Proud of NZ

Watching the hideous footage of the Boston marathon and then the debacle with the gun debate, there’s this rare moment when the news delivers something we can be proud of… NZ – congratulations on being the first country in the Asia Pacific area to legalise same-sex marriage… It’s worth watching what has been described as an “epic” speech by a member of NZ parliament, Maurice Williamson…

Boot&Soul Camp… number 3

Woohoo…we’re onto our third Boot&Soul Camp … Mel and I are very excited about our upcoming winter event at the end of June… Much easier to promote ourselves through the eyes of others… this from an attendee from last Boot&Soul camp: ” I doubt a weekend could have been more nourishing than Boot&Soul camp. It ticked every box. I left inspired and invigorated.” Let me know if you want more information or check out the brochure online.

And then there is someone who inspires you deeply.

Leymah Gbowee

Yesterday I attended “All About Women” at the Opera House – no huge shock that it was 95% women… happily loads of young women wanting to listen to the many fascinating conversations that were on offer… none better than the extraordinary Leymah Gbowee, the Nobel prize winner from Liberia… Magnificent in many ways this woman set up the “Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace” by working at grassroots level with women and children with calls to action like: “We are tired! We are tired of our children being killed! We are tired of being raped! Women, wake up – you have a voice in the peace process!” Their work eventually ending the 14-year bloody war that had strangled Liberia and electing the first female President in Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf… Leymah Gbowee is mesmerising – authentic, funny, clever and passionate… I loved her response about fearless leaders – no leader is fearless she said, they just have the courage to dismiss the fear and continue with what they are passionate about… a lesson for all of us.

Nostalgia…

Had to share that over the last 10 days I have had a series of dinners with people from my past corporate life… it’s like a switch went off and they all decided to make contact again… nostalgia is such an extraordinary thing… all the dramas disappear and you’re left with this essence of sweetness, a kernel of joy… so to all those I have recently broken bread with… Thank you. And then in the spirit of time past, I had to drop something off at my mechanic today and there on a hoist, an ancient old mini… immediately transported back to the 70′s and my mother’s identical red one in which she shlepped us 3 kids for 17 years…

An Inspiring Night

A friend is the CEO of the Funding Network… It’s a new way of looking at philanthropy and supporting innovative social change projects… It’s based on the premise that we do many things together, but we don’t donate and celebrate together and philanthropy is not limited to the wealthy but that for as little as $100 each of us can make a significant difference…Last night she launched their first event in Australia – what an amazing achievement… about 150 people listening to the stories of 4 compelling projects that are making a tangible and meaningful difference – each of the projects got 6 minutes to pitch and the we got 6 minutes to ask questions…The aim to raise 10K for each of the 4 projects… My favourite and the one I supported was Food Within: Wings 2 Carry U…simple concept: allowing families to be able to pay what they can afford for healthy food… the founder built the social enterprise based on the challenges her family had faced when they were unable to feed themselves… Well done Lisa on an extremely successful launch and on raising more than 20K for each of these extraordinary grassroots programs!

exploring an idea

have you ever just felt an idea needs to be explored… in my case my intuitive sense is that the idea has enormous merit but at the moment feels a little uncontained and am trying to break my thinking into bite-sized chunks… there is this magnetic pull to at least review and take a look at the business implications. It matter less to me as to whether it comes to fruition and more about the research and the examination in a thoughtful and methodical manner… an invigorating change for me. Interestingly it involves technology and of course incorporates what I am passionate about – women and leadership and developing that holy grail of senior women in organisations… Any ideas on a what makes a compelling and stand-out business plan will be most welcome

A beautiful prayer

As a friend sat in synagogue on Saturday he found this prayer…for anyone who has wondered why they’ve picked a less than easy, simple path…
Once or twice in a lifetime,
a man or woman may choose
a radical leaving, having heard
Lech l’cha – Go forth.
God disturbs us toward our destiny
by hard events
and by freedom’s now urgent voice
which explode and confirm who we are.
We don’t like leaving,
but God loves becoming.