Follow the Master

When I was attending the art workshops of Mr. Fernando Sena, Philippine's "Father of Art Workshops", I believed I could be good using any medium, except watercolor. But the works of the master, Mr. Sena, like his work in watercolor shown here, inspire me not to stop dreaming that there will come a time I can do a good art piece using watercolor.

My talent in drawing was discovered in grade school when we had a project to make a scrapbook of the different kinds of birds. which became one of my favorite subjects in painting like the one I did using pastel in my photo with the master, and the parrots where I used pentel pens during Mr. Sena's workshop. He had always guided his students, pointing out what is lacking in our works, or what were the mistakes we made.

Let this "big dream" of following my master to make a beautiful watercolor painting be added to my Dreams List. Perhaps another dream which I believe I share with many artists, is for Mr. Sena to soon be a National Artist. Let that dream be written in the universe' list of dreams and be fulfilled!

A dream to inspire

When I was trying to update my Dreams List a year ago, I realized that I have a new dream that was not yet on the list. I'd like to be an inspirational leader. It was not really a new dream because since five years ago, I've started to be one but it was more an obligation than a dream. I hope to continuously inspire people, thus that dream was created. It is the main reason for my continuous effort to write inspiring posts in my blogs.

To achieve such dream is not easy, there were times I'd like to leave that task of inspiring people to well known personalities who already gained popularity in that area like John Maxwell. But it seems I am always placed in a situation where I also have to perform that difficult task of inspiring people. In my blogs, I sometimes feel I am running out of inspiring posts because I now have a regular job that steals all my time from other noble tasks. But recent developments in my job are now whispering to me that big challenge of leading people to a noble 'cause and inspiring them to carry out their part in fulfilling a great mission.

The nice thing about that is I can now stop asking questions why in the past few years I can't find a job until I was suddenly offered a job in a company I never thought will give me an opportunity to be employed again. The progress of events is amusing, I can't help but think that I might have a mission, and yes, I can feel that now.

Barack Obama can be a hero

For the first time in history, the world unites with a common dream: for the newly elected President Barack Obama to make the necessary change that will free the world from economic crisis.

Feng Shui followers should know that the year 2009 is a very auspicious year for leaders like Barack Obama. This is therefore a very good year for President Obama, not only as the President of U.S.A. but as an inspirational leader, and start the challenge of changing the world and be a hero.

The year 2009 is excellent for every leader if he or she has the desire and determination to succeed. To begin with, every leader should have a strong sense of self worth and confidence. Those are statements from Feng Shui readings.

However, if a leader becomes overly ambitious, he or she will encounter harmful obstacles. That is again true for every leader, and just because of that Feng Shui reading involving "The Commanding Star" for this year, how I wish all leaders are Feng Shui believers so that they will heed to that warning.

A leader sees everything as opportunities

Yesterday, I've attended one of the best leadership trainings I have attended so far. One of the speakers is a missionary, and there was one statement about leaders and his lecture about it stuck in my mind because it was the first time I've heard it. Since I know that there are many others like me dreaming to be an inspirational leader, I might as well share this, in addition to what I've shared in my last post.

The statement was "a leader sees everything as opportunities".

His lecture about it surprised me because he said "everything" includes anything, including problems. Looking at myself now in a problematic state because of financial distress, I could see his point. Because of our financial situation, I am now confronted with a lot of opportunities, and these include the following:

1. To value each cent that I have.
2. To eat just the right amount of food.
3. To travel by car only if absolutely necessary.
4. To be more humble.
5. To be happy even with the smallest things or help that I receive.

The list goes on. No wonder why even the homeless are happy with what they are doing. But of course, we should not stop at just being happy because of those opportunities. Opportunities are there for us to change continuously for the better. Not just to be helped, but also to help. Not just to be loved but also to love... the list goes on again.

To be an inspirational leader

One of the most recent dreams in my mind and is therefore not yet on my list, is to be an inspirational leader. There is a book that tells me how to fulfill such dream and this is "The Heart of a Leader". I enjoy reading this book because each chapter is short and is started with a quote. There is a quote that confused me not only once or twice. It says:

"People of humility don't think less of themselves, they just think of themselves less."

Every time I read the part that interprets this quote, I'd feel a strong desire to impart it to people but never had the chance, until today. This is the part I'm talking about:

A great rule for doing business today is: Think more about your people, and they will think more of themselves. And don't act like you are perfect. Leaders need to come from behind their curtains of infallibility, power, and control, and let their "very good" side -their humanity- be revealed. Folks like to be around a person who is willing to admit his or her vulnerability, asks for ideas, and can let others be in the spotlight.

I guess the quote and interpretation is a good guide to be the kind of leader I and many others dream to be.