Feeling Truly Blessed!

As we approach the end of the year, I am beginning to reflect on 2015. So many things came to light this year; including self-discoveries and personal epiphanies. I have met some fantastic people, all who are all super bright and inspirational people in their own right.  These are the small blessings that I have come to appreciate over the past 12 months. May the next 12 months be even more fruitful! Namaste!

For the Love of Lifelong Learning

As I think about the discipline of focus, and contemplate the date of going back to school for a masters, I find myself needing to re-focus due to the rigors of work-life balance.

It has me thinking hard on just when to go back to school. Some  have tried to discourage me from returning to school; their point was that a master's degree is a waste of time.

The truth is that I love to learn,  and I am a firm believer in lifelong learning. To me, it is not a waste of time. To me, it is the acquisition of new knowledge that continues to generate new facets of experience and personality. It is an intangible form of capital that builds upon an existing body of experience and knowledge.

While some may see education as a waste of time, to me, it is a form of mental exercise that builds professional and personal strength, and character. As long as topics remain relevant in some way to the improvement of business and life, learning is an exhilarating experience. I love it.

Might this love for learning alienate me from certain people?  Probably,  yes. Does it bother--or matter--to me? Definitely, not!  I will always invest in education;  because lifelong learning means being ever-evolving, ever-growing, and ever-changing for the better.

For now, my shoulder is "to the wheel" as I work with my partner to keep things moving in a positive direction.

~Peace~

Grateful On This 4th of July - The Inspiration of My Children

I don't often say it, but my children inspire me. Every single one of them--through all of their gifts and human traits--I can see myself better than I could ever before. As human beings, they must grow through their rites of passage into the very real world of adulthood. As a mother who loves her children, I do not want to see any of them suffer in any way. That is when I start to search my own soul for a solution to help them; and that is when I realize these solutions hold truth for my life, as well. They are like walking mirrors of some aspect of my character and personality. It is an awesome thing to observe.

I love my children; they are spiritual extensions of my heart and soul. On this 4th of July 2014, I want to extend to them the hope that they continue taking heart, facing and overcoming challenges, as well as keeping an open heart, mind, and soul.

To my kids Stacey, Rachel, Michelle, and Michael:

You are the loves of my life. You will do well in whatever paths you take, as long as you maintain the courage to work through the obstacles, trials, and triumphs of your lives. Stay true to yourselves; but love and respect yourselves enough to prevent others from using you, abusing you, or reducing you in character. Don't be afraid of hard work, because it builds a driven character, which is in the spirit of things that will keep you moving on a positive path forward.

Stay golden in heart, mind and deed; and maintain a healthy sense of self-worth and dignity. More good things will come to you. You inspire me to be the best version of myself I possibly can. Thank you my dears; and I love you. <3 <3 <3

A Question on the Poor, Peace, and the Relation to Business Goals

The question in class today:

What surprised you in reading that the academic disciplines of environmental science and economist/banker could contribute to building peace in the world?
What does your discipline of business/real estate contribute to building peace? Are there ways in which business goals and decisions can NOT contribute to peace?

My Response:

The process of creating peace includes creating harmony. When there is a great divide in the distribution of wealth, the poor are the ones who suffer the most. When there is suffering, there is no harmony, and no real peace. The poor are often forgotten and disregarded as one of many social casualties that could not “make it” in this world; when in reality, the odds are stacked heavily against them because the cost of living is ever-increasing, ever-present, and unforgiving. The poor cannot afford to maintain any kind of insurance much less maintain stability, which makes uncertainty a constant companion in a world where cold realities are pervasive and unrelenting.  Such an economic environment can be a demoralizing existence; but for many poor people, they would rather languish in misery than fight for a better life; the reason for this defeatist attitude stems from fear and a lack of self-esteem.

In a video transcript, Wangari Maathai describes how her people are “persuaded to believe that because they are poor, they lack not only capital, but also knowledge and skills to address their challenges” (Maathai, 2004). I would develop this statement further to say that what she describes is universal. The economic inertia often experienced by poor people is due to fear and a lack of self-esteem that they can make changes happen for themselves.
Real estate contributes to peace in a few ways:

1. It provides shelter
2. It provides a vehicle for building cash flow
3. It can be incorporated into social programs that require a steady flow of operating capital; therefore, ensure the long-term sustainability of such beneficial programs.

In terms of business goals contributing—or not contributing—to peace, it would depend on the intent of the goals. If the goal is to incorporate the business of real estate with programs that contribute towards raising the quality of life for our poor, then the goals are contributing to peace. Business decisions made with no regard towards the impact these decisions have on people are ones that do NOT contribute to peace.

Suzette

References
Maathai, W. (2004, December 10). Nobel Lecture. Retrieved from Official Website Nobel Prize, Oslo: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2004/maathai-lecture-text.html

Living at the Speed of Life, but Grateful

No one ever said that it would be easy; but life brings with it moments of gratitude and accomplishment. Those are the moments to cherish when they happen. When years of hard work finally begins to pay off. This is the moment when a person can look back and be grateful. I am grateful.

Breaking with Tradition | The Journey to Reinvent Starts with a Break from Fear and Self-Doubt

I know it's been quite some time since my last blog. In the journey to build a future, one often loses sight of the little pleasures in life, such as writing and blogging. Then I found an article that brought back to light the very fact that it is human nature to change over time; whether it is a change for the better, or for worse. Fear and self-discipline rooted deeply in the psyche can cripple any chance of opening a pathway to self-invention, and positive personal changes. The article I found was written by a Chicago-based crisis counselor by the name of Brad Waters, L.C.S.W. Here is an excerpt:

"We all encounter transitions in our lives when we must struggle to make sense of the dots of our past. We make decisions to either wallow in their disarray, sweep them into the dustbin and start over, or carefully arrange them into some semblance of order. There is order if we sharpen our pencils and do the work. We connect the dots lest we wander and suffer. They consist of our core values, scattered with the breadcrumb trail of our decisions, a sprinkling of our hopes for the future, bound by a thick black line of acceptance for what we cannot change. There comes a point when we choose to no longer suffer with the guilt or regret of our past and to brush away the dust to find the lessons. Then we move forward. That is the work."

These words came after citing the inspirational commencement speech given by Steve Jobs that said,

"...you can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma whatever - because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference."

The journey to reinvent is surely a journey divine...

Finding Voice in the Face of Those Who Would Have Your Silence

In most groups of people, there is an unspoken code of expectation. Run afoul of them and you and you quickly find yourself in an awkward situation. I have found myself in this situation on a few occasions. The negative experience is uncomfortable enough for some people that they will do what is necessary to conform to the expectations of others; but, I have to ask you this...is it worth it?