As an infant democracy, there are bound to be
setbacks, missteps and troubles, yet, what are we doing as a nation and people
to support emerging democracies? As Americans we find great pride in having
established and nurtured the world's greatest democracy and we wish to see
other nations follow in our footsteps. Still, we sit in our homes filled with
food, electricity and sanitation that many people in the world can only dream
of. We do little to enjoy the fruits of what we have, instead deferring to the
endless pursuit of material consumption to define our worth, and even less to
reach out to others to help them along either domestically or internationally.
People always ask me, what can one person do? Lead.
Love. Take action. Love in action is leadership. So what does that mean and how
does it apply to me? Read on:
As an individual: Be a leader unto yourself, own and
recognize your power to change your life and the world.
As a family member: Who are the three to five people
that mean the most to you? Are you open, honest and compassionate with them? Do
you support them in becoming their best and leading exceptional lives? Do they
support you?
As a friend: Who are the people that make up the
fabric of your life? Are you setting an example of what you want to see in the
world? Do you talk about what you want to see or are you living it? Are you
inspiring others to be better or do you drag people down with your pessimism
and fear?
As member of your community: Through your
interactions with extended family, neighbors and friends there are numerous
opportunities to share your talents, skills and passions while supporting their
growth and ability to lead. Are you a leader in the groups in which you work
and volunteer? Are you giving your best and working toward greater fulfillment
and enjoyment or are you just getting by? Where do you live? Why? What you are
doing to be an engaged, active, contributing member of your community?
As a world citizen: What do you see in the world
that you wish were different? What are you doing right here, right now to
change it right where you are?
Unlike those who crave democracy in countries where
living conditions are challenging, very few people seem willing to leave the
safety of their current life to create a world in which we can all live
together. Tough situations call forth new strengths and all too often as we see
in Egypt, the reliance on might to address issues doesn't end when a new party
comes to power. How different might things be in these democracies if those of
us who have the capacity to lead with compassion - from positions of relative
comfort - took greater action in our own communities to spread the wealth of
democracy through inspiration rather than guns and money.
The lessons of our democratic founding didn't end
237 years ago. It is no wonder as our political leaders abandoned centrist,
common sense leadership in favor of "my way or the highway" antics
that other countries quickly followed suit. As we celebrate our great
democratic republic’s birth, perhaps it is time to look at the extraordinary
gift we have been given to live in this great nation and to look at the
ordinary things we can do each day to make it even better. In doing so, I
assure you that not only will our country be better for it, so too will you,
your family and the world.
Want More? Continue with Kathleen at
http://www.LeadershipConnection.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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