The Case Against Diversity

Yep I’m against diversity. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m fascinated by different cultures, heck, that’s what I found most interesting when I was in college learning about international business. The difference in cultures plays a huge part in how products are marketed from the taste, the color of the package and how business is conducted.

When I travel abroad I much rather travel on my own versus in a group setting because then I have the opportunity to discover, feel, hear and taste the culture I’m being exposed to. I can venture into the path less taken. Looking back I’d say I go into a bit of a trance as I try to absorb all the sights and sounds around me. I leave in wonder and appreciation for the experience that has expanded my world.

As odd as it may sound but I do tend to attract people from different countries into my world. A long time friend is originally from Mexico. I was in her wedding and she was in mine.  Through my husband and work I’ve become friends with people from Brazil, Ukraine and Romania. They certainly have enriched my life.

However with all those friendships and travels I’ve expenenced one thread always remained, the more I’ve discovered that in the end we are all more alike than different. We all want the same things; a health, happiness, good friends, a better life for our children and a love and appreciation for our Creator.

You see I’m against diversity for two reasons; 1) its unnatural and 2) it pulls people apart instead of bringing them together.

For example, when you first meet, run into or are around people you’re not familiar with do you start talking about how you’re different? No! You immediately try to develop a connection through some common interest such as sports, children or the situation you’ve found yourself in with the other person. When you’re at a wedding you might ask the other person how they know the bride or groom.  When you’re watching a sporting event you might ask the person what they think of a certain team or player. The most common ice breaker is to ask the other person what they do to earn a living. The bottom line is you’re always searching for some commonality in order to make a connection with the other person. It all starts with small talk.

It’s not until you’re comfortable with the other person do you bring up the differences and that can take some time. Through the 30 plus years of conversations with my Mexican friend I’ve found out things about the culture she grew up in. The information was revealed and then I’d ask inquiring questions. Rarely have I asked an outright question about her background. To tell the truth it really isn’t an important part of our friendship, although it is quite interesting when a tidbit of unknown information is offered.

For example, several years ago I invited a new friend to attend a convention with me. Afterwards as we were having a few drinks when she complimented me on how my skin looked and wanted to know what I did to keep it that way. That’s when she told me that Apache Indians (she was Apache) were very vain. She told me that people thought they painted their faces to look mean but it was really to protect their skin. Who knew? It was new information coming right from the source. She was obviously very comfortable with me or really wanted to know how I took care of my skin.

Yes, I’m against diversity. We as humans have so many things in common than we do differences that it is tearing us apart rather than bringing us together. In my mind there will always be a curiosity, enthusiasm and appreciation for what diversity brings to the table but the accent should be on what brings us together. When you’re focusing on differences it’s hard to make peace with a religion, race, gender or nationality particularly if you don’t agree with it. When we focus on our commonalities it brings a sense of community and togetherness that unites us in a bond of love and friendship.

I think that’s the Creator’s goal, to love the person inside and not be influenced by some shallow casing.

I think Madeleine Albright said it quite well.

“As world events reflect, we remain far from mastering the art of human relations. We have invented no technology that will guide us to the destinations that matter most.

After two world wars, the Holocaust, multiple genocides and countless conflicts, we must ask how long it will be before we are able to rise above the national, racial and gender distinctions that divide us and embrace the common humanity that binds us.

The answer depends not on the starts or some mysterious forces of history; it depends on the choices that you and I and all of us make.”

The Fabulous 40’s

The Fabulous 40’s

 

Just when you think your life is on the down swing along come some remarkable people proving you wrong by hitting their stride. All the hard work and lessons they’ve learned have finally reached a climatic point where everything starts to come together and presto, greatness.

 

Life isn’t over.  It’s just beginning.

 

You know the saying “I wish I knew then what I know now”, that’s part of the wisdom you have in your forties. The forties are the accumulation of what you learned thus far but the difference is now you’ve got the courage and maturity to pull it off.

 

Just look at what these people achieved and they haven’t even reached middle age.

 

40 – Harriet Beecher Stow publishes Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

     -  Leo Tolstoy finishes writing a mammoth novel he titles War and Peace.

41 – The oldest punter in the NFL, Jeff Feagles is names by his fellow players as one of   the league’s top punters.

42 – A man apparently not afraid to seek guidance for direction, Galileo Galilei invents the compass.

43 – Physician John H. Kellogg creates a flaked breakfast cereal.

44 - Sam Walton founds Wal-Mart.

45 – Henry Ford introduces and automobile he dubs the Model T.

     - Gene Rodenberry unveils a TV series he calls Star Trek.

     - Walter Cronkite assumes the role of anchor of The CBS Evening News.

46 – Charles Darrow invents a board game called Monopoly.

     - Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly plays his final matches before finally retiring.

47 – Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming discovers an antibiotic called penicillin.

48 – Mark Twain publishes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

49 – Chef Julia Child writes Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

 

Don’t let age be an excuse. 

 

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.” ~ Confucius

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

There are a while lot of people who would like to know the answer to that question. They may spend years trying to figure it out, searching in all the wrong places, but then again maybe not.

All the life experiences you have are getting you closer and closer to your answer.  With each new job, activity or situation you weed out what you do want from what you don’t want.  You find yourself making decisions about it without possibly being conscious of it.  It helps you make the distinction between what you value and makes you happy versus what you can do without.

However, wouldn’t it be great if you could save your time and energy to get it right to the heart of it?  You can - more on that later.

When I first asked myself this very question I got caught up in the “doing” part of it as in what am I supposed to be doing when I grow up.  Therefore, professions and crafts entered my mind.  Then I got caught up in the description of the profession as in what kind of education was required, what would a normal day look like and what kind of salary could I expect. Those things alone took a few potential prospects out of the picture.  These were all distractions from what I was truly looking for.

It took 30 years before I took the time to analyze this question.  When I realized what I really wanted to know is what am I supposed to “be” when I grow up, the question took on a whole new meaning.  To “be” meant things like happy, productive, respected, kind, loyal and loving.  It’s not a profession anymore but what I want to be on the inside.  And in the end, isn’t that what we all want from life?

And then another revelation happened, I realized what I really was asking is what is my purpose in life which isn’t a “doing” thing at all.  What would give me the most satisfaction?  What am I supposed to doing here while I’m on earth?

What an awakening revelation!

When you ask yourself what you should be when you grow up what are you REALLY asking?  Are you like me asking what your purpose is or do you want to know the profession you should be in?  It’s something to think about.

If you would like to discover what would give you the most satisfaction, what you’re truly looking for, then you should take the Core Passion assessment.  You can read all about it on my website. The Core Passion ® assessment will help you uncover the fire that burns inside you that longs to explode.  You can take the assessment at any time.  It will give you the tools and language to describe what you’re looking for.

You’ve Only Just Begun

You’ve Only Just Begun

When I was a teen I thought my 40 something parents were old and that it was down hill from there, boy was I wrong.

The 30’s is when most people are establishing themselves in their career and settling into a family routine, if there is such a thing, where family plays a big part of life.

As the 40’s emerge there are the ceremonial “over the hill” parties and jokes.  The kids are more equipped to take care of themselves and you’re established in your career.

The younger generation looks at these times as being over the hill but really you’ve only just begun, typically it’s somewhere in the 30-40 age range when a person starts to really discover who they are.  What is it they really want out of life?  Where do they want to go from here? 

Take a look at some of the people who didn’t start to wither away but who continued to challenge themselves to be more than who they started out to be. In this list are some famous and not so famous people who have made their mark in profound ways. How many times have you sang, “Happy Birthday to You”? Do you know it was written by a 34 year old woman?

 

30- Sylvester Stallone stars in Rocky, a film he also directed and wrote.

30- Thomas Edison invents the phonograph.

31- Shakespeare pens Romeo and Juliet.

32- Lila Wallace, along with husband Dewitt, founds Reader’s Digest.

33- Thomas Jefferson pens the Declaration of Independence.

33- George Lucas creates a film called Star Wars.

34- Phil Knight launches a shoe and apparel company that he calls Nike.

34- Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

34- Kindergarten teacher Mildred hill composes the music for a ditty called “Happy Birthday to You.”

35- Margret Rey writes a children’s book called Curious George.

36- Albert Einstein proclaims his general theory of relativity: the fields of physics and astronomy will never be the same.

36- Ben Franklin invents the Franklin stove.

36- Johnny Carson debuts as host of The Tonight Show.

37- Ann Landers begins a newspaper advice column.

37- Amy Tan publishes The Joy Luck Club.

38- Dr. Jonas Salk develops a vaccine for polio.

38- Coco Chanel unveils her perfume, Chanel No 5.

39- After dropping 70 pounds, Jean Nidetch creates a movement called Weight Watchers.

This is just a small fraction of the people who have made a difference at a young age. Wait till you see the list for the fabulous 40’s.

The point being, age is but a number.  Don’t let it hinder you from what you were born to be.