All great ideas begin with one step and only succeed if you just keep moving forward, even if it is slowly. Rather than talking and planning endlessly, just do something. Take one step.
Loneliness only lasts as long as it takes for me to start a conversation with someone and take the risk of believing that we all want to connect and we all want to believe in a better world.
Just hearing someone’s story is powerful and can bring healing, empowerment and confidence. Sometimes we just need to listen and bear witness. Continue reading →
One of my good friends, Cathy Yost, has been an amazing support to me through this project by helping me to work through things I have struggled with along the way. I knew I needed to have a Skype date with her after the cockroach incident in Rwanda.
I heard it scuttling and immediately freaked out jumping on top of my bed, barricading myself inside my bug net while swinging my only weapon, a welcome mat! I knew in that moment that my reaction was ridiculous but how could I get over my fear of spiders, cockroaches and all creepy crawlies?
Cathy helped me to realize that it wasn’t about the bugs it was about looking for what I wanted to see. That if I chose to look for the good I wouldn’t see as much of the bad. So that has been my challenge over the last coupe of months -- to not look for the creepy crawlies, to keep going one step at a time forward in this journey of becoming more courageous in small ways.
The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich & Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz
Abraham & Kate
Each time I have finished one book another one seems to be waiting for me. I received the Blue Sweater from my friend Abraham Temu the co-founder of KiBo and an Acumen Fellow who said to me “The best gift I can give you right now, especially since you are going to Rwanda is this book.” Abraham is an amazing leader who has found creative ways to pursue social change through practical methods so his recommendation made me dive into the book eagerly. Continue reading →
I was in a mad panic the day I left. All of a sudden, I realized I was leaving and there was no more time left. No more time to prepare, no more time to plan, only time to just make it happen. I threw stuff in my backpack, desperately trying to make a mental note that all the things I had thought of including over the last couple of months had made it into my bag. The floor was littered with items -absolute chaos! Continue reading →
I Just finished reading Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood. The book details his first steps in starting Room to Read and organization that provides books and computers to schools in the developing world. Continue reading →
I am learning a lot about taking risks lately. I’m learning that most everything you start is a little awkward, yucky and difficult at the beginning. Whether it’s making friends in a new city, trying something new or just putting yourself out there there is a point when you want to turn and run and stop trying because public displays of learning and risks are difficult! I’m learning that when I trust others and learn from their mentorship Continue reading →
Over the last couple of weeks I have been focused on trying to find funding for Worldviews Project. Each day I wake up and start off early phoning people, sending out funding proposals, emailing and keeping my fingers crossed that one of them will respond with a “yes!” So what do you do when you face rejection? What are the solutions? How do you stay positive in the face of so much competition? Continue reading →
