Lucca Leadership Blog - what is leadership about?

Want to Change the World? Start with You

2011-06-16T14:22:00.004+01:00

Develop your confidence, communication and leadership skills in a practical 'hands-on' way.

When: Sat 16th - 23rd of July 2011

Where: Castlewellan Castle, Co. Down

How Much: for only €450*

Your Journey begins with an extraordinary 6-day training program, helping you to unleash your inner potential by increasing your awareness, offering you a deeper insight into your purpose in life, and developing the skills required to lead effectively, for the good of all.

The following 12 months give you the opportunity to put your learning into practice with reviews and reflections. You will be invited to work with a trained Lucca Leadership mentor, continuous support from our extensive international alumni network with quarterly meet-ups* and the chance to participate in active service learning in our "Give Back to the Community" program.

What do you do: Outline of the 6 days

Your six days will be an exciting journey where you get the chance to learn in the most fun and active way. Using a method of learning called Kolb's Experiential Learning, we facilitate a space for you to provide the learning to each other. You then put the learning into practice through team task and then using coaching we help you discover the depth of what is really going on. Next we help you understand how you can then take this learning forward, in to your everyday life.

Day 1 - Transformational Leadership, The Human Framework, Emotional Intelligence, The Energies, Taking the Lead

Day 2 - Decision Making, Great Communication, (Dinner out in the local town)

Day 3 - Personal Mastery, Leadership Styles

Day 4 - Case Study Day - off-site

Day 5 - Leading Through Sound, Intent and Vision, (Dinner where you meet the Lucca Leadership Mentors)

Day 6 - Making A Difference

more detail on these >>>

Is this for you?

Are you aged between 18-40
Can you show some evidence to a commitment to the development of your own community or society, through schemes, projects or individual actions.
You need to submit an idea for how you will Make A Difference on your return, that you believe will uplift your world.
Do you speak English fluently.

How to apply: Here you go

Online Form or Download Application

Closing Date: June 25th

What does it cost: €450

This cost includes all course materials and delivery, food and accommodation, outings and speakers.

When needed and possible, we sometimes provide assistance (bursaries) for those who need it. The more people that pay, the more is available for those that can not.

Need more info: www.luccaleadership.ie

50 Life Secrets and Tips | High Existence

2011-03-26T03:38:00.000Z

50 Life Secrets and Tips | High Existence

50 Life Secrets and Tips

13K

Memorize something everyday.Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.
Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.Those who are heavy set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.
Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and try to experience as many different environments and sensations as possible. This world has so much to offer, so why not take advantage of it?
Remember people’s namesso that they feel appreciated and for your own future benefit when you want something from that person. To do this, say their name back to them when they introduce themselves. Then repeat the name in your head a number of times until you are sure you have it. Continue to use their name in conversation as much as possible to remove any chance of forgetting it. If you’re still having trouble, make up a rhyme about their name: “Dan the Man” or “Natalie flatters me.”
Get fit!It’s ridiculous to think that we have one body, one sole means of functioning, and people are too lazy to take care of themselves. Fit bodies lead to better health, confidence and more success with romantic endeavors. I’d say those are 3 very good reasons to get in shape.
Learn to focus only on the present.The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless you are making sure you do not repeat past mistakes. The future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the future.
Even more specifically, live in THIS moment.Even 10 minutes ago is the past. If you live purely in this moment you will always be happy because there is nothing wrong in this split-second.
Smile more often.Whenever you get a grin on your face, your brain is releasing serotonin, the happy hormone. Smiling is the natural way to force yourself to be happy. Many people even smile for five minutes straight in the morning to get themselves in a great mood for the day. It is a very powerful tool that is utilized less and less as we grow older and need happiness more than ever. Just remember that while happiness leads to smiles, smiles also lead to happiness.
Drink water.Hydration is tremendously important for overall health. Soda has absolutely ZERO nutritional content; it’s like pouring a punch of sugar and syrup into your cup. Instead, fill it with life-replenishing water. It may taste plain at first if you’re coming off of a heavy soda-drinking streak, but you’ll soon find yourself addicted to it. 10 glasses per day is optimal, how many have you been getting lately?
Don’t take life so seriously!Learn to laugh at the little things and this whole “existence” thing will be a whole lot easier. Be amused by your mistakes and failures and be thankful that you learned your lesson and won’t mess up like that again. And most importantly do things that you enjoy! Life is not strictly business, it can be mixed with pleasure.
Think positive thoughts.When you find yourself thinking a negative thought, stop it immediately by any means necessary. Slap yourself in the face, yell something positive at the top of your lungs or jump up and down. Do whatever it takes to get back to a positive mindset as such is essential for continual happiness and success.
Read books.No explanation needed.
Get in the sun.Superman was completely re-energized when he flew out to space and soaked in some rays and you can do the same right outside your front door (if you live in a constantly dreary place, my apologies). The sun feels amazing: your entire body will be coursing with warmth and life.
Help others.
I’ll just give you a plethora of reasons why this is a MUST
- Helping people has a ripple effect. If you help someone they will feel more obliged to help someone else, and so on. Pay it forward
- You grow by giving and helping others. It can change you in ways you never expected
- Your relationship with that person will become stronger
- It’s the most fulfilling thing you can do on this planet. It not only feels amazing physically, you also feel like a good person
- You might be able to call in a favor later when you need some help
- Karma (if you believe in it)
- Because there are more people in this world than just you
Set aside a specific time to worry each day.Ponder all of your problems and anxieties during that time so that they will not distract you during work or moments of pleasure. This way you can be extremely efficient with your time and avoid focusing on negative things as much as possible. If you get all of your worry out of the way and have the mental fortitude to keep from reverting back to them, you will be much happier on the daily.
Be honest at all times.Lies lead to nothing but trouble. Being known as trustworthy is an excellent trait to maintain and essential to having integrity.
Sleep less.Fully adjusting to a new sleep cycle can take up to 21 days so don’t give up if you feel tired after switching to 5-hour nights. The “required” 8 hour/night is for normal people. If you’re reading THIS article on THIS site, you are not normal. So figure out how much sleep YOU really need and adjust accordingly. As enjoyable as sleep is, waking existence is much more fulfilling and efficient. IF this really sparks your interest, check out alternate sleep cycles with which you can be fine off of 2 hours of sleep per day.
Read “Bringers of Light” and “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch.These books will help you decide what you want to do in this life and how to get to that point. They will also profoundly change the way you look at the purpose of existence. Read them!
Figure out what your goals and dreams are.So many people wander aimlessly through life simply go for whatever small thing they want moment by moment. Instead, decide what your perfect life consists of and begin to put the steps in motion to reach that place. The most satisfying thing in the world (yes, better than sex, much better) is overcoming a challenge and reaching a goal. We are the happiest when we are growing and working towards something better.
Start your day off right.Wake up and set aside an hour for personal development activities (meditation, self-introspection, observing nature, etc.) Do the things that make you feel blissful, optimistic and empowered so that you can set a positive tone for your day. I guarantee that once you start doing this, your days will be more enjoyable and fulfilling. Today is going to be the best day of your life. Duh.
Utilize ‘The Burning Method.’Whenever a fear or worry or complaint comes to mind, close your eyes and imagine writing down the thought on a piece of paper. Then proceed to light the paper and fire and watch it disintegrate. Even better, actually write it down and burn it. You won’t have any problem ridding your mind of the thought after doing this.
Travel. Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that traveling is one of the most exciting and life-changing activities that you can do. Observing a different culture will expand your mind while making you further appreciate the life you already live. This goes back to becoming an explorer: this world is your jungle so go explore! Who knows, maybe you’ll find a place you love so much that you decide to move. Imagine the positive repercussions a new environment could have on your life.
The Rubber Band MethodThis is the third and final way to rid yourself of negative thoughts (hopefully by now you have figured out that this is very important!). Place a rubber band around your wrist and snap it against your skin anytime a negative thought finds its way into your head. This classical conditioning technique associates a slight pain with negative thoughts like Pavlov associated food/salivation with the sound of a bell. Sounds a bit cruel at first but it only stings for a second, I promise. Plus the outcome, having only positive thoughts, far outweighs a little slap on the wrist here and there.
Learn to be unaffected by the words of others.Most people get very upset when they are called negative names by others, but there is a simple trick to overcoming this. Here it is: If I went up to you and called you a fire hydrant, would you be upset? Of course not. Obviously you are not a fire hydrant, you are a human being. The same concept applies to when someone calls you something that you know you are not. They are foolish for saying such things, so why would you react with such anger? The only exception is when someone calls you something that is true! In this case, you should thank them for alerting you to a weakness, one that you can now work on changing.
Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss.This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances. Yes, this sounds like an oversimplification of happiness, but I assure you that this book will change you in an amazing way.
Develop the ability to forgive.Forgiveness is something that most people fail miserably at even thought it’s so simple. Grudges only bring more misery to those who hold them and prevent good relations with the target. YOU makes mistakes all of the time so why not have mercy when other do? Remaining angry feels horrible while forgiving someone brings a refreshing sensation to the mind and healing to the relationship.
Be the person that makes others feel special.Be known for your kindness and sympathy.
Learn to lucid dream, or to realize when you are dreaming so that you can control your dreams. Sleep feels good, but its rather boring and unproductive. With lucid dreaming under your belt, night time can be even more exciting than when you are awake. You can do anything: fly, travel to other planets, party with a celebrity, get intimate with your dream boy/girl, etc. Many lucid dreams have also reported being able to speak directly with the subconscious during dreams by demanding to be taken to it after becoming lucid. For those that know a thing or two about your subconscious, that is a BIG deal.
Visualize daily.It has been said and proven time and time again that what you focus on is what you get. If you complain all of the time, you will run into more of the things you complain about. The same goes for good things like health, wealth and happiness. So spend some time in the morning imagining yourself achieving whatever it is that you currently desire. Focus is key in this exercise, so choose a quiet environment where you won’t be disturbed. If you’re having trouble focusing and continually find that your mind has wandered to something else, read about meditation in the following life tip. There is a lot more to this concept, so check out the full article on visualization and the law of attractionhere.
Meditate everyday for at least 20 minutes.In this modern world where everyone is so connected to everything else via cell phones, TV and internet, most people rarely enjoy the beauty of silence. The ability to quiet your mind and relax your body is an art and skill that everyone should develop. Simply sit somewhere, preferably in nature, and focus on your breathing or try to think about nothing. This is going to be extremely hard at first! You might find it boring or just plain impossible to think of nothing, but you will get better and you will learn to love it. Post-meditation, you will feel extremely clear headed and.. well, just plain wonderful. The only way to really understand this sensation is to try it.
Learn to control your mind.What kind of skilled human are you if you cannot even control your own thoughts? While the human mind is described as being a stream of consciousness, that does not mean you can’t decide where your stream flows. Techniques like meditation and the 3 ways to flush out negative thoughts will aid you immensely in learning to control your mind.
Learn to control your emotions.The only person that can make you unhappy is you! You are the one that decides to be affected by the words and actions of others. Realize this so that the next time you experience a negative emotion, you can find the strength within yourself to overcome it.
Take a class in speed reading.Books are full of information that can enhance your knowledge-base, vocabulary and yourself as a person. Speed reading is an easy way to get at this info faster so that you can have more time for other endeavors.
Relax!This one is for you work-o-holics out there (myself included). Yes, work is very important and productive but you need to take some time to chill out everyday or you are going to burn out faster than a candle with no oxygen. Additionally, you need to reward yourself for a job well done. What’s the use of doing all of that work if you can’t have a little fun from time to time anyways?
Work on making good first impressions.Practice a strong, firm handshake and the small talk that generally goes along with meeting someone for the first time. People won’t know what to think of you if you have nothing more to say beyond “My name is _______, nice to meet you.” Also make sure you remember names, as mentioned previously. Who knows, you may be going into business with or marrying this person you’re meeting for the first time if you make a good impression. Be sure and make an excellent one.
Learn to use your eyes to their full potential:
- Make constant eye contact when in conversation. Looking away (especially down) is a sign of inferiority and unsureness. Instead, look at your conversation partner dead in the eyes and keep them locked on
- Master the piercing stare. You know when someone looks at you and it feels like they can see into your soul? Well that’s not a hereditary characteristic, it just takes practice. Work on sharpening your gaze in the mirror. You’ll know you have it when it’s intimidating to continue looking at yourself
- Master the one-eyebrow raise. This one isn’t necessary by any means, but hey, why not? Pick a brow to learn with and go look in a mirror. Raise both of your eyebrows but use your hand to hold down the brow that you want to stay down. This will probably feel very stupid at first but if you keep trying, you will eventually pin down the muscle you need to flex to get that one brow up
Be mysterious.Don’t let off everything about you and definitely leave out some major details. There is something both alluring and mesmerizing about someone that no one knows fully about. I’m not saying to confide in no one or to alienate yourself. Just think James Bond.
Come up with a life mantra.You know, like “Carpe Diem” or “Live life to the fullest,” but not as cliché. Make it something that really hits home with you so that you will actually stick to it. Make sure it’ not so specific that it rarely applies but also not so general that it’s not personal.
Get good at something.Call it a hobby or a passion, whatever it is, just get damn good at it. Your occupation does not count! Make it something that you can practice often enough to excel at. Examples: Magic tricks, surfing, ping pong, creating short films, and unicycling. It can be anything but I would recommend choosing something that: 1) You are passionate about 2) You can bust out at any moment to display your skills for any discerning crowd. My mind goes immediately to aerobatics and break dancing, but that’s just me.
Work out those abs.Above any other muscle group in the entire body, the abs are the most important. They constitute your core, the center point of your body. Your ability to balance comes almost completely from the strength of your abdominal muscles and balance is vital to performance in any physical activity. Summary: they’re very important. For more info on how to work out your abs, check out this video.
Keep your brain sharp.The majority of people are stuck in ruts. They go to the same job everyday, hang out with the same friends and eat at the same places. While that may feel safe, it’s not the most stimulating lifestyle for your brain. Those synapses have been built up enough, so try something that you do NOT know how to do! Buy a model car kit, master the art of sudoku or crosswords, or go pick up another major at your nearest college. The point is you need to be learning new things to keep your brain honest. Form new synapses by forcing your mind to work in ways it has not worked before. Just like physical workouts, doing too much of the same exercise will eventually give no results. Switch it up!
Read something inspirational right before bed and after waking.This will set get you in a great mood for sleep and for the day. Read anything from a famous speech to your favorite self-improvement book. Try to read something that get’s you really excited in the morning especially so that you’ll leave your house beaming with energy and wonder.
Do what you love.There is a huge difference between making a life and making a living; which one are you making right now? So many spend their entire lives trying to make as much money as possible so that they can afford to do what they really want later. It makes no sense to settle in life until you’re 65 so that you can retire and do what you want when you’re already WAY past your prime. We only live life once so why wouldn’t you want to spend it pursuing your bliss? To do anything else would be a tragic waste of the freedom you are allowed if you are reading this right now. Follow your bliss and you will be a thousand times more happy than your retirement date and 40+ years younger.
Choose your friends wisely.You are affected far more than you think by the people you spend your time with. Do your friends share your values? Do they encourage you when you speak of your goals and dreams or do they scoff? Make sure the people around you are conducive to the lifestyle you want to lead or you will find yourself being dragged again and again into behavior that distances you from your desires. Friends with a habit of producing negative thoughts will especially hinder you. This can be a hard task to follow through with if you realize you good friend is one of these saboteurs, but you must be firm! Don’t let anyone get in the way of you being all that you can be.
Don’t burn bridges.By that I mean maintain your relationships with people even if you think you are never going to see them again. For example, if you are quitting your job, don’t chew out your boss before leaving! You might run into him/her again later and life and wish you had never severed ties so harshly. You never know when you might need the help of someone you knew in the past. Plus there is already too much hatred in this world, why add more towards the people you interact with?
Keep a journal/diary.It sounds like a very monotonous habit at first, but when you get into it, that little book will become a great way to organize your thoughts and track your growth over the years. Most of us already stay awake in bed at night pondering the events of the day anyways so why not document those thoughts in an organized fashion? That will allow you to look back and observe how your way of thinking has changed over time.
Read “New Pyscho-Cybernetics” by Dr. Maxwell Maltz.This book will explain why the content of your thoughts has such a profound effect on your life through religious, philosophical and scientific arguments. A must read for completely understand who this life thing works.
Learn to use and trust your subconscious/intuition.When you spend time in silence everyday, listen not for words but for a feeling that tells you to do something. Do not mistake your own reasoning and thoughts for those of your subconscious. If you can track where the thought came from, (this thought led to that thought which led to this thought, etc.) then it was not from your subconscious. Learning to accurately discern between the two will allow you to tap into knowledge that you don’t consciously have.
Develop a charismatic personality.You know, the kind of personality that is surrounded by people constantly and is the life of the party. Start visualizing yourself as THAT person. Maybe take a short course on dynamic speaking and learn some jokes. Take the time to learn some party tricks and sleight of hand. Most importantly, believe that you already are charismatic even if you fail at beign the center point of the next party. Lie to yourself constantly and tell yourself that you are more warm and gregarious than Ronald Regan. Belief is the first step! Reality will come soon after.
Love is all there is.If you truly want to be a master of life, let love be in your every action. Love your friends, family and enemies alike. This is the most difficult thing to do out of this entire list, which is why it is listed at #50. But if you accomplish this, you will be seen as a leader among everyone that allows hate, envy, disgust and all other negative emotions into their lives. Think Gandhi. Love is so rare in this world when compared to the massive presence of hate that by exuding love, you will immediately see yourself and the people around you change. Love. Love. Love.

About Jordan Lejuwaan

Hey, I'm the creator of HighExistence. I love inspiring others to follow their bliss, which in turn fulfills my own. I live for traveling, late-night conversations and moments of intense clarity or intoxication.

My Website Follow Me Friend Me

His Holiness The 14th The Dalai Lama's Message to the People of Ireland (via Office of Tibet )

2011-02-08T10:50:00.000Z

"I am looking forward to visiting Ireland in April to participate in a range of events organized by Children in Crossfire, Afri and SpunOut.ie. I very much look forward to speaking in Dublin, Kildare and Limerick at events which I hope will help people realise their own potential, as well as the immense possibilities that exist for realising much needed personal, social and global change. It is my hope that POSSIBILITIES 2011 will open up a space of dialogue, action and reflection and strengthen the realization that vast possibilities are available to the people of Ireland at this time.

Our world is in turmoil but this also provides an opportunity for true transformation towards peace, justice and happiness if we show courage and hope. As I have said before, I truly believe that individuals can make a difference in society and it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier and fairer world.

It will be especially important to visit at a time when Ireland is facing serious turmoil, as is the world as a whole, grappling as it is with economic upheaval, climate change, and great and growing chasms between rich and poor.

I hope that my time in Ireland - in the company of my good friend and my hero Richard Moore - will contribute towards the building of a new civic and cultural force for change."

Catalyst April 16th-23rd, 2001 - We Can Change The World

2011-02-05T16:36:00.000Z

Do you want to coach/ facilitate?

Do you want to develop practical 'hands-on' leadership skills?

Do you want to change the world?

Join us for Catalyst April 16-23, 2011

Gloucestershire, UK

If you have attended a Leadership Foundations Programme in Italy, Ireland or anywhere in the world, you are now qualified and ready to be part of this training.

Catalyst is the new combination course of Living Leadership and coaches training, incorporating the best of both and then some!

Ilana Wetzler, CEO of Lucca Leadership South Africa who piloted the course in SA in December is flying in especially to lead us in developing a great team of coaches and facilitators.

The residential course will be held at the Asha Centre www.ashacentre.org and will cover the following:

Practical ways to develop your potential and draw more fully on inner resources.
Further forms of dialogue, looking at how to use dialogue for structured problem solving and enhancing creativity.
How to lead through speech / how to facilitate
Taking Personal Mastery even further by developing our Resilience to be a transformational leader.
How to build and develop a successful team.
Coaching and how to allow people to develop their full potential.

As Lucca Leadership UK/ the Change seeks to grow its impact over the next 18 months there will be plenty of opportunities to put your skills into action, a rewarding way to work with people who are as passionate about making a difference as you.

Whether or not you use your training in Lucca Leadership or in your own work, you will get a set of skills that are incredibly practical and valuable in whatever work that you do.

What you need to do, now

We need to know are you in? And if so how much are you able to pay for the course?

From the group of people that want to attend, the plan is to then collectively raise the funds needed and work together to make the course happen.

Please email me at ukinfo@luccaleadership.org with the following information before Tuesday February 8th:

Whether you would like to attend the Catalyst course in April
There are a limited number of places and so it's really important that you give us your name as soon as possible
How much you are able to pay for your accommodation / food / travel (if at all). The full course cost is £600. If you are able to pay more and support someone else to attend, please include that in this amount.
All flights and accommodation before and after the course are not included in this and will be up to you to arrange

YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program

2011-02-04T15:32:00.000Z

YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

A program of the International Youth Foundation, YouthActionNet® seeks to develop a new generation of socially-conscious global citizens who create positive change in their communities, their countries, and the world. Each year, 20 young social entrepreneurs are selected as YouthActionNet® Global Fellows following a competitive application process. Supported by the Sylvan Laureate Foundation, the yearlong Global Fellowship includes:

Skill-building:

A seven-day leadership retreat for the twenty selected Fellows which offers dynamic peer-to-peer learning and collaboration
Focus on the personal growth and leadership abilities of Fellows, in addition to providing instruction in specific skills required to manage innovative, world-changing organizations
Year-round learning and support opportunities based on Fellows’ individual needs and the six dimensions of the YouthActionNet® Leadership Model: Personal, Visionary, Political, Collaborative, Organizational, and Societal

Networking and Resources:

Networking with international and national aid agencies, NGOs, and corporate partners
Access to potential resources to support Fellows and their projects, including volunteers, mentors, and grant opportunities
Peer-to-peer networking throughout the year

Advocacy:

Training in areas such as communications planning, media outreach, message development, presentation skills, and innovative uses of new media technologies
Access to global advocacy platforms and media coverage

Eligibility

Open to all young people, ages 18-29 (as of October 1, 2011)
Applicants must be the founder/co-founder of an existing organization, or a project within an organization, with a demonstrated one year track record of leading societal change
Proficiency in English is required; applications must be submitted in English
Applicants must attend the full retreat in early October, 2011 (all expenses paid)

To Apply

Completed applications are due by March 11^th, 2011.Applicants may visit www.youthactionnet.org to apply online or to download the application. Online submissions are preferred, however, if necessary applicants can email completed application forms toyan@iyfnet.org .

Developing your awareness

2011-01-17T14:27:00.008Z

As much as the New Year normally brings in resolutions, this year I vowed to give myself challenges instead. They seem more fun that way. I was really aware when running OpenFM last year at how effective I am when I come from a place of calm, and vice versa. This inner calm Sam is created through a multitude of ingredients/circumstances. When the seas are stormy I carry a whirlwind around with me.

So, I gave myself this challenge for 2011. Find that state of calm. The Christmas was a really good lead in with it being one of the most chillaxed holidays I've had in years. Then come the 1st of January I started getting up at 6am. Having 5 - 20 mins of quiet time. Then an hour in the gym, swimming or weights before heading to work. What I noticed was something that I didn't quiet expect. Especially so quickly. Suddenly I realised how my awareness had increased. I was aware of how uncalm my mind can be in the morning or when swimming. I could see the affects of not eating properly during the day and how my energy was erratic. I was also aware of the Human framework, a tool that we introduce on our Lucca Leadership courses. One day in particular, I noticed myself, sighing constantly and I asked myself, "eh, what's going on?" I then saw the doubts and fears that were going through my head. When myr heart was feeling open, it was getting the most bizarre and overwhelming feeling going on in my body. Then later while watching an emotional scene in a movie, I was nearly coming to tears.

How is any of this of use? Well, it gives me the tools I need to find the calm Sam. Sometimes, the solutions are found in the obstacles. Seeing what is pulling at me in every direction, allows me make changes to how I am affected. I'm feeling confident with my challenge for 2011 with this greater awareness.

What have you being aware of, since the beginning of the year?

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman

Celebrate 1.1.11 in deep Oneness with Ekataa (in India)

2010-12-31T12:46:00.001Z

On the eve of this New Year,
wishing you a year ahead full of great achievements
filled with special moments
that will always bring a smile on your face.

Please join me and many people around the world
by celebrating our shared human Oneness on 1.1.11,
a date of 1s that comes once as a New Year in every century.
For more details visit Ekataa.net.

We will be start this special year of Oneness
where the Number 1 occurs four times : 1.1.11/ 11.1.11 / 1.11.11 / 11.11.11
in the Unity Pavillion in Auroville, Pondicherry,
with chanting, the lighting of candles and a silent concentration on Oneness.
Please find attached a document herewith details of the programme.

We plan to do a webstreaming of the event for those who would like to join us at 00.00hrs IST (Indian Standard Time) that is 7pm in Ireland
from different parts of the world on http://www.livestream.com/ekataa
We will be trying this for the first time so kindly excuse us if there are any unpredictable technical hitches.
My request - the important thing is to try to deeply feel a sense of Oneness with all human beings and creatures on earth as one celebrates the coming of another year.

Would be wonderful if you could share about this with as many as you can.
Please excuse me that this mail is not addressed to you personally
or if it has already come to you many times.
The wishes in them are true.

Thank you very much for your support.
With Luv, light and Happy Thought-sounds.

Anuradha

--
Support Ekataa.net
Facebook : Ekataa - join the Group!

Imagine the World as ONE on 1.1.11.

Celebrate 1.1.11 in deep Oneness with Ekataa (in India)

2010-12-31T12:30:00.000Z

Greetings from Lucca Leadership

2010-12-21T23:35:00.000Z

Greetings from Lucca Leadership for 2010 and all the best in 2011

Doing something you love!

2010-12-13T12:53:00.002Z

It has always baffled me that so many people are in jobs that they don’t enjoy. That foreboding feeling that rises inside every Sunday afternoon. The very same anxiety I felt when I was in school. The dreaded thought of the end of your weekend and returning to the mundane routine.

I am very fortunate. Making a decision many years ago to focus on always trying to do something that makes me feel alive inside. It’s challenging at times. Sometimes it slips you by and you realise your back in a rut. Nevertheless, when you keep working at it, the right doors open. So, when the Lucca Leadership CEO role became my newest adventure, you can imagine how good it felt inside. A charity I have now volunteered with for over 4 years and a vision that is totally aligned with my own, ‘to be a catalyst for lasting change by developing leaders who serve the world.’ How more amazing can it be to serve an organisation that values are so necessary to our society, now more than ever.

Thank You for giving me the opportunity to Make the Difference. I’m so excited to be taking over from Robert. I suppose, the knee jerk reaction might be, to be nervous, taking the reigns from such a capable and passionate guy. I feel fantastic and quite honoured. Also, I feel secure knowing that I have the Lucca Leadership community around me to support and guide me when needed. 2011 is going to be an exciting and challenging year and its our strength together that will get us through all obstacles. I look forward to meeting as many of you humanly possible in the coming months. Make sure to keep connected and let me know your thoughts, ideas and suggestion. sam.lyons@luccaleadership.org

Talk soon - Sam Lyons, CEO Lucca Leadership Ireland

Upcoming Lucca Leadership Courses: Australia 16 - 23rd Jan / UK 5th - 12th Feb

Lucca Leadership highlighting the work of HAPA in Ireland

2010-11-01T15:53:00.001Z

Suleiman Abdulahi – Horn of Africa Peoples Aid (HAPA)

A new report has been recently published by HAPA in conjunction with Trinity Immigration Initiative (TII), Trinity College Dublin. The report comprises a detailed study of the needs of refugees from the Horn of Africa or conventional refugees in areas of resettlement, employment, education, gender and youth. This report will be launched in autumn 2010.

On June 29th to 2nd of September 2010, Horn of Africa Peoples Aid commenced a ten weeks English language training course for Horn of Africa refugees in Blanchardstown Library in Fingal County.

This is just the first phase and the second phase will kick-off the 4th October to 9th December 2010. The Fingal County Council - Fingal Integration Funding Scheme 2010 funded this initiative.

www.hapa.ie

Lucca Leadership talking about talking Irish

2010-10-28T15:40:00.000+01:00

Michelle Gallen - www.talkirish.com

TalkIrish has had an exciting year to date. Following a Level 2 UnLtd cash award, Talk Irish secured a grant of £47k from The Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Creative Industries Innovation Fund. Several employees have joined the team in recent months – an Irish web editor, a coder and designer.

In April 2010, Talk Irish was awarded the prestigious Kieran Hegarty Award for Interactivity at the Celtic Media Festival – beating off competition from 5 BBC websites.

In June, Michelle Gallen from Talk Irish joined TN2020 – the British Council’s network of future leaders and influencers. As part of this network, she spent a week in Chicago, meeting with leaders and influencers from across Europe and the USA.

Talk Irish negotiated the exclusive rights to produce digital versions of Buntús Cainte – the most successful course in Irish ever. The Talk Irish team is hard at work producing online and MP3 courses which will be launched for sale in Autumn 2010 – bringing Talk Irish the revenue it needs to build a sustainable enterprise.

Finally, www.talkirish.com keeps growing – with over 7,500 members now part of our online community.

www.talkirish.com

For more information check out www.luccaleadership.org

Daynuv - great work, big plans, what's next...

2010-10-22T10:04:00.000+01:00

James Corbett and Keith Kennedy - Daynuv

Daynuv received a great boost at the ICT in Education conference recently when keynote speaker and Carlow Educate Together principal Simon Lewis commended their collaboration with GiftedKids.ie by saying, “If this was expanded out to every school the possibilities are phenomenal”

With the success of the pilot programme behind them the plan now is to roll out the service to 20 schools nationwide. Before the summer holidays contact was made with a large number of teachers and the response has been such that the demand for the programme will more than meet the targeted quota of 20.

As such Daynuv and GiftedKids.ie have collaborated on a sponsorship proposal which has been circulated to a focused group of corporates. Discussions are on-going with a government agency and an official stamp of approval looks likely to be received soon.

www.daynuv.com

Check out www.luccaleadership.org for more information about Lucca Leadership's courses

Lucca Leadership recommends checking out www.mymind.org

2010-10-21T15:17:00.000+01:00

Krystian Fikert - MyMind

PPD - The Psychological Centre is now trading as MyMind (My Mind, My Health, My Success). MyMind vision is that everyone in Ireland has easy and quick access to community based mental health services. MyMind purpose is to build a network of community based mental health services that are quick, accessible and affordable for every person in Ireland.

MyMind resolution to current situation in Ireland is:

- to offer earlier intervention leading to better mental health

- to offer an alternative solution to medical model (we do not prescribe drugs as a resolution, only if necessary)

- to be accessible, clients are able to see a professional within a few days after initial contact

- services are affordable, with reduced or free sessions for those who cannot afford full fees

MyMind Centre offers:

- Face to face counselling

- On-line services through ww.epsychologist.eu

- Crisis intervention

- Psychological assesments

- Life coaching

- Work related coaching

- Workshops and trainings

- Suicide prevention for children

MyMind Centre is open 6 days a week, from 8am - 10pm.

www.mymind.org

Check out http://www.luccaleadership.org/irelandprograms

Lucca Leadership Ireland highlighting the work of BikePure

2010-10-18T13:59:00.002+01:00

Myles McCorry - BikePure

BikePure have seen fantastic growth over the past few months. With new ambassadors in Qatar, Ghana and Taiwan their global influence and network is solidifying. The brand is a powerful one and with power BikePure is working hard to bring about change to protect the lives of future champions.

As cycling is the most drug tested sport in the world, victories in this battle will have exponential impact as the improved procedures are being passed on to other sports.

One of the core targets of BikePure’s work is rebuilding the testing procedures with the governing body of sport. They have built a working relationship with WADA. The World Anti-Doping Authority has the power to induce change and is the direct aim of their member’s efforts. A lesson learnt which all Social Entrepreneurs will be well aware of is ‘who is listening’? BikePure has over 40,000 members around the world, but only a few with the power and influence to assist with massive changes. Time spent researching and ‘courting’ the key people who have the power to actually induce change is time well spent.

www.bikepure.org

Lucca Leadership talks about the power of Service

2010-10-13T17:58:00.002+01:00

In times of uncertainty it can happen that people's focus narrows to their own family, community or nation. History suggests that if in so doing we ignore the well-being of others, the difficulties may only deepen. Governments and nations, corporations and communities, families and friends are seeking ways to calm the storm.

Experience suggests that unless our response contains the ethic of service to all, there will be prosperity for none. Dr Martin Luther King put it simply, in challenging racism and segregation; "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." How to live together as a human family has been challenge a for millennia; when times are tough, the price of not doing so becomes higher still. Core to the idea of transformational leadership is the proposition that transformation begins with the individual leader. So, how can each of us try to deepen the ethic of service to all in our lives?

Making It Practical. By its nature, service is about what is in front of each of us, now.

1. Network for service. Whether you love it or hate it, getting things done as a leader involves a degree of networking. Here is a radical approach to networking from Srikumar Rao of London Business School. Network to serve. Rather than trying to find people who can be of use to you, identify someone to whom you can be of service, define what that is, and deliver it. In turning networking to service we can deepen the links of care and compassion that support us as a single human family.

2. What would happen if everyone did as I am doing now? This is a simple test of ethics and sustainability. It tests whether we are responding to a situation in a way that serves us at others expense. Consuming the earth's resources, dealing with our neighbours, managing personal finances - are our approaches to daily life consistent with the long term good of all? Identify one or two areas of life that you might review and assess if you can make a choice which serves others more fully. Make the change! From how we run our households, to how we treat people everyday, we are in constant interaction - what is our impact?

3. Optimism. Research (as well as common sense) is clear that optimism is a critical leadership capability. This is not about ignoring the facts - it is actually about embracing them fearlessly and still having the expectation that things will work out well. Reflect on your emotional impact this week - are you uplifting people through hope and optimism? Keep a diary and review your day.

From experience. "Last week, I sat with a man who had built an organisation to help young people to serve in order to bring about peace and prosperity in the city he lived in. Over the last few years, he has engaged hundreds of people and organisations in working together. I asked him what his motivation was. He moved into the city as a foreigner, he said. Looking for an opportunity to become involved, he had visited a lady who for over 15 years had collected and given out food and clothes every day to the poor of the city. He watched people come, take everything the lady had, and leave mostly without a word of thanks or acknowledgement. He asked her why she did it, when to his eyes the people she helped treated her no better than if they were robbing her. She told him that over the years she had seen a subtle change in some of the people; however apparently imperceptible, change was occurring. I realized that this is the transformational power of service. It transforms those who serve, and inspires others to do the same. And it offers the possibility of transformation to those who are served. All win. None are excluded."

Mary Nally inspiring everyone at Lucca Leadership Ireland

2010-10-12T18:11:00.002+01:00

Mary Nally – Third Age Foundation

Mary Nally through her organisation, the Third Age Foundation, is harnessing the power and abilities of older people to make a difference to their own communities and to society in general. The Third Age Foundation now has over 700 volunteers working on their national initiatives such as Fáilte Isteach, Senior Help Line, and the Way We Were.

Their work highlights the values of positive ageing across Ireland and opens up new possibilities for empowering older people.

Mary is tapping into an undervalued and underutilized demographic bounty by creating active contributors to society among the ageing.

In the past year alone, older people have supported their peers by taking over 13,000 calls on Senior Help Line, which now has 15 centres across the country; over 500 students attend free conversational English classes at the 23 Fáilte Isteach centres Mary has established in 9 counties; and “The Way We Were” project has now brought history to life for more that 1,000 primary school children in the 12 schools it has visited so far.

www.thirdagefoundation.ie

For more information about Lucca Leadership Ireland check out www.luccaleadership.ie

Lucca Leadership talks about Anu and her work on peace in the world

2010-10-09T09:40:00.000+01:00

Objective
The objective of Ekataa is to provide every human being on earth an opportunity to forget and transcend all the
‘labels’ we acquire during our lifetime based on various kinds of conditionings that reflect our
cultural, religious, ethnic, linguistic, social, gender and age differences, and to unite in the
simple recognition of our shared identity as human beings for the first 11 minutes of 1.1.11.

An invitation to every individual on earth to light up the world in celebration of the unity we share as human beings and ‘sound’ as one on 1st January 2011 at 00:00 hours. A call to all of humankind to ‘sound' common words of goodwill with the help of the media and world leaders, organizations and individuals for the first 11 minutes at 00.00hr (of respective countries) of January 1st, 2011 (1.1.11) to reaffirm and celebrate the fundamental unity of our humanness which is our first identity that underlies all other identities based on race, gender, age, nationality, creed or status.

Will you join?
Let’s make all of humanity, the best and the worst, the privileged and the unprivileged, the believer and the nonbeliever sound as One on 1.1.11( One-One-Eleven). Will you join by lighting a candle/ lamp at midnight on 1.1.11 and invite your community and leaders and the media to join in this celebration as well?

Dr Anuradha Choudry
sanskrityoga@gmail.com
For further updates please visit:
http://sanskrityoga.wordpress.com and Ekataa.net

For more information about Lucca Leadership's courses please go to http://www.luccaleadership.org/irelandprograms

Lucca Leadership Profiles another inspiring leader in Ireland

2010-10-06T09:12:00.000+01:00

Michelle Gallen - www.talkirish.com

In April 2010, Talk Irish was awarded the prestigious Kieran Hegarty Award for Interactivity at the Celtic Media Festival – beating off competition from 5 BBC websites.

Finally, www.talkirish.com keeps growing – with over 7,500 members now part of our online community.

www.talkirish.com

To find out more about Lucca Leadership's upcoming leadership courses in Ireland go to www.luccaleadership.ie

A simple update on Lucca Leadership Ireland

2010-10-05T17:53:00.002+01:00

Lucca Leadership has had an eventful summer with programs being run in Dublin, Meath, Wicklow, London, Hertfordshire, Italy, Illinois, Skopje, Capetown, Gansbaai and more. So far more than 360 people have been on the programs in Ireland alone and over 2000 around the world. A recent participant on a program said "I learnt my voice can be heard. My actions will affect people”. A highlight of the summer was the program run in South Africa by the Irish and South African team for Dance4Life, with 16 amazing young people trained to lead and 8 mentors to support them the world is in good hands. With another 5 leadership events and programs planned for the year Lucca Leadership Ireland is continuing to be kept busy. The rest of 2010 will bring more exciting changes in Ireland including the recruitment of a new CEO, as Robert Mulhall steps aside to give someone new the opportunity he has had to lead and grow an organisation. They are also strategically building the board and refining the services that are on offer to the world.

www.luccaleadership.ie

Lucca Leadership is inspired by Sr Antoinette Keelan and her amazing work with young people

2010-10-04T10:21:00.000+01:00

Sr Antoinette Keelan - St John's Education Centre

St John’s Education Centre has been hosting a REBT (Rational Emotional Behaviour Therapy) course for teachers from the schools network, parents who work the phone and Drop-In Centre and the team. It is very practical and offers opportunities for the diverse partners to engage with time and professional facilitation with the issues which present in the lives of teens today as well as challenging each participant to look at how his or her own emotional behaviour impacts.

The Centre is hosting a talk on Dyslexia on Thursday 14th October at 7.30. It will be given by Ron Davis and will include his fascinating history and the breakthrough he made correcting his severe dyslexia, the background and development of the Davis Correction methods, how dyslexics think and learn and why it is a gift! Ron Davis has also developed a programme for dealing with Autism and as he is autistic himself this work comes from a lived experience. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Sr. Antoinette on 087 923 9817.

This year plans are in train to add BBBS (Big Brother Big Sister) modules to the Programmes and Foroige are willing to support this initiative.

Applications are already in for the next Programme and so the cycle begins anew.

To find out more about Lucca Leadership check out www.luccaleadership.org

Mad Pride is exactly what Ireland needs says Lucca Leadership

2010-10-02T14:53:00.000+01:00

John McCarthy – Mad Pride Ireland

John says: “Mad Pride Ireland has gone nuts. We are everywhere, we are being covered on Radio, TV regional and national newspapers. We are now an annual event by invitation of Cork City Council. We are by invitation of Tullamore town council an annual event in August. We are planning to go to Galway, Dublin and Belfast next year. More later!!

Stephen Fry twittered us we had 95,000 hits whatever that means.

McCarthy consulting and Goldifish events do all the work; John takes all the credit; that is he believes; very fair.

This has simply been a fantastic event we have had 40,000 people at our events to date. We had an estimated 16,000 in Cork this year (that is half the attendance at electric picnic). Not bad from a standing start 3 years ago (and our budget we gladly do it for buttons).

Stigma based on fear, ignorance and prejudice simply has to STOP.

We have been instrumental in stirring up a debate in and around mental health from a compeletly different perspective, check out www.delete59b.wordpress.com. Questions are being asked, answers are being demanded. Force as a treatment is a breach of human rights it simply has to stop. We are still forcing our citizens to take ECT against their will what does that say of our society?”

www.madprideireland.ie

To find out more about Lucca Leadership and its leadership courses email info@luccaleadership.org

Lucca Leadership is in awe of the RISE Foundation

2010-10-01T09:11:00.000+01:00

The RISE Foundation has had a very busy year with lots happening to help its mission to support families with loved ones in addiction. The focus has been very much on the challenge of funding the expansion of their non-residential and residential Family Programmes and the development of a dedicated addiction awareness and education centre on beautiful Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim. Highlights over the past year included:

- 120 fantastic 'RISE Women' participating in a rain soaked Flora mini marathon and raising an amazing €19K.

- The growth of the RISE team to include Vodafone World of Difference 2010 winner Mark O'Doherty, who joined as Marketing & Communications Officer and Rabia Tabassum, who has joined as an administrative volunteer. They join Frances Black (Founder & CEO), Brian Allen and Stephen Rowen who, as one of Ireland's top addiction specialists, heads up the RISE Family Programmes.

- The RISE Foundation was delighted to be this year’s chosen charity for the Moyle District Council's (Co. Antrim) May Day Gala Ball fundraising event.

www.therisefoundation.ie

For more information about Lucca Leadership check out www.luccaleadership.org

Lucca Leadership - Zuma and Willard make the news again

2010-09-30T09:45:00.000+01:00

"After we left the Desmond Tutu Hall camp and attended the Lucca leadership programme we realised that the only way to break down barriers was through interaction"

For the last year and a half two creative Zimbabweans, Juma and Willard, have hustled their way from the robots on Roeland Street to a studio in Woodstock, Cape Town, crafting everything from bags made out of old t-shirts to recycled crate-chairs for corporate clients like Redbull. Not content to just be small time capitalists, from Mondays to Fridays they run art and craft workshops for 100 kids in Khayelitsha and on Saturday mornings they teach conversational English with a group called Chatterbox (made up of primary school kids). This is their story...

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34462:hope-street&catid=53&Itemid=37

Lucca Leadership thinks Ceol are really making a difference

2010-09-29T10:49:00.000+01:00

Here is a great organisation that is doing amazing things...

Ceol has gone digital. A summer course has been run, on-line, via Irish National Teacher’s Organisation. This is so successful that it is being continued for the coming year.

The training that had been conducted face-to-face is from 1st September 2010, being done by DVD with a view to transferring to Ceol’s website on-line. A Members’ Forum has been activated in the past few days. This will be accessed by teachers who are implementing the Ceol programmes. They can discuss issues with one another and seek support from the Ceol personnel.

These new developments are being run in tandem with an optional face-to-face training and printed materials. As time goes by, it is hoped that there will be less face-to-face and more digital resources. This will enable easier access to the programmes, greater scope and scale of Ceol programmes in pre-schools and primary schools throughout the country and beyond.

www.ceolireland.ie

For more information about Lucca Leadership's training courses check out www.luccaleadership.org

Lucca Leadership on Tribes

2010-09-24T11:40:00.000+01:00

Seth Godin talks about how having a Tribe can help us change the world, what Tribe do you belong to or lead? How are you going to join one or build one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6vpBDFoMqc

To find out more about Lucca Leadership's Tribe check out some videos about our alumni and their amazing impact in the world check out this link

http://www.luccaleadership.org/globalcommunity

Lucca Leadership in Macedonia

2010-09-23T12:23:00.000+01:00

This week Lucca Leadership Macedonia teamed up with Lucca Leadership Ireland to make a difference in the Balkans. 19 amazing people from Kosovo, Macedonia and Kyrgyzstan attended the two day Leadership in Action program in the Macedonian Mountains. The diversity, differences and things held in common were there to be celebrated by all, standing up as an example to all in the Balkan region who are looking to build an accepting, peaceful and just region.

For more information check out http://www.luccaleadership.org/macedonia

Lucca Leadership Ireland on RTE

2010-09-16T09:42:00.000+01:00

Lucca Leadership on Servant Leadership

2010-09-14T10:17:00.000+01:00

Servant Leadership

Robert Greenleaf is recognized as the father of servant leadership. Greenleaf (1977) described servant leadership in this manner:

"It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead…The difference manifest itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: do those served grow as persons, do they grow while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?

To find out more about Lucca Leadership's training courses please visit www.luccaleadership.org

Lucca Leadership Alumni make a big difference

2010-09-13T18:27:00.000+01:00

Juma and Willard attended Lucca Leadership's Foundations Program in September 2008, read all about the impact they have made on the world...

"For the last year and a half two creative Zimbabweans, Juma and Willard, have hustled their way from the robots on Roeland Street to a studio in Woodstock, Cape Town, crafting everything from bags made out of old t-shirts to recycled crate-chairs for corporate clients like Redbull. Not content to just be small time capitalists, from Mondays to Fridays they run art and craft workshops for 100 kids in Khayelitsha and on Saturday mornings they teach conversational English with a group called Chatterbox (made up of primary school kids). This is their story" http://www.mahala.co.za/culture/hope-street

To find out more about Lucca Leadership's training courses please visit www.luccaleadership.org

Change

2009-12-19T14:09:00.007Z

It is completely white outside. Snow has been falling for two days.
On the train, the landscapes pass us by.
I see everything has changed, not in essence, but in my perception.
Beauty shows me another face.
This is how my life is now.
Expected, yes, but still suddenly and surely changed.
Graduated and no job. A plan to work abroad.

And alike to the arrival of snow, I respond.
First amazement. Thrilled by new sight, new beauty, new possibilities.
Then doubtful. No hat and gloves and it's cold. The trains are delayed or cancelled, so what about my plans?
And then a thought sparks in my head: 'Hang on..This is just life having fun, challenging me!'
Acceptance with a smile.
Overboard with all my plans. I am here, now. A new sleeve.
This seems true leadership: to see what is and work with that.

Excitement. I'm gonna go for a walk around winter wonder land with friends. Job? Let's see what tomorrow brings.

-Aniek

First of Many

2009-10-22T15:04:00.018+01:00

Hello!

Do bloggers introduce themselves..?

You're witness to the first action I take towards winning a bet. A bet I accepted when I agreed to start writing this blog. It isn't a wager for money or honour even. No, it's a wager between life and myself. The price? Faith. Faith that when you put your heart into something, life will also and results will be great. So, that's why I'm writing this message to you. Someone asked me to and while I have absolutely no clue whether I'm anything close to a half-decent writer, there's only one way to find out: to try it and put my heart into it!

Well, there's really only two things you need to know about me: I'm Aniek and I love life. Want to know more? Stay tuned and you'll discover little by little.

Voila, my first blogging words are history.

Aniek

The Story Begins

2009-09-27T16:13:00.000+01:00

Leadership takes its form in many ways. One being, to lead by example.