If today was your last day

Dorita published this song on her blog and I found it so much related with this moment of my life... :)

Hope you like it!

Nickelback - If Today Was Your Last Day Lyrics

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day’s a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try
So live like you’ll never live it twice
Don’t take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every time you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you’re dreamin’ of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life
Let nothin’ stand in your way
Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every time you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you’re dreamin’ of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

principles

Whoever comes are the right people...
Whenever it starts is the right time...
Whatever happens in the only thing that could have happened...
When its over its over....

Gratitude, Fairness, Equity and Justice to my list of personal strengths

Juan's post reminded me to take the VIA Signature Strengths assessment as part of the activities my team is running to support each others career development.

We are using the frame of The International Leadership Strengths Research Project of Mr David Pollay, AIESEC aumnus, from the University of Pennsylvania. The project aims "to encourage these leaders to fully develop their strengths in support of their goals".

The cool thing is that I found my results when I took it for the first time, 3 years ago, when I was starting my experience at the AIESEC in Colombia office as National Vice President of Talent Management, just returning from my internship in Brazil. :-)

It seems that my humor, optimism and future-mindedness continue really strong in my personality. But what happened with my curiosity with the world, my critical thinking and judgment? My theory is that I have explored too much the world in these last 3 years that I am loosing that enlightenment. :P

On the other hand, Gratitude, Fairness, Equity and Justice are the additions to my list of personal strengths and Industry, diligence and perseverance scaled up to the first position... I think it totally reflects my experience and leanings this year in AI :-)

Here are the results (without analysis), below you find deeper descriptions of the strengths. Note that the frame is based on 24 strengths.


August 2006 results: Read my post about this in 2006

Humor and playfulness
Curiosity and interest in the world
Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness
Industry, diligence, and perseverance
Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness

Today, 2009!


Industry, diligence, and perseverance
You work hard to finish what you start. No matter the project, you "get it out the door" in timely fashion. You do not get distracted when you work, and you take satisfaction in completing tasks.


Humor and playfulness
You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.


Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness
You expect the best in the future, and you work to achieve it. You believe that the future is something that you can control.


Fairness, equity, and justice
Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.


Gratitude
You are aware of the good things that happen to you, and you never take them for granted. Your friends and family members know that you are a grateful person because you always take the time to express your thanks.

seeing clearly...

As part of the 7-weeks transition of AIESEC International, me and my team (the current one) have had an awesome "Heading for the future" program...

Being honest, I didn't think this period was THAT important in the experience you live in AIESEC. I mean, I thought that get ready to lead a team, to move to another city, to meet a new culture, to manage big budgets, being responsible for a number of corporate accounts or to lead the strategy of a global organization was something that deserve a HUGE preparation for any member able to perform it... but, to get ready to leave the organization is something that is even MORE important than the previous ones.. is to put you in front of the world you want to change.. is put you in front of yourself!

I have taken the time to wrap up my current experience from all the angles and also start preparing myself physicalyl and emotionally for the next one, either in AIESEC or outside of it.

One the best learning I have had in the first 2 weeks of the program, is analysing myself from the perspective of my daily life (routines). Who am I when I am not in the office? What are the things that make me happy?. What am I doing to challenge me to be better?.. to evolve?.

Seeing clearly is that moment when you start analysing who you are..
what you like and you don't like of you.

Parallel, recently I saw clearly the big mistakes I made with people that matter to me. Facts that I was seeing with other glasses, only from one side of the mirror, from a really selfish position, those things I thought I had changed of my personality, but haven't yet.

... The discovery was like rewinding a movie and seeing the scene not from the killer perspective but from the victim... and it made me feel sad with myself.. things that I cannot do much now, only accept it, apologize, analize and make the deep commitment with me to fix it.

I really appreciate the people who made me realize this. The ones that don't keep their thoughts with themselves, those ones with the courage to say it with the total honesty, not with the intention of hurting me, but to help me on being better, those are the ones I can call my friends...

For the moment, I will start to build my routine for a happy and purposeful live, with these small adjustments in my daily activities: waking up at 7:30am, having breakfast at home and reading news in the morning before I go to the office. I have re-started my Gym routine three times in the week. I also will spend more time with my friends, helping them, listening them, giving all what I can do... not asking without giving as well.


If I am able to deliver this promise with myself -that will bring me happiness and a much more relaxed life,-I will be able to have whatever I want...

reflections after a cup of coffee with myself....

Communications is what definitely I'd like to continue doing... no meaning me saying what we ALL should say or think, actually is making people communicate between each other, making them closer doesn't matter how distant, different, diverse they are. All of us have incredible stories and opinions to share, lessons to take... we can inspire people, we can make things much better only by connecting with people that matter to us. Why don't we only do it?

Technology, from a positive perspective, is the best way to connect people... I am understanding now that the Internet is not a privilege for some people in the world, it should be a right for all the individuals in the planet basically. The challenge is 1. to make the Internet accessible to everyone, in those regions, countries -even continents- where the access to the technology is really poor; and 2. to educate the people how to use internet in a proper way, a tool for development of societies. God! imagine how amazing and great thing you will be able to see happening in the Internet to change this crazy world..

I don't see myself, for the moment, contributing actively in other place different than my Latin America! The bunch of opportunities to impact there are countless: in Education, Technology, digital divide, entrepreneurship, health, children care, communication, sustainability, business creation, family, culture, politics... I also keep in my mind the faces of the people of my country, Colombia, those ones that have huge dreams and are making all possible to make it a reality: To finish primary school, to buy a house, to have a family, to travel by plane, to see the beach, to have a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday... and I will do my best to contribute in making that happen...

I am loving Europe! without intention of generalize all the European countries, but these are 3 years since I came for the first time, and one year living in The Netherlands, I can see how different and equals we are. I see how the world can be seen from other perspective, much better and much worse sometimes... I like the culture, the diversity, how things can be possible, how government can work and cannot.. how people are more aware of what's happening in the world, how good education can make the difference, how easy is to connect people by having a good infrastructure... I feel more citizen in these cities, without be afraid to be outside, to enjoy and take care of the public spaces to contribute and think in others as a community....




I find myself as a small piece of a big puzzle, finding my place to fit well to make a comprehensive and beautiful picture :-)