Keeping Calm internally and Externally

Living on this beautiful earth is a gift but it can be emotionally exhausting when dealing with others, whose taste, values, and attitude, spirits and life views differ from your own. It make so much sense why most of us do seek to build communities with people we think are just like us.

I am a proponent of the sayings “You can’t control another person’s reaction, you can only control your own” and “It is none your business what someone else thinks about you”.


To follow these life tenets,  I am happy that the book “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz exists. I like that it exists because going to bed at the end of each day with a joyful heart and a peaceful mind is one of life's blissful gifts I want to experience.

My grandmother use to say that when she saw me angry, she knew I was always in the right because I only become enraged  when I know I am right and it is time to say enough is enough, especially in situation when someone is being inconsiderate towards me or others. 


As I got older, I learned to pick my battles and acquaintances carefully, while remaining open to interactions and ideas that makes me a well-round person. I have also been doing great at stopping the paralyzing worries of what others thought of me, worries that would keep me awake all night,  worries that would  stop me from experiencing life and from sharing my ideas and opinions.

As I go deeper into my spiritual practice, I am learning to create a world that I would love to live in, one in which I have a life that is respectable, happy, engaging, productive, and meaningful life. I am also learning to deal with life’s curveballs a fruitful way.

For a while now I have been going through a transformative period and as I near its end, and enter into another evolutionary stage, I am happy that Mr. Ruiz’s book came into my life. I have known about the book for years but it is only just recently that I read it. Every day before I start my day, as part of my Morning Prayer and quiet time, I recite the four agreements to myself. Thank you, Don Miguel Ruiz. I am looking forward to these agreements becoming part of my innate habits.


Since I am saying thank you, I want to thank my favorite Iconoclast, Cate Blanchett, to my friends on 12 and Beacon of light radio stations, because, of you all, I will  keep my light from under the bushel.

We've debated, now let's take action. Shall we?

I've been thinking about all the summits, seminars and workshops we organize to address societal and workplace issues. Every year, many of these events, attempt to solve the same issues that were tackled in past years or by other organizations in the previous months. In fact, I have gone to many and even helped organized a few and my takeaway has also been solutions similar to ones I have heard before.

Lately I am feeling the urge to move beyond just talking. I know for certain that we have come up with many great solutions, and I feel it is time to implement them.



In the past, whenever I am at a seminar, I usually think to myself, why am I here? What I am going to do with this information I am getting?
Lately, I have been using these questions to help me select the seminars, workshop or talks I take part in because I realized that after each event, when the exciting of being part of these engaging dialogs fade, I would tuck the solutions I gathered away because I don’t have mechanism to implement the solutions.

But now instead of refusing to participate or to listen because I don’t have the influence to move things forward, I need to fight to be heard; I need to keep asking, the question, ‘how do we move forward from just talking to taking actions?’ to others. I need push to work collaboratively with those who have the influence to create the vehicle for change to actualize.

So world, how do we move from talking about equality for women in the workplace and in life to taking actions to make sure it is a reality?




Update!!
Interesting development form UN Women's Global Innovation Coalition for Change (GICC). Please read.

The situation at Myanmar: How can this and others like it stop, now and forever?

Yesterday I watched the briefing of the UN Security Council on the plight of the Rohingya suffered at the hands of Myanmar Military and their currently state as refugees in Bangladesh.

As I listened to representatives from UNDP, UNHCR and several Countries speak for the refugees, this thought keep plaguing me: How can we get the perpetrators and people like them to stop themselves from harming others before they lose their souls?

I am happy for organizations like the United Nations, and for the Countries around the world working towards ending these atrocities and providing support to refugees.

I am happy for democratic laws that can hold people accountable for their crimes and deter others from committing atrocities against another person or people.

How can we get the perpetrators of such crimes to stop themselves?

How can we teach these perpetrators that abusing those they see as “different” is a behavior of lowness not honor?

Should we teach our fellow humans that our world is much better if we learn to accept and cherish each other’s difference, because that is what’s going to keep our world from vanishing?

 

Click here: UN Security Council's meeting regarding the Rohingya Refugees to watch the meeting






Update!!
Minutes after posting this blog,  I saw this piece   regarding meditation as a solution from a tweet from UN Secretary General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres.

Blockchain

I am out from under a beautiful rock. What is Blockchain? 

 I learned about it yesterday at a health care conference. If you've heard about Bitcoin, you've heard about Blockchain. For me, learning about blockchain put the whole bitcoin explosion in a new light.

Blockchain is a way to storage data that allows for multidirectional usage. It allows many users to securely access, share but not copy the same information. It is the genius creation by a group of people with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.

I can see immediate use for in regards to Supply Chain management in Health systems.  If it is guaranteed that our protected health information (PHI) stays so, it will revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered, and be a great benefit to case management.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AT SCREENING

October is almost here again. As we embrace fall colors, and trees in the parts of northern hemisphere bid adieu to leaves, pink will be the highlight of many gathering and fundraising efforts to tackle Breast Cancer.

Despite the advances in technology and medical care to detect and treat cancers, there are still lots of people worldwide who do not have the favor of getting the right information nor the recommended screening for cancers.

I am honored to work for an organization that is working hard at making sure those in its community are not out of the loop when it comes to screening for cancer. I have the privilege of being one of the co-leaders of an Employee resource group at my organization called MSK Women on the move, and to lead a group of compassionate women who are working tirelessly to organize a fundraising walkathon to raise money for one of our organization outreach program we call BECH.

BECH is Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Breast Examination Center of Harlem. Since its founding in 1979, BECH has screened more than 200,000 women for breast cancer and has an established reputation in the Harlem community for free, high-quality care offered by its professional staff.

BECH has extended its service beyond screening for Breast Cancer.  Below is a list of their services:

• breast cancer screening
• mammograms
• imaging services including ultrasounds and MRIs
• pelvic examinations and Pap smears
• counseling
• patient follow-up
• education

The ladies have a fundraising goal of $12,500 and hope to reach it by December 31^st, 2017. There will be a 5K walkathon held at Battery Park City, on October 8^th to kick off the fundraising. Please if you can, help them reach their goal by click here to donate and share. Every cent counts to help BECH with its mission. I love pink but whenever I see it I feel sad because I am reminded of those who suffer when they shouldn’t.

Thank you for your help and support.

 

 

Me, My tribe and A Solar eclipse

I do belong here, my tribe do exists, there is a great power than us people, love will win out in the end… These are some insights that came to me as I stood on the sidewalk in front of my office building in NYC on Monday, August 21, 2017.

Much of my efforts lately has been spent on job hunting for a more fulfilling role with responsibilities that incorporates my passions, finding ways to create a sanctuary in a shared apartment and finding things to do that I absolutely love so that I can connect with others who share my passions.

At times I feel I do not belong here. I  struggle making deep lasting connection (Astrology lovers I have Chiron in the 11th house in Aries) and feeling accepted as me, the authentic me. I am grateful to the few I have connected with, I so love the laughs.

On this day, for the first time in a while, I felt a sense of relief regarding the issue of belonging. I felt like I was part of a tribe. the moment I had my first view of the eclipse with  a borrowed glasses, I knew was part of tribe eclipse.

At 2:30 pm, I logged of my computer at work, pausing my online viewing of the eclipse. As I got in the elevator to go downstairs I thought " I might be one of a few watching the eclipse outside but its okay, it should not be missed". When I got to the lobby, I was amazed at what I saw  which made me giddy. I then joyfully walked outside to a sea of people in the side walk.

With the political upheaval and unearthing of hate going on in America right now, I said to myself, we are going to be fine because the power greater than us is now in charged. Like the moon blocking the sun from the earth, there will continue to be things great than us that we can’t control and those things should be turnover to that greater power. Our job here is to focus on helping one another, sharing love and enjoying the peace that follows.

The atmosphere outside was enchanting, people were talking and smiling and those with glasses shared with those who had none. I smiled anytime I heard “wow this is amazing”. The passing clouds which occasionally obscured the view of the eclipse did not dampen any spirit, we all waited patiently for it to move. I felt blissful for the rest of the day.

One thing I know is that I will not stop until I feel I am living authentically, and making more heart connections with my tribe. I am here for a reason, which is to have a positive impact in my organization, to the lives of those around me and in this world.
I have a feeling that my tribe will have something to do with that.

Let's stick to the issue to get positive change- Social Injustice. Racism

I was sharing with someone today I am very frustrated with the way our world handles terrorism, social injustice,  racial incidents and so froth. The  conversation after many of these incidents tend to move away from the issue. In the case of Charlottesville, I hear and see people talking more about President Trumps reaction than the alt-right groups and their agenda. All the attacks and name-calling that has followed is making me want to shut down and hide from everyone. But I want to be part of a solution, one that is based on respect, love, open-minded and inclusive.

The universe lately has been bringing me solutions (one new job please). I found an excellent way to help us all talk about this and address this in a way that will be productive, via a Facebook post by Brené Brown courtesy of some a couple of my friends.

Please Click here to listen and share