought together over 60 Young Global Leaders for 10 days to better understand the most press global issues. The faculty was top-notch from David Gergen…
CHOICE. How are you choosing to live? Do you realize all of the choices you make every week, every day, every second? Do you ever truly think about the consequences? When I was four years old my mom gave me The Little Me and THE GREAT ME, by Lou Austin which laid the groundwork for my spiritual development. With a bright yellow cover and joyful illustrations, this simple book explains that there are two wills in every person: one – the will of the human self (the Little Me), the other – the will of the divine self (THE GREAT ME). Between these two forces there is a continuous running battle.
