Despite the reports about drops in donations, 2010 was a good year for giving! The buzz around giving kept growing, signaling good things to come.
With increasing numbers of companies ramping up corporate social responsibility and online giving efforts (Chase, Pepsi, Virgin, Target...), more and more celebrities and athletes jumping into the fray (Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Ovie Mughelli, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ed Norton, Angelina and Brad...), and media covering more social responsibility (including Newsweek, US News and World Report, Huffington Post, Mashable...), the hip new words on the street are GIVING and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
To meet the increasing demand by consumers for more giving, online and mobile giving sites and solutions started popping up out of the woodworks. Two of the bigger splashes were the release of:
· http://www.crowdrise.com/ started by actor Ed Norton in partnership with others to create a more media friendly-spin to online giving and
· http://www.jumo.com/ started by former Facebook executive Chris Hughes, an Obama social media campaign expert and others to create a more socially interactive giving site.
In addition to these sites, there are other new generation giving sites such as http://www.sumazi.com/ and http://www.giveo.com/ that are joining the first generation of sites including: http://www.firstgiving.com/, http://www.justgiving.com/, http://www.networkforgood.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/ and a whole host of others.
We've started to see an increase in brand and cause marketing campaigns tying goods to causes; in mobile giving sites such as http://www.mgive.com/, http://www.mobilecause.com/, and more; store giving and round up campaigns at Whole Foods, Safeway and others; in advocacy campaigns with http://www.avaaz.org/, http://www.call2action.com/; http://www.causecast.com/, http://www.change.org/ and many more; celebrity galas and giving campaigns tying their events to their causes of choice; and continued efforts at accountability with http://www.guidestar.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others. This is just the tip of the iceberg!
This is exciting news and an exciting time for philanthropy! There is no shortage of new and different giving sites coming out regularly...and we still have a long way to go! Efforts to give and support giving are still fragmented and confusing for donors. While there are many people addressing different pieces of the giving puzzle, we have yet to fully solve the problem systematically or address transparency.
In January, reports about the (RED) campaign backed by Bono came under fire for corruption and lack of transparency http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/celebrity/NATLCharity-Backed-By-U2s-Bono-Under-Fire-for-Corruption-114453359.html. This is just one of many reports over the years plaguing efforts to support charities, including http://www.kiva.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others.
While it is necessary to be sure that our dollars are going to where they say they are going, it is also critical to acknowledge and recognize that significant dollars were raised that never would have been there before. Which is great news!
Now we have to start solving the piece of the puzzle that addresses being more strategic, connected, transparent and sustainable about our giving and we may really be on to something...
MORE in the Series in Future Blogs...CHECK BACK... ;) p
You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Frustrated? Look Within!
Frustration with others only mirrors our own frustration with ourselves. ~ Pilar Stella
I recently had a series of experiences with frustration that really struck me. I had a conversation with a friend who was frustrated and complaining about the way this other organization was doing things. I also witnessed another friend pushing hard for others to change and getting frustrated when they didn't.
It took me back to many of my own experiences with frustration and I had to take a real moment of pause. I remembered a time when I regularly felt and acted that way. I remember in my relationships with others that I would nitpick at others in frustration because they weren't doing it this way or that. When really I was just frustrated with myself for not doing what I was here to do. I recall when I worked with clients, I used to get frustrated because they would hire me to give advice and then they often wouldn't take that advice. When what I should have done, and finally did, was to look within for the reasons for my own frustration.
At the time, I couldn't see it. Most likely like my friends couldn't see their current frustrations. But now it was clear as day. The minute I stopped getting frustrated with others and looking for others to go do what I wanted them to do and I started doing what I wanted to do and what I'm here to do, my frustrations nearly disappeared overnight.
I realized that when I finally was ready to commit to myself and figure out what my passions and purpose are and then had the courage to go for it, my frustrations dissipated. I felt like I had been let out of prison...and it was a prison that I had created for myself.
I believe we all have some sort of prison like this and this is where our frustrations are born. Until we are able to go inward to find the key to unlock the door, we will continue to be frustrated with others, when really, we are just frustrated with ourselves. We may be frustrated with ourselves because we don't know what we want, don't have or make the time to figure it out or have the courage to go for it if we do know what we want.
By dealing with and addressing my own frustrations, I have found a whole new acceptance, empathy, compassion and appreciation for others in times when I would have otherwise been frustrated with them and with myself. I find myself less likely to impose my opinions, desires and expectations upon others. I don't feel a need to judge or be frustrated with them. I can just appreciate and accept others for where they are at and also where I am at. And when I do get frustrated, I am able to recognize it much more quickly and take a moment to look within and figure out where it is stemming from.
Whatever the case may be for you, any time you are feeling frustrated with others, take a moment to look within and explore what you are frustrated with yourself. You might just be amazed at the freedom you will find when you allow yourself to find the answers to your frustration within and you begin to take the steps to alleviate that frustration.
I recently had a series of experiences with frustration that really struck me. I had a conversation with a friend who was frustrated and complaining about the way this other organization was doing things. I also witnessed another friend pushing hard for others to change and getting frustrated when they didn't.
It took me back to many of my own experiences with frustration and I had to take a real moment of pause. I remembered a time when I regularly felt and acted that way. I remember in my relationships with others that I would nitpick at others in frustration because they weren't doing it this way or that. When really I was just frustrated with myself for not doing what I was here to do. I recall when I worked with clients, I used to get frustrated because they would hire me to give advice and then they often wouldn't take that advice. When what I should have done, and finally did, was to look within for the reasons for my own frustration.
At the time, I couldn't see it. Most likely like my friends couldn't see their current frustrations. But now it was clear as day. The minute I stopped getting frustrated with others and looking for others to go do what I wanted them to do and I started doing what I wanted to do and what I'm here to do, my frustrations nearly disappeared overnight.
I realized that when I finally was ready to commit to myself and figure out what my passions and purpose are and then had the courage to go for it, my frustrations dissipated. I felt like I had been let out of prison...and it was a prison that I had created for myself.
I believe we all have some sort of prison like this and this is where our frustrations are born. Until we are able to go inward to find the key to unlock the door, we will continue to be frustrated with others, when really, we are just frustrated with ourselves. We may be frustrated with ourselves because we don't know what we want, don't have or make the time to figure it out or have the courage to go for it if we do know what we want.
By dealing with and addressing my own frustrations, I have found a whole new acceptance, empathy, compassion and appreciation for others in times when I would have otherwise been frustrated with them and with myself. I find myself less likely to impose my opinions, desires and expectations upon others. I don't feel a need to judge or be frustrated with them. I can just appreciate and accept others for where they are at and also where I am at. And when I do get frustrated, I am able to recognize it much more quickly and take a moment to look within and figure out where it is stemming from.
Whatever the case may be for you, any time you are feeling frustrated with others, take a moment to look within and explore what you are frustrated with yourself. You might just be amazed at the freedom you will find when you allow yourself to find the answers to your frustration within and you begin to take the steps to alleviate that frustration.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
BE the light, SHINE your light
As I woke up today on this 1.11.11, I reflected on the state of the world and all that is going on. Birds are dropping out of the sky, people are being shot, animals are dying, storms are brewing and to the casual observer one may think there just might be something to this 2012 thing and the apocalypse.
The reality is that our realities are created by what we believe. If we believe that there is violence and negativity around us, we will only see that. Yet if we see the good, the opportunity and the possibility in everything, we may just create those things in the world around us.
I always remember the saying, after the darkness comes the light. Having lived in a state of darkness for many years myself, when I couldn't see the positive or the opportunity anywhere, I know that statement really is true.
Sometimes, before we are able to get to the light, we have to go through a dark period. I believe, being in that darkness, causes (or forces) us to go inward, to reflect and find the courage and strength within to come out fighting. The reality is that some of us don't make it out alive. But for those of us that do, we come out living, breathing and being the light.
We all have a choice. Does that mean the choice is an easy one? Not necessarily. Yet the only person we can change is ourselves. So if we see a world of darkness and are surrounded by a world of negativity, what are the choices we have? We can choose darkness or we can choose to BE the light, SHINE the light and BRING light to the world and those around us.
What choices are you making in your life? Are you fully SHINING your light? What is one thing you can do today to BE the light? What is one thing you can do every day to SHINE your light?
You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and on Twitter @pilarstella.
The reality is that our realities are created by what we believe. If we believe that there is violence and negativity around us, we will only see that. Yet if we see the good, the opportunity and the possibility in everything, we may just create those things in the world around us.
I always remember the saying, after the darkness comes the light. Having lived in a state of darkness for many years myself, when I couldn't see the positive or the opportunity anywhere, I know that statement really is true.
Sometimes, before we are able to get to the light, we have to go through a dark period. I believe, being in that darkness, causes (or forces) us to go inward, to reflect and find the courage and strength within to come out fighting. The reality is that some of us don't make it out alive. But for those of us that do, we come out living, breathing and being the light.
We all have a choice. Does that mean the choice is an easy one? Not necessarily. Yet the only person we can change is ourselves. So if we see a world of darkness and are surrounded by a world of negativity, what are the choices we have? We can choose darkness or we can choose to BE the light, SHINE the light and BRING light to the world and those around us.
What choices are you making in your life? Are you fully SHINING your light? What is one thing you can do today to BE the light? What is one thing you can do every day to SHINE your light?
You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and on Twitter @pilarstella.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
When in Doubt, Look Back
A couple of years ago, I remember when I was having a hard time feeling like I was making any progress in my life and moving forward. Having been a recovering perfectionist, I often found it difficult to see my progress, because I would focus on what more I had to do and not what I had already achieved.
So often it seems we do this in life. We look at where we are headed and we only find what more needs to be done, not all that we have already done - even when we may only have 1 more thing to do and yet have accomplished 99 things. It is funny how that is.
Now don't get me wrong, sometimes when we live in this way, we end up getting so much done and achieving a lot! But sometimes at the expense of living and at moments we get so caught up in it that we get lost in it all and can't seem to see straight.
I remember back to that moment a few years ago, when a friend told me to stop, pause and look back a year in time to remind me how far I had come. As I did so, I remembered where I had been a year before and how lost I had seemed at the time and how much further I had come, how much more clarity I had in my life and how much happier I now was. It was all in just taking a few moments to collect myself, acknowledge all that I had experienced and appreciate the big accomplishments and the little moments that got me to today.
Some may ask, wait a minute, look back? What about being present and looking to the future and letting go of the past. However, sometimes in order to appreciate where we are and where we are going, we have to acknowledge and accept where we have been.
For this holiday season, I ask that we all do the same during this busy time of year. As you look forward to the weeks and months ahead and begin thinking about the year 2010 and all that you did and did not accomplish on your list and all that you hope for 2011, may you take a deep breath, take a moment to pause and reflect on how far you have come in the last year.
Remember to cherish what you really appreciate, recognize what you accomplished and truly acknowledge yourself. Consider what you would/will do differently as you move forward and remember to thank yourself and those you love for being there with you through the journey. Perhaps in doing so, may you find a few moments of pause and peace during the holiday season to appreciate all that is and all that YOU ARE!
So often it seems we do this in life. We look at where we are headed and we only find what more needs to be done, not all that we have already done - even when we may only have 1 more thing to do and yet have accomplished 99 things. It is funny how that is.
Now don't get me wrong, sometimes when we live in this way, we end up getting so much done and achieving a lot! But sometimes at the expense of living and at moments we get so caught up in it that we get lost in it all and can't seem to see straight.
I remember back to that moment a few years ago, when a friend told me to stop, pause and look back a year in time to remind me how far I had come. As I did so, I remembered where I had been a year before and how lost I had seemed at the time and how much further I had come, how much more clarity I had in my life and how much happier I now was. It was all in just taking a few moments to collect myself, acknowledge all that I had experienced and appreciate the big accomplishments and the little moments that got me to today.
Some may ask, wait a minute, look back? What about being present and looking to the future and letting go of the past. However, sometimes in order to appreciate where we are and where we are going, we have to acknowledge and accept where we have been.
For this holiday season, I ask that we all do the same during this busy time of year. As you look forward to the weeks and months ahead and begin thinking about the year 2010 and all that you did and did not accomplish on your list and all that you hope for 2011, may you take a deep breath, take a moment to pause and reflect on how far you have come in the last year.
Remember to cherish what you really appreciate, recognize what you accomplished and truly acknowledge yourself. Consider what you would/will do differently as you move forward and remember to thank yourself and those you love for being there with you through the journey. Perhaps in doing so, may you find a few moments of pause and peace during the holiday season to appreciate all that is and all that YOU ARE!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Inspired, Inspiring, Inspirational!
Every day I wake up excited at the idea of how I will be inspired today! I wrote an article a few months ago for Inspire Me Today's blog about inspiration.
http://www.inspiremetoday.com/archiveDisp.php?type=0&ref=789
I regularly have friends, colleagues and even total strangers thank me for inspiring them. I thank them back and remind them that they inspire themselves and others.
If you start with "I", InspIratIon leads to magic, miracles and dreams beyond your wildest imagination. ~ Pilar Stella
Seriously though, we all have a choice...between fear and love, joy and pain, negativity and positivity. I have lived my life in the negative and it didn't really work that well. I was angry, sick and honestly pretty darn miserable.
So I had a choice to CHOOSE IN to life, really choose in, or to choose out. While I still may have bad days or even bad things happen to me, today, I choose in fully to my life and every day I look for little reminders, little nuggets of inspiration to keep me going.
Probably one of my biggest inspirations are youth! The youth of today have a long road ahead of correcting the mistakes that our generation and past generations have created - with environmental, social and economic trials. Yet, they are a generation that continues to push for green solutions, to give globally and to speak out for equality, justice and freedom.
I go surfing with young adults from inner city LA and while their lives are not always filled with brightness, they bring a spirit that inspires passion, excitement and joy in me every time I am with them. I leave renewed, refilled and rejuvenated - grateful for all that I have.
They remind me to choose in, every day. They remind me to take action, when I am dissatisfied or frustrated with the way things are. They remind me to never ever give up with the hope, passion and courage that they live their lives with in every moment.
So for this fall season, I leave you with a few videos that have inspired me and reminded me to NEVER EVER GIVE UP and to keep inspiring others and being inspired! May we all live in peace, love and joy! Enjoy!
Maya Angelou and Still I Rise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0&feature=related
William McDonough: The Wisdom of Designing Cradle to Cradle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Nick Vujicic: I Love Living Life. I am Happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_24_qTNac&feature=related
Now is the Time. MLK, Jr. Sings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0F4iXEzOqY
The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0
Thank you for inspiring me and reminding me to keep going in the pursuit of my dreams. When you fail, try and try again until you get there...because you WILL get there!
http://www.inspiremetoday.com/archiveDisp.php?type=0&ref=789
I regularly have friends, colleagues and even total strangers thank me for inspiring them. I thank them back and remind them that they inspire themselves and others.
If you start with "I", InspIratIon leads to magic, miracles and dreams beyond your wildest imagination. ~ Pilar Stella
Seriously though, we all have a choice...between fear and love, joy and pain, negativity and positivity. I have lived my life in the negative and it didn't really work that well. I was angry, sick and honestly pretty darn miserable.
So I had a choice to CHOOSE IN to life, really choose in, or to choose out. While I still may have bad days or even bad things happen to me, today, I choose in fully to my life and every day I look for little reminders, little nuggets of inspiration to keep me going.
Probably one of my biggest inspirations are youth! The youth of today have a long road ahead of correcting the mistakes that our generation and past generations have created - with environmental, social and economic trials. Yet, they are a generation that continues to push for green solutions, to give globally and to speak out for equality, justice and freedom.
I go surfing with young adults from inner city LA and while their lives are not always filled with brightness, they bring a spirit that inspires passion, excitement and joy in me every time I am with them. I leave renewed, refilled and rejuvenated - grateful for all that I have.
They remind me to choose in, every day. They remind me to take action, when I am dissatisfied or frustrated with the way things are. They remind me to never ever give up with the hope, passion and courage that they live their lives with in every moment.
So for this fall season, I leave you with a few videos that have inspired me and reminded me to NEVER EVER GIVE UP and to keep inspiring others and being inspired! May we all live in peace, love and joy! Enjoy!
Maya Angelou and Still I Rise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0&feature=related
William McDonough: The Wisdom of Designing Cradle to Cradle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Nick Vujicic: I Love Living Life. I am Happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_24_qTNac&feature=related
Now is the Time. MLK, Jr. Sings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0F4iXEzOqY
The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0
Thank you for inspiring me and reminding me to keep going in the pursuit of my dreams. When you fail, try and try again until you get there...because you WILL get there!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
You Don't Know What You Don't Know
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so. ~ Mark Twain
It is funny because I actually think that sometimes it is what you don't know that gets you into trouble. I recently started noticing how what we know or don't know can actually set us up for failed expectations, miscommunication or learning and growing in ways we never could have deemed possible.
The first scenario is: You don't know what you don't know. That is, that when people don't know something they often assume that something is bad or isn't possible.
I have been experiencing and watching this a lot lately. Starting my own company is one example. As I have gone all over and talked to many different people about what we are creating, I notice that everyone either a) tries to fit it into a framework that they understand (and then hence, they aren't actually capturing the true essence of the innovation we are creating) or b) look at me incomprehensibly as though to let me know that what I am creating isn't possible.
I have also witnessed that if people don't know and are faced with the unknown, they are often pushed to their limits of what their experiential minds can comprehend. When this happens
they often turn what they don't know into something bad or they immediately go to... oh, well this isn't possible. It is a funny trick the mind can play on us and it limits us to believe that if we don't understand or don't know how, then it isn't possible.
Rather, I would suggest that at exactly the moment that we hit this point of the unknown we force ourselves to recognize it and dare to ask ourselves, ok, this isn't something impossible, it is just something I don't know. In that moment, if we can push ourselves beyond to say, just because I don't know it, doesn't mean it is bad or I won't do it or I don't know how. Instead, what if in that moment, we pushed beyond our limits to forge into the unknown. Sometimes we may do this by ourselves and other times we may reach out to others and ask for support, because sometimes our unknowns are not the same limits as others and we may become instrumental to each other in breaking through any fear or doubt in overcoming the unknown.
Another scenario is: You don't realize that what you know, others don't know. This one has come back to bite me a lot in my life and to teach me some truly valuable lessons.
We all come knowing, sensing and perceiving things in different ways. We all come from different backgrounds, different families, different societies and so on. We all have strengths in certain areas and weaknesses in others. I used to think that everyone knew what I knew and had the same gifts that I had. It lead me to a lot of unintended frustration and miscommunication. When I worked with clients, I would see things in certain ways. I was often told I could see things at a global level and then take that down to the detail. For a long time, I didn't realize that this was something unique to me. So when I worked with others, I thought they could see what I saw. But when I'd get into meetings and they wouldn't get it, or they would get frustrated because I jumped from one thing to the next, I never fully realized that perhaps they weren't seeing the same thing that I saw, which lead to my own frustration.
For a long time, this lead to my own "shrinking." That is, when you have enough experiences where people don't get you, you start to think, well what is wrong with me. I know for several years, my confidence significantly dropped as I felt like no one really got me, so I must be wrong or must be misperceiving things. It took me several years to realize that actually what I was perceiving was right, for me. I began to get a whole new understanding of assessing what I know and don't know and what others know and putting that into perspective when I work with, relate to and interact with others. It also gave me a whole new sense of empathy and understanding for others. I started to drop my expectations of others, because I realized that expectations were merely my perceptions and perspectives given my own unique lens of how things should be and didn't in any way take into account others views. So I began to let go of what I thought and have really begun to listen, learn from and empathize with others.
This brings up my final scenario that: Others know what you don't know. That is, because we each have our own unique perspectives, limits, boundaries, fears and also knowledge, gifts and expertise, we all have so much to learn from each other, if we are open to and allow it!
It is when we open up to allowing for different perspectives and valuing each other, but also valuing ourselves and our uniqueness and authenticity in the process, it allows for a whole new world of possibility to open up...to overcome our fears, to surpass our limitations and hurdle our obstacles; to look to, listen and learn from others; and to trust our own inner guidance and share our gifts with others.
This is the magic of our unique existence and our connected co-existence with each other!
You can find me at www.facebook.com/pilarstella and www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and twitter @pilarstella.
It is funny because I actually think that sometimes it is what you don't know that gets you into trouble. I recently started noticing how what we know or don't know can actually set us up for failed expectations, miscommunication or learning and growing in ways we never could have deemed possible.
The first scenario is: You don't know what you don't know. That is, that when people don't know something they often assume that something is bad or isn't possible.
I have been experiencing and watching this a lot lately. Starting my own company is one example. As I have gone all over and talked to many different people about what we are creating, I notice that everyone either a) tries to fit it into a framework that they understand (and then hence, they aren't actually capturing the true essence of the innovation we are creating) or b) look at me incomprehensibly as though to let me know that what I am creating isn't possible.
I have also witnessed that if people don't know and are faced with the unknown, they are often pushed to their limits of what their experiential minds can comprehend. When this happens
they often turn what they don't know into something bad or they immediately go to... oh, well this isn't possible. It is a funny trick the mind can play on us and it limits us to believe that if we don't understand or don't know how, then it isn't possible.
Rather, I would suggest that at exactly the moment that we hit this point of the unknown we force ourselves to recognize it and dare to ask ourselves, ok, this isn't something impossible, it is just something I don't know. In that moment, if we can push ourselves beyond to say, just because I don't know it, doesn't mean it is bad or I won't do it or I don't know how. Instead, what if in that moment, we pushed beyond our limits to forge into the unknown. Sometimes we may do this by ourselves and other times we may reach out to others and ask for support, because sometimes our unknowns are not the same limits as others and we may become instrumental to each other in breaking through any fear or doubt in overcoming the unknown.
Another scenario is: You don't realize that what you know, others don't know. This one has come back to bite me a lot in my life and to teach me some truly valuable lessons.
We all come knowing, sensing and perceiving things in different ways. We all come from different backgrounds, different families, different societies and so on. We all have strengths in certain areas and weaknesses in others. I used to think that everyone knew what I knew and had the same gifts that I had. It lead me to a lot of unintended frustration and miscommunication. When I worked with clients, I would see things in certain ways. I was often told I could see things at a global level and then take that down to the detail. For a long time, I didn't realize that this was something unique to me. So when I worked with others, I thought they could see what I saw. But when I'd get into meetings and they wouldn't get it, or they would get frustrated because I jumped from one thing to the next, I never fully realized that perhaps they weren't seeing the same thing that I saw, which lead to my own frustration.
For a long time, this lead to my own "shrinking." That is, when you have enough experiences where people don't get you, you start to think, well what is wrong with me. I know for several years, my confidence significantly dropped as I felt like no one really got me, so I must be wrong or must be misperceiving things. It took me several years to realize that actually what I was perceiving was right, for me. I began to get a whole new understanding of assessing what I know and don't know and what others know and putting that into perspective when I work with, relate to and interact with others. It also gave me a whole new sense of empathy and understanding for others. I started to drop my expectations of others, because I realized that expectations were merely my perceptions and perspectives given my own unique lens of how things should be and didn't in any way take into account others views. So I began to let go of what I thought and have really begun to listen, learn from and empathize with others.
This brings up my final scenario that: Others know what you don't know. That is, because we each have our own unique perspectives, limits, boundaries, fears and also knowledge, gifts and expertise, we all have so much to learn from each other, if we are open to and allow it!
It is when we open up to allowing for different perspectives and valuing each other, but also valuing ourselves and our uniqueness and authenticity in the process, it allows for a whole new world of possibility to open up...to overcome our fears, to surpass our limitations and hurdle our obstacles; to look to, listen and learn from others; and to trust our own inner guidance and share our gifts with others.
This is the magic of our unique existence and our connected co-existence with each other!
You can find me at www.facebook.com/pilarstella and www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and twitter @pilarstella.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Passion, Patience and Persistence!
Patience, Passion and Persistence...The three P's of success! ~ Unknown
As many who know me know, I have been working on creating a company, dream and vision for a few years now and it has been a combination of these three P's that have kept me going. These three P's are truly the recipe for success and they don't always come easily, but as I am starting to really get, they sure do pay off in the end.
Passion.
Passion is doing what you love, following your heart, believing that anything is possible and not stopping until you see your dreams come to fruition. I have had many people in my life tell me how lucky I am that I am so passionate about what I do and that I know what I am passionate about. I have always been passionate. But I haven't always known what I am passionate about or had the courage to follow my heart and live my passions.
At some point, my life got so dark, that something inside me just snapped. Something changed and I couldn't go back any more. I have always been passionate about making a difference and have felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. For a long time, I was passionate in negative ways. I was angry at the world when people didn't get it and didn't do good things to make a difference. Most likely that outer anger and frustration was merely a reflection of my own frustration with myself for not acting upon my passions and my convictions to make the world a better place.
I do feel lucky that I am passionate. I feel even luckier today that I am pursuing my passions, living my dream and not apologizing for doing so or shrinking away because of what others think or tell me I should or shouldn't do.
For some it takes time to find your passion, but don't ever give up until you do. Then when you do, go for it! Go after it, with courage, conviction and determination and you will never again feel that emptiness, that longing, that anger or frustration, as you did when you shut it off, ignored it, buried it or stuffed it!
Patience.
Ah yes, patience! I think this is for sure the most difficult for me. I was definitely not raised to be patient. None of us are in this "gotta have it now" society. That coupled with my Italian upbringing, ha, I was doomed! Patience, what's that?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am learning what patience really is and to trust the process. My journey in creating OneGiving has been one BIG lesson in patience - really! From not being able to pay people what they are worth or even anything at all and having to wait until the things that I want or need done for OneGiving to get done until the other things on their priority list get done to seeing how something connects but having to wait until others make that connection for it to come to fruition, I am learning patience with every step.
I am learning how to be grateful for everything that comes and even accepting that it will come on it's own time if it is meant to. With patience comes a higher faith and trust that everything works out as it is meant to and the more grateful I am, the more amazing things show up. I am also finding that with patience comes the mysterious unfolding of the universe. That is, so often I want things to hurry up and happen. Yet, when they don't happen initially, but I am patient, they often unfold in ways far beyond and even better than what my conscious mind could ever have come up with. As I see this happening more and more, I am able to detach from the ways in which I want or expect it to come and am reminded to remain patient to see what magic will come about!
Persistence.
I think that this is something I have always been good at. Probably, sometimes to the maddening of others around me. I remember my first job out of college, I had heard about a clinic that I wanted to work at. So I contacted the director and called him regularly every few weeks before I graduated to ask if there were any openings. Every time, he would say, "Call me a few weeks before you graduate and we will see." When my spring break came about, I called and asked if I could come meet him. He said yes, but that he wouldn't know about a position until later that spring/summer. When he interviewed me, he told me that there would be a probationary period and if it didn't work out, then what would I do after having moved to a new location. I looked at him and said, "I guess go get another job." It was that simple.
He told me years later that he finally hired me, after months of contact and many calls and follow ups, because he said that if I was that persistence in getting hired, he couldn't imagine how persistent I would be in actually doing my job!
I remembered that for many years and it is has been a guiding principle for everything I do. It has sometimes driven people crazy. When I pre-released my first books, I took my years of experience in advocacy campaigns and created an advocacy campaign of my own. I created thousands of post cards with the covers of my book on them and had them addressed to Oprah Winfrey. I gave them out to people all over and asked them to mail them in and write an additional note if they desired. Finally, one day I got a call from Oprah's assistant. She said that they had received all of my postcards, that they knew about my books, and that I didn't need to send any more! I laughed. So maybe she didn't ask me to be on her show, but it certainly did get their attention.
I am still learning to find the nuances of being persistence and bugging the crap out of people. Ultimately, I am not convinced that either one is bad, because as long as your intentions are pure and you are passionate and patient with the process, the persistence will pay off.
As long as we remember to NEVER GIVE UP and to keep going with our dreams passionately, courageously and with persistence and to have the patience to allow it all to unfold as it is meant to and more magnificently than we could have ever imagined possible, we will surely succeed in the ways that matter most!
You can find me at www.facebook.com/pilarstella and www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and twitter @pilarstella.
As many who know me know, I have been working on creating a company, dream and vision for a few years now and it has been a combination of these three P's that have kept me going. These three P's are truly the recipe for success and they don't always come easily, but as I am starting to really get, they sure do pay off in the end.
Passion.
Passion is doing what you love, following your heart, believing that anything is possible and not stopping until you see your dreams come to fruition. I have had many people in my life tell me how lucky I am that I am so passionate about what I do and that I know what I am passionate about. I have always been passionate. But I haven't always known what I am passionate about or had the courage to follow my heart and live my passions.
At some point, my life got so dark, that something inside me just snapped. Something changed and I couldn't go back any more. I have always been passionate about making a difference and have felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. For a long time, I was passionate in negative ways. I was angry at the world when people didn't get it and didn't do good things to make a difference. Most likely that outer anger and frustration was merely a reflection of my own frustration with myself for not acting upon my passions and my convictions to make the world a better place.
I do feel lucky that I am passionate. I feel even luckier today that I am pursuing my passions, living my dream and not apologizing for doing so or shrinking away because of what others think or tell me I should or shouldn't do.
For some it takes time to find your passion, but don't ever give up until you do. Then when you do, go for it! Go after it, with courage, conviction and determination and you will never again feel that emptiness, that longing, that anger or frustration, as you did when you shut it off, ignored it, buried it or stuffed it!
Patience.
Ah yes, patience! I think this is for sure the most difficult for me. I was definitely not raised to be patient. None of us are in this "gotta have it now" society. That coupled with my Italian upbringing, ha, I was doomed! Patience, what's that?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am learning what patience really is and to trust the process. My journey in creating OneGiving has been one BIG lesson in patience - really! From not being able to pay people what they are worth or even anything at all and having to wait until the things that I want or need done for OneGiving to get done until the other things on their priority list get done to seeing how something connects but having to wait until others make that connection for it to come to fruition, I am learning patience with every step.
I am learning how to be grateful for everything that comes and even accepting that it will come on it's own time if it is meant to. With patience comes a higher faith and trust that everything works out as it is meant to and the more grateful I am, the more amazing things show up. I am also finding that with patience comes the mysterious unfolding of the universe. That is, so often I want things to hurry up and happen. Yet, when they don't happen initially, but I am patient, they often unfold in ways far beyond and even better than what my conscious mind could ever have come up with. As I see this happening more and more, I am able to detach from the ways in which I want or expect it to come and am reminded to remain patient to see what magic will come about!
Persistence.
I think that this is something I have always been good at. Probably, sometimes to the maddening of others around me. I remember my first job out of college, I had heard about a clinic that I wanted to work at. So I contacted the director and called him regularly every few weeks before I graduated to ask if there were any openings. Every time, he would say, "Call me a few weeks before you graduate and we will see." When my spring break came about, I called and asked if I could come meet him. He said yes, but that he wouldn't know about a position until later that spring/summer. When he interviewed me, he told me that there would be a probationary period and if it didn't work out, then what would I do after having moved to a new location. I looked at him and said, "I guess go get another job." It was that simple.
He told me years later that he finally hired me, after months of contact and many calls and follow ups, because he said that if I was that persistence in getting hired, he couldn't imagine how persistent I would be in actually doing my job!
I remembered that for many years and it is has been a guiding principle for everything I do. It has sometimes driven people crazy. When I pre-released my first books, I took my years of experience in advocacy campaigns and created an advocacy campaign of my own. I created thousands of post cards with the covers of my book on them and had them addressed to Oprah Winfrey. I gave them out to people all over and asked them to mail them in and write an additional note if they desired. Finally, one day I got a call from Oprah's assistant. She said that they had received all of my postcards, that they knew about my books, and that I didn't need to send any more! I laughed. So maybe she didn't ask me to be on her show, but it certainly did get their attention.
I am still learning to find the nuances of being persistence and bugging the crap out of people. Ultimately, I am not convinced that either one is bad, because as long as your intentions are pure and you are passionate and patient with the process, the persistence will pay off.
As long as we remember to NEVER GIVE UP and to keep going with our dreams passionately, courageously and with persistence and to have the patience to allow it all to unfold as it is meant to and more magnificently than we could have ever imagined possible, we will surely succeed in the ways that matter most!
You can find me at www.facebook.com/pilarstella and www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and twitter @pilarstella.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
