Then And Now

Workshop attendees develop and present their personal mission statements during 
the HBGC 2011 Youth Empowerment conference.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at a youth empowerment conference.   My workshop was titled, “Who Do You Think You Are?” and the age of attendees ranged from 15 to 18.  It was an honor to interact with these future leaders in a classroom setting where we took an hour out of our day to learn about what we each stood for and how we could be of service to others.

I was amazed at the truthfulness of these 21 individuals who were in the midst of becoming who they were driven to be.  On my way home after the workshop, I thought about some of the attendees, their stories and personal mission statements.  I reflected on the person I was at that age…and the lessons I could have learned from these young people.  Then I had a thought.  If I had the opportunity to go back in time, what would I tell my younger self:

1.  Help manage your parents’ expectations for your life by telling them the truth.
2. When people challenge you by saying, “Who do you think you are?”, they are really asking themselves, “Who do I think I am not?”
3. You WILL get back fat – either exercise now or learn to embrace it.
4. Don’t blend in, blend out.
5. It’s not always about you.

I understand fully that these are applicable life lessons for then and now, and I have these empowered youth to thank for this realization.  www.insightfulvoice.com