It’s a different world…
Happy Valentines Day Technology = Equality Community! I hope you enjoyed the day with a loved one or just loved yourself! I personally don’t celebrate the holiday. Instead we as a family attempt to share how much we care about one another all year-long! I remember the class list of kids to create the cards for. Kids swapping candy filled treats and creating decorations with red construction paper.
It is a totally different world than the one we, our parents or even our grandparents grew up in. I loved watching shows like ‘Star Trek’ with my father growing up. I always wondered what it would be like to get beamed up! Or to talk to family from a device carried in the palm of my hand.
Oh, how time has flown!
It didn’t take long for one of those to become a reality. I’m sure the beam is on its way…. as we should all know by now…. someone’s mind thought it up and eventually, it will be here. 🙂 I think that is the most exciting part of this journey! The realization that anything that you or I or anyone else can think of and believe to be true can eventually become reality with a little motivation, innovation, elbow grease, and willpower mixed in.
…then where we came from!
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So a quick update on my public speaking journey… that’s it. I updated you on my progress. What did you miss it?? No, I just didn’t make any progress!! So sad to admit, but I have yet to get to a Toastmasters meeting!! (If you are not familiar with Toastmasters, please be sure to click here to learn a little more.)
What did you miss it??
In my defense, my calendar was a little off as I had not corrected the alternating weeks upon the new year. I was reminded to attend Toastmasters on the 1st Monday of February vs the 2nd Monday of February and arrived at an empty, quiet, and dark classroom! I knew immediately what occurred and returned home, shameful and disheartened, but determined to attend the following week. The next day I was invited to attend an alternate Toastmasters meeting in the city. I was a little unsure if the location would be convenient, but I was determined! I drove “Cautiously Swift” around the 128 belt loop to hop on route nine and use back roads to make my way from the house to the Copley Library, across the street from the meeting.
FYI-Traveling in traffic with a teen in the car is only fun if they want to go where you are going!!! Luckily my teen was actually interested in attending and we enjoyed making our way into downtown at a time when the city lights began to shine!
I forget how beautiful this city is sometimes!
So we arrive downtown almost an hour and a half after the meeting began. If you have ever attended a toastmaster meeting you already understand how silly it is for me to now pay for parking (As there were no available spaces on Tremont Street and we all know parking on Newbury is a joke!) and arrive at the meeting as it ends and participants are exiting.
Initially, I was quite disappointed with my inability to make it to another Toastmasters meeting. I then took a step back to adjust my perspective on the entire evening. Did I make it to or sign up for Toastmasters? No! Did my daughter acknowledge the effort required to accomplish some things in life? Did my daughter have an opportunity to witness mom face a small moment of adversity not deter me from my goal? Ummm, totally!!! Did she enjoy one of the longest inner city drives with her mom ever? 100%! We had a blast just driving around the city together and enjoying our time. My daughter is my motivation and moments like that are exactly why I do what I do! I swear I will be at the next Toastmasters and I will be sure to share the continued journey. In the interim, I want you to share a part of your journey with the community.
What have you thought about?
What is it that motivates you?
Why do you do what you do every day?
Once you answer this question for yourself, explore your answer. Take the time to think it through like you did when choosing the college or university you attended. What criteria was important to you? Did you look at a large campus or small class sizes? Was your focus Science and Math or did you look to Liberal Arts? Why do you do what you do every day? Where do you find the willpower to not slap your phone in frustration as it insists your time in bed has ended? How do you muster the courage to stand in your office meeting and share your work?
Why do you do what you do every day?
This month we are deep into our podcast challenge!! 
I am super excited about all of the responses we have received thus far!! Thank You to all of you who have submitted your responses thus far. If you haven’t entered the challenge, what are you waiting for? Use the link below to enter the challenge today!
Top three responses will receive a special Thank You from the Technology = Equality Community and an opportunity to have your “Why” shared in an upcoming episode.
Submit your responses today!
You have until February 21st, 2018.
Yes, one week after Valentines because I know there are other focus points in life around this date so for the super procrastinators, the 21st of February is the absolute deadline. Really it’s because this is the only day in the coming weeks’ someone will be available to double-check the post office box for any remaining responses.
