A Wrong Impression
"Leadership seminar?" why would my boss sponsor me to attend such a seminar? I'm not even a team leader yet. (Well, maybe that's why. hehehe..) But I really had no idea what kind of seminar it was. All I could picture in my mind is a speaker in front talking the whole day, while we are seated and forced to listen (or pretending to listen), bored to death the whole time. What a waste of time! And to think that it's gonna be held on a Saturday and Sunday! Oh no! What about my weekend?!
Though my boss gave me some idea regarding this seminar, I felt that I didn't really absorb even one bit of what she said. Obviously, I'm not interested. But I guess, I wasn't able to block everything because I remembered just one tiny part from what she said. She told me to "just enjoy the seminar and do it for myself.""Myself?!" How can I possibly do it for myself when it's just about to spoil my weekend?! But I guess I just DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. I had to obey my boss.
Then came Saturday, I was with two (actually 3) of my closest friends/officemates and we're supposed to be at Ortigas by 10 am. But all of us were so sleepy because we just had our Christmas party the other night and we slept at almost 4 in the morning. But still, we managed to arrive at Emerald building at 10 am (or a little past 10, i think). Good thing, there's Starbucks at the entrance of the building so we took the chance to buy coffee, hoping that it could keep us awake throughout the rest of the day. Talk about bodies running on caffeine!
The elevator stopped at the 5th floor and we knew it was the place. Warm, friendly, smiling faces welcomed us and asked us to register. We were given some sort of work books and then they ushered us inside the room. The seminar already started and there were already a bunch of people from different walks of life listening to the discussion. We CHOSE to sit at the back of the room, not only because we were late, but also because we just didn't have any intention to participate. It was only then that I came to know what the seminar is called: "FLEX - Foundations of Leadership Excellence"
As the discussion goes, I found the facilitator really warm and kind. She seems to really know what she's talking about. I asked myself if I'm in the right seminar because it was not the kind of seminar I expected. But I guess that was something to be thankful for.
Little by little, I found myself becoming relaxed, enjoying the seminar and learning a lot from the different sessions. The environment was also very warm and friendly and so I found it easy to get along with our other classmates. I was amazed at how these 62 other people, complete strangers to me, have touched my life in one way or another. I realized later on that our team, FLEX 51, is a very diverse, interesting, active, friendly, hilarious and just really a wonderful team!
FLEX Team 51
Actually who are you not to be?
As we are liberated from our own fear
Those words struck me like a thunderbolt. I realized one important truth about myself, that I've probably known all along but just didn't fully realized its true meaning. Indeed, I am a child of God, created in His image and likeness. I was born to make a difference in this world, for God's glory. And this time, I WILL MAKE THIS MY CHOICE...to LIVE and to LOVE, for this is what my true essence is all about.
As I walked away from Emerald building on that Sunday evening, there is so much happiness in me even if my body is starting to feel tired. I remembered how I initially felt towards this seminar. I realized that it was actually one of the best weekends I've ever had for a long time. I also remembered my boss, and I felt so grateful to her. She was right all along, I did enjoy the seminar because the truth is, I did it for myself. And now, I also want other people to have the same kind of experience. Well, it could be a totally different experience for them but hopefully they would be willing to share their learnings and how it made an impact in their lives also.
Though my boss gave me some idea regarding this seminar, I felt that I didn't really absorb even one bit of what she said. Obviously, I'm not interested. But I guess, I wasn't able to block everything because I remembered just one tiny part from what she said. She told me to "just enjoy the seminar and do it for myself.""Myself?!" How can I possibly do it for myself when it's just about to spoil my weekend?! But I guess I just DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. I had to obey my boss.
Then came Saturday, I was with two (actually 3) of my closest friends/officemates and we're supposed to be at Ortigas by 10 am. But all of us were so sleepy because we just had our Christmas party the other night and we slept at almost 4 in the morning. But still, we managed to arrive at Emerald building at 10 am (or a little past 10, i think). Good thing, there's Starbucks at the entrance of the building so we took the chance to buy coffee, hoping that it could keep us awake throughout the rest of the day. Talk about bodies running on caffeine!
The elevator stopped at the 5th floor and we knew it was the place. Warm, friendly, smiling faces welcomed us and asked us to register. We were given some sort of work books and then they ushered us inside the room. The seminar already started and there were already a bunch of people from different walks of life listening to the discussion. We CHOSE to sit at the back of the room, not only because we were late, but also because we just didn't have any intention to participate. It was only then that I came to know what the seminar is called: "FLEX - Foundations of Leadership Excellence"
As the discussion goes, I found the facilitator really warm and kind. She seems to really know what she's talking about. I asked myself if I'm in the right seminar because it was not the kind of seminar I expected. But I guess that was something to be thankful for.
Little by little, I found myself becoming relaxed, enjoying the seminar and learning a lot from the different sessions. The environment was also very warm and friendly and so I found it easy to get along with our other classmates. I was amazed at how these 62 other people, complete strangers to me, have touched my life in one way or another. I realized later on that our team, FLEX 51, is a very diverse, interesting, active, friendly, hilarious and just really a wonderful team!
FLEX Team 51
Attending FLEX helped me to discover a lot of things about myself and other people as well. I was able to examine my values, paradigms, attitudes and behavior and decide which ones create success so that they can be nurtured. Let me share with you this passage I got from the seminar:
"You and you alone set the limits of your performance.
You and you alone set the limits of your success."
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us
We ask oursleves, who am I to be
Brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually who are you not to be?
You are a child of God
Your playing small does not serve the world
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you
We were born to make manifest
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear
Our presence automatically liberates others."
Those words struck me like a thunderbolt. I realized one important truth about myself, that I've probably known all along but just didn't fully realized its true meaning. Indeed, I am a child of God, created in His image and likeness. I was born to make a difference in this world, for God's glory. And this time, I WILL MAKE THIS MY CHOICE...to LIVE and to LOVE, for this is what my true essence is all about.
As I walked away from Emerald building on that Sunday evening, there is so much happiness in me even if my body is starting to feel tired. I remembered how I initially felt towards this seminar. I realized that it was actually one of the best weekends I've ever had for a long time. I also remembered my boss, and I felt so grateful to her. She was right all along, I did enjoy the seminar because the truth is, I did it for myself. And now, I also want other people to have the same kind of experience. Well, it could be a totally different experience for them but hopefully they would be willing to share their learnings and how it made an impact in their lives also.
And one more thing I've learned... It really pays to obey. =)
posted by Doths at
4:50 PM
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