Moral compass
Ever since I was very young, I have always known the difference between right and wrong. I give credit to my amazing parents for this characteristic. They instilled great values and forced me to behave when I was growing up. My parents utilized this “thing” called discipline; an art form I don’t see used enough in today’s society. :o) All my Mom needed to do was give me “the look” and I immediately knew I needed to obey. The feeling that came over me when I did something wrong was awful… pure guilt and embarrassment. So I quickly realized doing the right thing was much more enjoyable and made it a priority for the rest of my life.
Lead instead of follow
There are many times in life when doing the right thing is taking the road less traveled. It is the more difficult choice to make. I am no stranger to this path and it has made me a very strong person. I have so many examples of moments I chose to be the “outcast.” In many situations my peers and friends viewed me as the outcast when I did something against the grain because my moral compass told me it was the right thing to do. When someone was doing a horrible thing or something was horribly wrong, no matter how hard it was to step up, I did. I’m not telling you this to pat myself on the back or talk about my amazing leadership skills. I’m talking about this because I want everyone to know how important it is that we start developing more leaders. There are too many followers in today’s society and bad decisions are continually getting worse and worse.
Making a positive impact on others
There are so many children out there who just need a little confidence boost to be the positive leader that is waiting inside them. Being a leader sometimes involves being treated unfairly by friends or judged by peers. Having the courage and confidence to overcome those challenges in turn makes a positive impact on people around you. Most people think short term and ask how is a decision going to affect me right now? Will people be mad at me? Will my friends make fun of me? These questions shouldn’t matter because in the long run they are unimportant and miniscule when it comes to making a positive impact on others. The questions kids should ask are what will happen to others if I make a decision? Will this influence who I am and what is important to me? Are these peers really my friends if they make fun of me for making this decision?
Full circle
The irony of deciding to be a leader or a follower is the fact that you usually experience similar emotions with both paths. When I stood up and did the right thing in middle or high school I felt awful… pure guilt and embarrassment. These were the same emotions I felt when I did the wrong thing as a child. The difference is while I felt those similar emotions, I knew I had a positive impact on others by making the right choice. I was showing others courage, leadership and how morals were important to me. Thankfully the guilt and embarrassment become less and less the more you stand up for what is right. I am thankful for the challenges and obstacles I have had throughout my life because they have shaped the person I am today… a leader and mentor who is determined to help children come full circle, have a moral compass, be a leader and make a positive impact on everyone around them.