You're Born Worthy...Viola Davis

"There's no prerequisites to worthiness. You're born worthy, and I think that's a message a lot of women need hear."

--Viola Davis, 75th Golden Globes

#LeadershipTuesdays: Inspiring Change...Barbara Januszkiewicz

 

On Tuesdays, womenatliberty.com presents Leadership Tuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. Change. It is a constant in our world, but it consistently garners resistance. It doesn't matter whether the change is positive or negative. Resistance will always accompany change. As a leader, you must know this and not be discouraged because your ideas cause people to question you and/or your motives. 

Creativity. Where does creativity come from? I believe creativity, as well as innovation, comes from a curious yearning, purpose and fire that burns within. Stoke your fire and protect it by putting yourself in spaces that will support your creativity and nuture your skills. Even if your work or school  environment doesn't provide the right opportunities for this, seek opportunities through networking and other professional associations. Stay away and limit your exposure to negative people and situations. Do your work, make connections, socialize your ideas, keep learning and keep moving forward. 

cnn.com

This year at the 2018 Golden Globes we saw an example of creativity and change in action. Women who are actresses, celebrities and activists united and wore black to say #TimesUp and no more silence on sexual harrassment, discrimination, and gender inequality. Shout to Tarana Burke who founded the #MeToo movement over ten years ago. I hope that the momentum started in 2017 will continue and be so invasive that those who use their power to diminish the voices of others will not be able to hide behind their positions and titles.

Here's wishing that 2018 exceeds your expectations and is your best year yet. For more information on LeadershipTuesdays, go to: womenatliberty.com.

Common Miracles...Shalom Arush

"Nature" is another name for the miracles that are so commonplace in our lives that we take for granted and have grown used to seeing them.

--Shalom Arush

Don't Give Up...Fannie Flagg

"Don't give up before the miracle happens."

--Fannie Flagg, I Still Dream About You

Do You Believe In Miracles?...Mike Ericksen

I truly believe we can either see the connections, celebrate them, and express gratitude for our blessings, or we can see life as a string of coincidences that have no meaning or connection.

For me, I’m going to believe in miracles, celebrate life, rejoice in the views of eternity and hope my choices will create a positive ripple effect in the lives of others. This is my choice.

--Mike Ericksen, Upon Destiny's Song

https://flic.kr/p/9EXzZr

The Miracle of A Genuine Opportunity...Rue Allyn

An opportunity is a miracle waiting to happen.

--Rue Allyn

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed
before you an open door that no one
can shut.” -Revelation 3:8

Image credit: 
http://www.loritwichell.com/the-year-of-open-doors/

#LeadershipTuesdays: Great Miracles Come In Great Moments of Opportunity

"Great Moments Are Born From Great Opportunity!"

--Coach Herb Brooks, 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team Coach

"Perhaps you have come to this place, to this moment, to these people, to this challenge, for just such a time as this.” (The Bible)*

Jefferson Building, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.

In 1980, Coach Herb Brooks coached a hockey team of rival college players to victory in the Winter Olympics over the favored and what many believed unbeatable Russian hockey team. The movie, "Miracle", tells the story of how Coach Brooks trained and led his team to play and win for the "U.S.A." letters they wore on their chest and not their own college team that hated their teammate's college. As long as they identified with their college team above the letters on their jersey, they could never play as a cohesive team and win for their nation. 

This is a very divisive moment in U.S. history. It's not the worst, but I believe that history will record these moments as one of the worse times in the post-Civil Rights era. I am stunned by how much hate and even micro-aggression toward our fellow Americans go unchallenged everyday. How some people feel above the law. How some even feel comfortable using social media, a communication tool that has broken down the barriers of telecommunications, as a tool to spread vitriol, hate speech and white supremacy. How can we win against foreign hackers and terrorists when we consider each other the enemy? We can't unite as a team against hate and evil forces if we harbor hate and ambivalence that alienate our own country men and women who look and may have different beliefs than us. We have so many challenges in need of good leaders. What will inspire us to work together for great solutions? Do we have leaders who will faithfully accept the challenge and opportunity of this moment?

As we approach Christmas, may we each reflect on the miracle of love that caused a divine baby to be born outside of the royal family and priesthood to an unassuming young unmarried mother who accepted her challenge and opportunity to be the mother of the baby we Christians now call Savior. May her example lead us to consider who we are and our purpose in this moment in time. Maybe we have been born to bring change for such a time as this. Maybe we have been called to this moment, to this challenge. May you be refreshed and replenished during this Holiday Season for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Merry Christmas,

--Nona Ogunsula, Founder, womenatliberty.com

On Tuesdays, womenatliberty.com presents Leadership Tuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. To view part one of a two part profile of April Reign, an attorney, activist, social media strategist and the creator of the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, click here.

For more information on LeadershipTuesdays, go to: womenatliberty.com.

*The excerpted quotes and inspiration for this writing are from: Great Moments Are Born From Great Opportunity