Creating a Difference

Of course this was a huge honour, so I was quite eager to make sure the right amount of thought and positive energy went into both the preparation and presentation of this discussion.

While reflecting on the task at hand, I asked myself what I would have wanted to hear if I was one of the people in the audience. What words would inspire me to build cloud like staircases towards my future goals and ambitions? The only answer that kept surfacing time and again was that I would have liked to hear a balanced portrayal of the speakers life; a combination of challenges and victories, optimism and realism as well as some heart warming stories about significant incidents in their life that helped shape and mold who they are.

The conference was hugely inspirational and my presentation was well received so I decided to share those thoughts with you here today in hopes that maybe some of the ideas might invite you to create a difference in your life.

I started with a quote my humanities professor in the US read out loud to us on the first day of class. Dr. Welch said, ‘I’m not as good as I should be. I’m still not as good as I could be. But everyday I try to be better than I used to be.’ You see, life is about learning, developing and challenging ourselves to be better each day. However, this doesn’t just happen accidently. It takes thought, determination and commitment to certain habits, practices and values, on a daily basis.

Here is a list of other practices shared with the group:

• Be aware and mindful of yourself and others
• Do what you love and love what you do!
• Find a purpose and nurture it
• Embrace those magical ‘AHA’ moments that awaken your creativity and sense of purpose
• Be the author of your life story — don’t let others write it for you
• You can’t succeed without hard work so stop cutting corners
• Be grateful about all that you have instead of always focusing on what you don’t have
• Don’t be emotionally stingy
• Be emotionally and culturally flexible
• Know your values, voice them and stick to them
• Don’t look for Mr Right, find Mr Bright — a man who’ll be equally passionate about your purpose
• Don’t leave things to the last minute
• Control your inner voice
• Learn to delegate
• Life’s delays, are not her denials
• Let your actions speak louder than your words
• Make an effort to keep your childhood friends
• Find time for YOU
• Don’t become slave to technology
• Celebrate small wins and victories
• Learn to apologise
• Manage your priorities
• Spring clean your mind from time to time
• Have a ritual for your daily activities
• Don’t allow your strength to be your greatest weakness
• Make sure the concept of work/life balance also applies to the male members of the family
• No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
• Remember we are all on the same team
• Take turns having your way – compromising leaves both people only half happy
• Don’t indulge your anger, let it go
• Don’t shy away from leadership
• Live your life through practices not just theoretical principles

This is just a summery of some of the main points raised and explored. Each of you will gravitate to an idea that is relevant to your life or perhaps something you might be wrestling with at the moment. Confront those issues rather than covering them up. After all, the best way towards any kind of peace is planning, patience and perseverance.

Remember, learning more results in living more…over to you…

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Samineh I Shaheem is an author, an assistant professor of psychology, currently lecturing in Dubai, as well as a cross-cultural consultant at HRI. She has studied and worked in different parts of the world, including the USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands, and the UAE. She co-hosts a radio programme (Psyched Sundays 10-12pm) every Sunday morning on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM discussing the most relevant psychological issues in our community.

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