This week:

Happy International Women’s Day 2018!
In the year of #MeToo and Time’s Up, March 8 keeps the spotlight on women calling for progress.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/mar/08/international-womens-day-2018-live-protests-press-for-progress-live

Now, more than ever, there’s a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity.
#PressforProgress is motivating and uniting friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.
Learn more at https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ and celebrate the women in your life!

Jimmy K’s Opening Monologue at the ’18 Oscar’s:
Whether you prefer that your main dish and your veggies never touch i.e. Entertainment and Politics should not be mingled, or see all venues as an opportunity to serve as a voice and viewpoint for matters of equity and social justice, all the entertainment awards this year have been unapologetic about amplifying the voice of women, immigrants, under-represented minorities, LGBTQ and other marginalized groups, and this past week’s 90^th Oscars Celebration was no exception.
Enjoy Jimmy Kimmel’s Opening Monologue at the ’18 Oscars. I thought it was poignant and fantastic but you be the judge if it is award-winning!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bxw_1Un9S4

Speak to Inspire:

Here is an event where I was privileged to speak on Purpose-Driven Leadership to the next generation of game changers…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eh4QmIYOz9o

Are You A Maniac?
It is so easy to blame others for not keeping you in the loop.
It is another thing to take ownership for your role and when you need information going out and getting it.
Here is the Maniac Pledge from my friends at WD-40…

If you are local…
In the spirit of think Global, act Local, this program can do what entrenched leaders on the national stage cannot…

Hands of Peace Summer Program:
As many of you know, I live in a small community in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and my neighbor Diana Kutlow recently dropped by with a flyer announcing the opportunity for North County families to host an Israeli or Palestinian teenager while they are here for three weeks of dialogue as part of the Hands of Peace Summer Program. In speaking with Diana, I learned that the Summer Program is only the beginning of years of ongoing dialogue, mentoring and connection with “the other,” and was compelled to amplify  how much we can learn from young people about empathy, understanding and civil discourse.

In spite of the divides between their communities — cultural, physical, political, religious, ethnic and socioeconomic — these courageous young people are willing to meet  and connect with someone they may have regarded as “the enemy.” They are willing to face their own fears and biases in deep and often painful conversations. And they are willing to overcome resistance from their own families and societies in order to search for nonviolent paths to peace.

Hands of Peace is a non-profit organization that was created in 2002 by three women—one Christian, one Jewish, and one Muslim—who shared the conviction that peace could be nurtured, one person at a time.  The Summer Program takes place in Chicago and San Diego simultaneously during the month of July, serving approximately 50 teens at each location. The Chicago program has been taking place since 2003 and the San Diego program has been taking place since 2014.

Hands of Peace has more than 500 alumni living and working across the United States and throughout Israel and the Palestinian West Bank. Many alumni serve in government, non-government organizations, non-profits and as community leaders throughout the world.

If you would like to learn more about Hands of Peace or get involved as a host family or volunteer, or have your company or group provide a lunch and break bread with the Hands of Peace Israeli, Palestinian and American participants, visit http://www.handsofpeace.org/ and sign up for their newsletter. Or learn first-hand what Hands of Peace is all about at their upcoming San Diego Benefit (link is https://www.handsofpeace.org/2018-san%20diego-benefit/) on Sunday, April 29 at the Crossings in Carlsbad.

Tough conversations? Yes. Easy answers? No. Empowering youth as leaders for change? Find out more and see for yourself.

Thanks this week go to creatives willing to use their art form to transform societal norms, Stan S and the team at WD-40 making their own quiet dent in the universe right here in San Diego, and Hands of Peace, willing to take on long-term seemingly intractable problems with the greatest love of all- a belief in ourselves and our children!

Please be purposeful and pay it forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“The meaning of your life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”- Pablo Picasso

 

 

This week:

5 Hacks to Activate Purpose in the Workplace:

According to a Harvard Business Review survey entitled “The Business Case for Purpose”, companies that “harness the power of purpose to drive performance and profitability enjoy a distinct competitive advantage.” While there are plenty of articles that show the statistics on how embedding purpose leads to better business, there are not as many that explain the how. Here are some easy “hacks” on how you can integrate purpose to start heading in the right direction. http://bit.ly/2FBu1AL

In Celebration of the Life of Will Marré: My Irrational Positive Opinion (IPO) of You Will Never Wane!

In the past week, the world lost an inspired leader, visionary and friend. Will was a dear friend and will be missed terribly. Here is more on his life, work and celebration on Saturday March 3^rd in La Jolla…

Dear Friends,

It is with broken hearts that we announce the death of our beloved husband, father and brother, Will Marré (Founder and Women’s Activist, A Million SMART Women.) He passed away with devastating suddenness from cardiac arrest while engaged in one of the great passions of his life, surfing. Although absolutely robust in body, mind, and spirit, he suffered from a minor congenital heart defect to which he seemed to have finally succumbed. His expansive love, voice, energy, mind, affirmative presence, optimism, joy has left a hole in our hearts and lives that cannot be filled, even as the pain will eventually ease into gratefulness for having known him, been known by him, loved him, and been loved by him. We remember him with full hearts and savor the time we had together. –The family of Will Marré

Learn more about Will’s rich contribution to leadership here:
http://willmarre.com/about/my-bio/

“Wednesdays with Will” was a Blog I Enjoyed and Referenced Often:
http://willmarre.com/blog-wednesdays-with-will/

Here is a recent post:

4 Proven Ways to Improve Your LOVE Relationships in a Work-Centered Life

Let’s face it our world is going crazy. Over the past two years with almost every male executive I coach and every audience I speak to I hear that the aspiration for work-life balance is dead. It was killed by technology.

What’s weird is that this fact is often presented with some chest beating… as if to say… work-life balance was for wimps all along… people with a serious work ethic never worry about work-life balance.

Really?

I guess so. Sheryl Sandberg the guru of “Leaning In” to work writes, “The days of unplugging for a weekend or vacation are long gone.” Way to go Sheryl… sounds awesome.

Yet, sadly I find she is not kidding. 15 years ago, even the CEO’s I coached had most weekends and evenings free of direct work, such as conference calls and decision-making meetings. That’s certainly not true today. Today leaders are lucky to get a half of a Saturday or a half of a Sunday free of stressful meetings or real-time e-mails where decisions are being made.

And free evenings… yeah that’s a relic from an earlier age. Today most people go home and spend at least two more hours on the computer working. This new work routine is not confined to leaders. The combination of technology and massive projects is increasingly engaging managers and individual contributors in a trail of work that slithers through our lives like a hungry python night and day.

Is this it? Is this the best we can do? Is this the crowning achievement of our economy… that we all live work-centered lives?

If so, what is the cost?

Well, according to marriage experts at the University of Washington and the University of Virginia what we are sacrificing is our love lives.

I don’t mean just less sex, although research confirms that super busy, stressed out couples enjoy sex together less frequently and do so much more quickly. For many couples, sex is something they only do on vacation. Yet working Americans take less vacation every year. Hmmm.

But again, I’m not just talking about the physical side of love. The biggest toll a work-centered life is having on us is increased feelings of social isolation and a lack of intrinsic connection with our loved ones.

When we get too busy, love devolves into a concept rather than a feeling.

In this state of mind, we recognize that we love our romantic partners and children but we just don’t feel that love. We could write down on a yellow pad all the reasons we love our loved ones but we just don’t feel it. All words but no music.

Having the emotions of love evaporate from our lives is a ridiculous price to pay for work. A recent survey of 1,500 people over the age of 78 asking them what their biggest life regret was overwhelmingly confirmed it was one thing… staying too long in a job that was unfulfilling.

We also know that the happiest and healthiest people on earth are actively in love. In the hundreds of studies done on the causes of human happiness we know there is no greater mood elevator than being “crazy in love.”

We all know how goony people get when people fall in love. The thrill of emotional intimacy with someone you find fascinating, attractive and admirable sets off a brain circus of dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin that gives you a feeling of optimism, well-being and invincible confidence that is simply the best brain buzz ever.

The problem is this love fog does not last without continuous investment in the relationship similar to the investment you were willing to make when you were falling in love. (Just ask Taylor Swift how short-lived love buzz is.)

So, just what are the investments you can make to increase the love in your life?

First, you have to develop an IPO!

Let me tell you about of about two of my favorite work colleagues Michael and Cheryl, who own a very successful media company. I have known them for nearly two decades. They’re married with two daughters and have always been crazy in love. What I mean by that is that they have an Irrational Positive Opinion (IPO) about each other. When I talk to them separately they’re constantly bombarding me with how great the other one is. They refer to each other as brilliant and amazing. They brag about each other’s accomplishments. Hell, it’s like being married to a cheerleader.

So, are they really that great? Well no. They’re like all the rest of us… full of good stuff and not such good stuff. But they’re living proof of the research by John Gottman at the University of Washington that confirms that the happiest couples are those who hold and an irrational positive opinion of each other. It turns out that when it comes to personal self-worth and interpersonal trust we don’t much value realists who point out our flaws and want us to change. That’s something a coach can do. What we want from our romantic partner is for them to be “crazy” about us… literally irrational about our wonderfulness.

If you want to be happy in life and happy in your primary love relationship, launch an IPO. And keep investing so the stock of your relationship continuously rises.

Here are four critical investments that research confirms will keep the flames and the feelings of love burning. These four love habits will produce big payoffs in any relationship, not just romantic ones.

1. Celebrate each other’s successes.

Research tells us that making a big deal of small successes creates more trust and intimacy than comforting people when they’re struggling. The reason we think this is true is that amplifying good feelings has a bigger positive payoff than trying to reduce bad feelings.

Here is a silly but true example. I am an old dude surfer and like all surfers I want to be admired for my surfing. I am quite sure that I am average for my age and experience, yet sometimes I get a good ride and some other surfer will give a hoot, or say “nice wave.” When I get home, I never fail to tell Debbie of my small success. She insists that I then tell her about the details of the wave, gives me a hug and a kiss and makes me feel like I’m the greatest surfer on earth. She clearly holds an irrational positive opinion about my surfing that jacks me up with enough dopamine and oxytocin that it makes me want to actually move the furniture around so she can see how the room would look with a new arrangement.

The key to celebrating each other’s success is to ask for the details of what your partner actually did. That’s what creates positive intimacy.

2. Help when it’s inconvenient.

Talk is cheap, even love talk. A willingness to drop whatever you’re doing to help your loved one communicates how important their agenda is to you. You don’t have to do this one hundred percent of the time because sometimes what you were doing may greatly suffer from an interruption. However, if you’re willing to instantly respond most of the time your love stock will certainly rise. (It’s also important to help with routine tasks to avoid causing simmering resentments. Only 20% of men are willing to do laundry and vacuuming regularly. So if you want to be in the top 20% of male partners you know what to do!)

3. Plan positive experiences.

Dating is all about planning positive experiences. We make careful choices about where we eat or what movies we see to make sure that our dating partner will be happy. We take great care in what we wear, how we smell and what we say. However, when our relationship ripens we often approach going out together with a question… “So, what do you want to do?” This means you did very little thinking about your time together… not good.

Planned positive experiences are critical to fanning the flames of love.

That’s because we associate the positive feelings we get from the experience, like going to a sensational concert, or visiting a breath-taking National Park or exotic tropical island with the person we are with. New experiences also make us more interesting to each other. These experiences also create shared memories, which are strong positive bonds that sustain loving feelings when things get a little stale, dull or frustrating.

4. Love with your full presence every day.

We know that the happiest couples spend at least 30 to 60 minutes a day in focused conversation with each other. I know…. that may seem like an impossibly high bar. But consider its possibilities. The greatest longing of the human heart is to be fully accepted by another. The most powerful way that we communicate this is to listen to a loved one without an agenda for them. This is difficult. When I am talking to Debbie I often have to remind myself that I just want her to be happy in the way she experiences happiness. It’s unnatural to listen without judgment. We justify having agendas for the people we love because we think we know how to help them… and sometimes we do. But remember our loved ones long for someone more than a coach. We all want to feel loved intrinsically. We want others to see our good and positive motives not just our less-than-perfect behavior.

The only way we can access the feelings of unconditional positive regard is to drop our agenda and just be present. Just listen with loving intention. All of this will be impossible unless you’re willing to unplug from both your job and the torrent of mostly irrelevant media that bombards us daily. (New research validates that peoples’ optimism and happiness rise when they quit Facebook.) The primary reason seems to be that Facebook incites envy and social comparison causing an epidemic of inner emotional drama among Facebook users. If you think this doesn’t apply to you try a week-long Facebook fast and ask yourself if you’re less stressed, and a little more happy.)

The bottom line.

Love and intimacy take a daily investment of personal time.

Nothing less will work.

A celebration of Life.

Please join us for the celebration of Will Marré’s inspirational life journey. We will celebrate in the building where he launched his greatest work to make the world a better, more inclusive place. In honor of his energy, we ask all to wear vibrant colors, casual clothes, and comfortable shoes as we will take a group walk down to the beach for a joyful oceanfront offering. It is not in sorrow, but in joy that we convene to reflect on the life and work of this brilliant, creative, loving man.
*Address correction: 11255 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037

If You Are Local…

Join us March 7^th from 4-6pm at Alliant International University’s “Speak to Inspire”:

Thanks this week go to Jonathan H, the one and only Will M, Leila N, and Global Leaders and Lovers of Life Everywhere!

Please pay it forward.
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“The meaning of your life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
– Pablo Picasso

This week:

What Can the Wisdom Traditions Teach Us About Winning and Losing?

If we look at what has become an all too common cultural norm- be it in politics, business or personal life- it seems that winning at all costs has replaced the more humane and wise notion of winning- but doing so following the rules of the game and a moral imperative.

When we look the other way, ignoring fouls and other ethical violations, are we tacitly endorsing these behaviors at best, or enabling at worst, behaviors that are antithetical to our own betterment and survival not just as individuals but as a species? In the wisdom traditions, using traditional martial arts as a proxy, we are trained to strive for personal excellence, and the contest- whether in the ring of competition on in the ring of life- provides a “proving ground” to test ourselves not just versus another player or contestant but against our own best potential.

Here there are 4 levels of winning and losing, not just the binary winning and losing we have become all too familiar with today.

The highest level of achievement is an honorable win. Your win is supported by right conduct and if you know you did not win cleanly you self-report the foul or incident rather than hide it under the rug or play to the chorus of “if it wasn’t seen, or can’t be proved, then it didn’t happen”.

One level down from this is an honorable loss. If you lost but did your best and were beaten fair and square, you honor both your opponent and yourself, and learn from the experience by being a gracious “loser”. Here winning still occurs through character development, investing in loss, and remaining focused on long term growth not just short term outcomes. Honorable losses build resiliency and forge a character of perseverance and grit.

Next comes a dishonorable win and obviously in last place comes the dishonorable loss where in spite of trying every dirty trick in the book you still get your clock cleaned!

Whether it is in Olympic competition against the best in the world, or a personal competition to better oneself, it would be useful to foster a climate/culture that underscores the importance of honor and humility in the “success calculus” or we find the win meaningless, transitory and ultimately not supportive of our individual or collective growth.

Daily Practice:
This can also play out in our day to day choices; doing the right thing for the right reason, the wrong thing for the right reason, the right thing for the wrong reason and the wrong thing for the wrong reason. I will leave it to you to discern the hierarchy and Faustian bargain this path takes us to when left to its ultimate conclusion.

Alpha Improperly Considered:
Much is made of Alpha animals – particularly humans- dominating their tribe and being willing to prevail over all contenders both inside and out.

Not as much is understood or appreciated about Alpha leaders, even in primates, modeling empathy and seeing their primary role as caring for and supporting their group not just terrorizing their peers and den members.
A real Alpha leader has the capacity to win at all costs but subordinates themselves.
I have heard altruism defined as “self-handicapping” for the greater good…
What kind of leader do you want to model, follow or create?
Let’s start now!

Enjoy Leonard Cohen’s Anthem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTph7mer3I

Thanks to the honorable, the purposeful and the soulful!
Please pay it forward…
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

‘Ring the bells (ring the bells) that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything (there is a crack in everything) That’s how the light gets in”—Leonard Cohen

In the unlikely event that the world is perfect just the way it is,

Where we actually have exactly what we need because:

The opposite of love is not hate, it is fear

& the opposite of ‘scare-city’ is not abundance, it is enough,

Then with hearts filled with love and an unbridled belief in our own capacity,

the world is perfect just the way it is

and together we have just manifested:

A world without war, violence and greed

Where information is shared and symmetrical

Where all young people are valued for who they are and refuse to conform to counterfeit cultural conditioning

And where San Diego models the very best of Conscious Capitalism

And if this is not our experience of the world, in principle and practice

Let’s model and mentor

the change we want to see and be

To Elevate Humanity!

(Conscious Capitalism San Diego Gathering Shared Aspiration February 2018)

 

This week:
Business 1.0 = Profit First (Friedman Economics where the only thing that matters is drive profit to your shareholders. That is the only reason you exist)
Business 2.0 = Customer First (Take care of the customer and the profit will follow)
Business 3.0 = Employee/Culture First (the customer experience, rarely exceeds the employee experience, so take care of the employee (human and social capital) /culture (the people systems in which they exist, & they will take care of the customer and that will take care of profit)
Business 4.0 Purpose First (Connect with your “Why” for ALL the stakeholders namely; customer/members, employees, community, investors, public and by aligning their purpose to yours you can drive 10 to 14x better returns and is more gratifying and meaningful to boot!)

A Sea Change is Underway, Where Are YOU and Your Organization in this EVOLution?

A Demand For Change Backed Up By $6 Trillion- A Sense of Purpose:
This post is getting a great deal of attention, because of both the content and because of who it’s coming from, the CEO of BlackRock, a key investor which manages nearly $6 trillion in assets.
“Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose. “To prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.”
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/en-us/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter

The week  after BlackRock CEO Laurence Fink issued a letter to CEOs titled “A Sense of Purpose.” It was heralded by The New York Times DealBook columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin as what “could be a watershed moment on Wall Street, one that raises all sorts of questions about the very nature of capitalism.”

https://real-leaders.com/wall-street-finally-become-conscious/

The Call for Conscious Leadership with Eric K:

This call for Conscious Leadership is exciting and refreshing as Mr. Fink reminds leaders that companies have a duty for Purpose, Social Stewardship, and Responsibility. But we have to admit that companies don’t have duties, people do. And now is the time for people, for leaders, to understand and practice Conscious Leadership; it’s vital for leaders to commit and conduct themselves as Conscious Leaders.

Conscious Leaders commit to a quadruple bottom line:

1. Profit – financial well-being and achievement
2. People – beneficial impact to society and community
3. Planet – positive effect on the environment and Spaceship Earth
4. Purpose – contributing to the greater good for everyone

Conscious Leader’s conduct is shaped by three forces:

1. Wisdom – seeing below the surface and beyond the obvious
2. Courage – walking toward what you’d rather run away from
3. Love – wanting to do well for others

The call for Conscious Leadership has moved from interesting to imperative.

If you’re drawn to answer the call of evolution and be empowered to be a Purposeful Steward, then be on the lookout for articles, videos, and resources to awaken your Conscious Leader capacity.  Here’s to achieving our full potential – as people, organizations, and communities!

If you would like to deepen your Conscious Leadership practices now get a copy of my book here.

In the spirit of leading and learning,

Eric

 

Thanks this week go to Eric K, the Chamber of Purpose San Diego, Conscious Capitalists & Purpose Driven Leaders everywhere who are willing to challenge the status quo to elevate humanity!

Please pay it forward and love what you do!
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“The only truth you will find on the top of mountains is the truth you bring up there” – Robert Pirsig

This week:

Screen Addiction Among Teens: Is there Such A Thing?
“We have, as a society, gone all-in on tech,” “So we don’t want some buzz-killing truth-sayers telling us that the emperor has no clothes and that the devices that we’ve all so fallen in love with can be a problem”
http://kuer.org/post/screen-addiction-among-teens-there-such-thing#stream/0

 Simon Sinek on Millennials in the Workplace: (8MM views)
What is the missing piece in the happiness of millennials? How did we get so ‘good’ at showing people that “life is amazing!, even though we are depressed”?
https://youtu.be/hER0Qp6QJNU

How Smartphones Are Making Kids Unhappy:
For the first time, a generation of children is going through adolescence with smartphones ever-present. Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, has a name for these young people born between 1995 and 2012: “iGen.” She says members of this generation are physically safer than those who came before them. They drink less, they learn to drive later and they’re holding off on having sex. But psychologically, she argues, they are far more vulnerable.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/07/542016165/how-smartphones-are-making-kids-unhappy

The Psychological Effects of Signing Off Social Media:
https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2017-12-28/the-psychological-effects-of-signing-off-social-media/113120/@00:00

Child Experts Warn Parents To Avoid Facebook’s Messaging App For Kids:
A group letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg argues that younger children — the app is intended for those under 13 — aren’t ready to have social media accounts, navigate the complexities of online relationships or protect their own privacy
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2018/01/30/parents-avoid-facebook-messaging-app-kids/

How to End Screen Time Without a Struggle:
The trick: build a bridge

Whenever you decide that screen-time should come to an end, take a moment to sit down next to your child and enter his world. Watch TV with him, or sit with him while he plays his game massacring aliens on the screen. This doesn’t have to be long, half a minute is enough. Just share his experience. Then, ask him a question about it.

“What are you watching?” might work for some kids.

Others might need more specific questions. “So what level are you on now?” or “That’s a funny figure there in the background. Who’s he?”

Generally, children love it when their parents take an interest in their world. If they are too absorbed still and don’t engage, don’t give up. Just sit with them a moment longer, then ask another question.

Once the child starts answering your questions or tells you something she has seen or done on screen, it means that she is coming out of the “cut-off” zone and back into the real world. She’s coming out of the state of flow and back into a zone where she is aware of your existence – but slowly. The dopamine doesn’t drop abruptly, because you’ve built a bridge – a bridge between where she is and where you are. You can start to communicate, and this is where the magic happens. 

https://www.parent.com/how-to-end-screen-time-without-a-struggle/

Thanks this week go to Peter D, Marlaine C, Amanda R and other members of Parenting 2.0, committed to prosocial options for our kids!

Pay it forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

 

“From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of each other – above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
– Albert Einstein

This week:

The Most Spectacular Eclipse of 2018:

Once in a blue moon is only once every few years, but once in a super, blue, blood moon is just once every few decades.

Experience this rare alignment of three different lunar phenomena—a total lunar eclipse, a full moon at perigee, and a blue moon…

https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a15875900/the-most-spectacular-eclipse-of-2018-is-in-less-than-a-week/

Go Red for Women: Come Together on National Wear Red Day February 2nd
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. That’s approximately one woman every minute!
The Go Red campaign’s message is that when we all join together, we can touch hearts, save lives and make a real difference in the battle against heart disease and stroke. As our teammates join the fight against the number one health threat to women- heart disease- we’re proud of their efforts, our members’ support, and all of Mission Fed’s purpose-driven community initiatives.

Learn more at: https://www.goredforwomen.org/fight-heart-disease-women-go-red-women-official-site/about-heart-disease-in-women/facts-about-heart-disease/

 

5^th Annual Artie Awards:

ART Know No Fear!
You know about the Grammy’s but have you heard of the Arties? 

Last week, I was privileged to speak at the 5^th Annual Arties Awards where featured artists for the 2018 Mission Fed ArtWalk were announced and we recognized individuals who appreciate the power of art and use it to creatively connect communities.
Riffing on the theme of “Art has no Fear”, I reminded our audience that the opposite of love is not hate but FEAR, and that the opposite of scarcity is not abundance, it is ENOUGH!
Patronage, the support one bestows on another is something we can all do to support art in our community, for there is no great culture without great art.
In 15^th century Italy, there were more wood carvers than butchers, and art flourished because everyone understood its importance and value. Our bicameral brains work better when we connect both head and heart, rational and emotional, science and empathy, and recognize artists everywhere- whatever your canvas- as integral to this process of elevating humanity.
We want to compete in an Innovation economy yet seem to undervalue the role of creativity and the artist. Innovation is both a process and an outcome and we can do more to cultivate creativity in connected communities.
This year’s featured artists strengthened our social fabric with their diverse threads not just in art form but in their rich representation from around the world including; Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, Armenia, Mexico and of course the US.
Worrying is negative goal setting
Your Imagination is a preview of coming attractions.
Unbridle the artist in you to imagine a world that you wish to see, where artists of life build the canvas of tolerance, acceptance and love that is our only possible and sustainable future…
Please stand up for ART! 

Speaking of the Grammy’s
9 of the Most Talked-About Moments at the 2018 Grammys:
In the thick of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, on the heels of the Larry Nassar scandal, during ongoing conversations about immigration and race, and in between one inflammatory presidential tweet and the next, there was no WAY the Grammys wasn’t going to be a potpourri of political, emotional moments. Here are the biggest moments you may have missed from Sunday night’s Grammy awards…

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/29/entertainment/grammys-2018-moments-trnd/index.html

 Thanks this week go to all artists who have no fear and speak truth to power!
Remember, the moon is ALWAYS full, it just looks otherwise because of our point of view…

Pay it forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood,
divide the work, and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
–Antoine de Saint- Exupery

Speaking Truth to Power…

 

“Any Goal Worth Achieving is Worth Changing For”

 

This week:

Something Light:

These commercials will put a big smile on your face!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejf8lk9nYH4

 

The Power of Words:

Words have the power to shape the way we think and feel. In this stunning video, filmmakers Will Hoffman and Daniel Mercadante bandy visual wordplay into a moving exploration of language set to an original score by Keith Kenniff. http://www.radiolab.org/story/91974-bonus-video-words/

 

Something Heavy…

No More No More: Lessons for All of Us from a Human Trafficking Awareness Program:

From Awareness to Inspiration to Action

“It’s time to traffic love, compassion and empathy instead of sentient human beings!”
—Dr. Suresh Subramani, UC San Diego

Speaking Truth to Power:

Redefining free society requires conscious citizens to speak truth to power to address silent killers that run endemic in our society, and that often carry a social stigma that prevents us from airing critical societal issues with openness and transparency.

Sadly, a human being costs less today than at any other time in human history. Human life has become a commodity unto itself.

In your mind is human trafficking a law enforcement issue or is it better reframed as a public health epidemic which we can’t address until we start to talk about it?

An Underground Economy:

Victims of human trafficking globally, as well as, right here in San Diego fund an ‘underground economy’ that is estimated to be valued at $800MM locally and $150B business globally. There are geo-spatial connections between narcotics and trafficking, yet as far as market efficiencies go, humans are easier to transport, and unlike contraband can be resold over and over…

Economic theory reminds us that if there was no demand for a product or service, then there would be no market. In this regard, what can we creatively do to eliminate demand? Target Marketing is difficult. There is no profile for buyers and in most cases they look just like you and me…

In case you are thinking human trafficking is a poverty-related problem, you need to know this scourge is not just relegated to any one segment of our society and can be found in both poverty and privilege alike. Yes you and your family are as likely as any to be affected by this social ill.

The average age a person enters the world of sex traffic is the tender age of 12, the average age of a sex trafficked victim is 16, there average lifespan is 7 years if they don’t get out.

And in San Diego there are over 2,000 sex trafficking victims but only 32 beds to support them. (Here we clearly have a different supply problem)

Did you know, the Super bowl is the #1 human trafficking event in the US with over 10,000 women at risk!

“Your eyes cannot see, what your mind does not know”

We are only as sick as our secrets.

The good news, if there could be such a thing on a subject like this at the worst expression of humanity, includes:

Laws being changed to treat victims of trafficking the same way we treat victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse

The recent passage of AB27 which ensures teachers and educators are themselves educated about issues related to recognizing and preventing issues of trafficking

The growing collaboration between law enforcement agencies, recognizing that it will take a collaborated and concerted effort as they focus on; Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership to overcome this troubling societal ill.

It’s Not Just Where You Think It Is:

The bad news is that as you read this there are victims of trafficking in hotel rooms, truck stops and most troubling in their own homes. We have become so fixated on “stranger danger” yet 80% of victims are perpetrated upon from INSIDE their trust circle!

There is a pattern of Perpetration changing the role to move the victim through the system. These include but not limited to Profiler, Pretender, Provider and Punisher (Steps not unlike the behaviors the perpetrator exhibits in sexual violence; the 7T’s of Targeting, Testing, Threatening, Transporting, Transaction, Termination & Trauma)

We Can All Do Something:

It’s time to activate all of us in a civil society to use whatever they have in their proverbial toolbox to address this urgent issue. This could be anything from building a solid research base to inform future research, understanding gender inequality -women being exploited both sexually and economically- with downstream gender inequality implications that hurt all of us, using gamification to help destigmatize the issue and teach fundamentals, peer learning to help get the word out, all while empowering people armed with relevant facts and fostering a culture of renewed trust and spirit of self-efficacy.

See something, say something!

If Hollywood leading women sat in walled-in silence for, in some cases, as long as 30 years, imagine how many women not in places of power and privilege there are out there and how hard it is for them to speak out.

It’s time to break the silence. Silence weakens us but speaking out strengthens us!

It will take stronger families, stronger communities and strong communications if we are to bend the curve and eliminate this problem, now and forever. Is it time to make this conversation part of our life curriculum? Are you willing to lean into your discomfort zone to advance this crucial conversation?

And for those of our sisters and brothers, who are on the healing side of this journey, do remember:

  “You are precious, you are capable, you are smart and you are beautiful to behold…”

 

From The Frontlines Of A Sexual Assault Epidemic: 2 Therapists Share Stories:

Individuals with intellectual disabilities are 7x more likely to be abused! Nora Baladerian and Karyn Harvey are both psychologists with an unusual specialty — they are among a small number of therapists who treat people with intellectual disabilities who have been the victims of sexual violence. They’re friends, brought together by decades of shared experience. Baladerian, from Los Angeles, is a co-founder of the Disability and Abuse Project, which tracks violence against people with intellectual disabilities.

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/18/577065301/from-the-frontlines-of-a-sexual-assault-epidemic-two-therapists-share-stories

 

A Better Man- It Takes Courage to be Held Accountable:

“A Better Man documents a personal experiment— a step towards understanding and accountability. By getting closer to the truth of what survivors experience, and of why men choose to use violence, we can help stop the abuse. I hope that sharing my personal search for justice and healing will contribute to the struggle to end domestic violence.”

Critical conversations are an important part of the healing process. It’s a process known as restorative justice, when victims and offenders come together, with mediation, to repair the harm that’s been done. Watch the trailer at: https://abettermanfilm.com/

Thanks this week go to all of us committed to healing and restorative justice!

Please pay it forward with purpose
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!” – Dr. MLK Jr.

This week:

MLK & The Fierce Urgency of NOW- Evolution or Revolution Motivated by Great Feelings of Love:
On MLK Day this week, I was privileged to represent Mission Fed at Alliance San Diego’s 30^th All People’s Celebration in Balboa Park. This gathering of well over 1,000 people each committed to a better community featured a powerful keynote by Eva Paterson of the Equal Justice Society, who made an eloquent and compelling case for behaving into some of the key tenets of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and juxtaposed them with what we are seeing in American civil society and politics today.

Here are some of the highlights of MLK’s dream and lowlights of today’s America that resonated most deeply for me.

Spirituality Anchored in Love: Dr. MLK stood for a beloved community girthed by a spiritual underpinning expressed in love, not fear or hate.

 Racial Inclusivity: While the civil rights movement might cursorily be viewed as being about African/American issues, at its core it was about all respecting and affirming all people.

“If you wonder what you might have been doing in the early days of Nazi Germany, look at what you are doing now!”

The “knock of fear” on the doors of DACA families have striking similarities to what members of the Jewish faith experienced during World War II.
References to “$#!+hole countries” by our President, referring to Haiti and African countries reeks of racism and white supremacy.
Alternatively, fostering a culture of inclusivity invites us to learn more about each other’s cultural history and celebrate and affirm our differences not deride them.

 Economic Equality: The 3 evils we need to understand and address are poverty, racism and militarism/war.

Nobody wins in the “Oppression Olympics” and nobody survives circular firing squads!

Here are some tips from Eva to keep us strong and together:

• Be Hopeful
• Be Patient
• Be Resilient
• Resist the Chaos
• Remember our History (and learn from it)
• Stay Informed
• Act/Vote! (Including in the mid-term elections)
• Practice Self-Care

“We were put on this earth to do something, not everything”

A Demand For Change Backed Up By $6 Trillion- A Sense of Purpose:

This should get your attention, because of the content and because of who it’s coming from, the CEO of BlackRock, a key investor which manages nearly $6 trillion in assets.  “Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose. “To prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.” 

https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/en-us/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter

If you are local…

The Most Profound Experiences are Found in the Least Likely of Places:
It has been said that sometimes the most profound experiences are found in the least likely of places.  Consider stepping behind the walls of prison.  And that’s exactly what I’m inviting you to do with this special ticket offer to TEDxDonovanCorrectional 2018.

Last year’s inaugural TEDxDonovanCorrectional was one of the highest ranked TEDx events in history and considered to be the most successful event ever put on inside a California prison.  It’s coming back on Sunday, March 11, 2018 and TEDxDonovanCorrectional extends a special invitation to you for the value it sees you bringing to this event with your community and business leadership and your vision for changing the conversation in today’s society.

The day-long event, organized by the inmates themselves in collaboration with outside volunteers, will feature 10 speakers – 5 currently incarcerated inmates and 5 outside speakers ranging from a 911 dispatcher, to a neuroscientist, to a radio hall of fame producer – all exploring the theme of “Reasoning with Reality.”  As the inmates say in their own words, “TEDxDonovanCorrectional invites you into an explosion of ideas, thoughts, and emotions that are unexpected, transformative and edifying to one’s soul.  Be prepared to look at reality from a whole new perspective.”  Click here to reserve your seats as soon as possible.

In the spirit of TED’s mission to create ideas worth spreading, we hope you join us to create new ideas worth spreading into your community.

Be brilliant,

Mariette

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TEDxDonovanCorrectional attendee reviews say a thousand words…

“The experience was once in a lifetime.  The stories shared by the men wrote on my heart forever.  Their vulnerability, their personal story of transformation, their wisdom and their passion were unimaginably real.”

“I’ve been to a few TEDx events before with truly inspiring speakers, but TEDxDonovanCorrectional was by far the most meaningful, intense, eye-opening event I have ever been to.  I will never forget this experience.”

“This was the most impactful, loving, expansive experience I’ve ever had in my life.  It truly drew me beyond the surface of prison and the inmates showed me the deep humanity we all share.”
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Thanks this week go to the Chamber of Purpose and Conscious Capitalism teams, Mariette FdS, and all people indivisible and willing to take a stand!

Pay it forward with purpose
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
– Jim Rohn

This week:

Wherever you stand on the media is the problem v. the media is the solution debate, last Sunday night’s Golden Globes, the launch of Hollywood’s award season provided context and commentary for how to lead with purpose and soul, if not within the system then in spite of it!

 The entire evening provided artists with a global stage (bully pulpit) from which to express their views on social justice, and signal important changes they envision manifesting as a result of the power of creatives and their gift to connect, inspire and in some cases change mindsets and societal norms for the better.

 A highlight for me was Oprah Winfrey accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement and delivering a moving speech that brought men and women in the audience to their feet.

If you saw it, here it is for a moving revisit.
If you didn’t, here it is for your viewing experience…

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss6qQM054B0

From post-event commentary signaling potential Presidential interests to polarizing and plebian comments, Oprah, in my opinion, authentically holds the space for social justice for humanity with humility and has more sway, clout and moral authority than most.

That is my opinion. What is yours?

Do you turn a blind eye to corruption and injustice, to tyrants, secrets and lies?

Do you maintain the ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning, even during our darkest nights?

 

A full transcript of Oprah’s acceptance speech follows here:

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/08/entertainment/oprah-globes-speech-transcript/index.html

Thanks to creatives everywhere who use their craft to move humanity forward!

Pay it forward with purpose and creativity.
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King

Happy Soul Food Friday 2018!

What Time is it on the Clock of the World?

Blessings for New Year!

Here is wishing you and yours a glorious experience as we embark on another journey around the sun.

This week:
The Power of Positivity!
These Kids with Disabilities are Becoming Superheroes and Will Touch Your Heart
This is the Justice League We Need!
https://www.facebook.com/powerofpositivity/videos/10154996814132371/

“We don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future.

The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

— Howard Zinn, historian

As we launch 2018, I sit in deep gratitude and want to share a book that I have found both honest and inspirational as we face the stark realities of today while holding an aspirational vision for tomorrow. Here is an excerpt and a link to a pdf to give you a seasonal sampler.

What This World Needs

 This world does not need more entrepreneurs.

This world does not need more technology breakthroughs.

This world needs leaders.

We need leaders who put service over self, who can be steadfast through crises and failures, who want to stay present and make a difference to the people, situations, and causes they care about.

We need leaders who are committed to serving people, who recognize what is being lost in the haste to dominate, ignore, and abuse the human spirit.

We need leaders because leadership has been debased as those who take things to scale or are first to market or dominate the competition or develop killer apps. Or hold onto power by constantly tightening their stranglehold of fear until people are left lifeless and cowering.

We need leaders now because we have failed to implement what was known to work, what would have prevented or mitigated the rise of hatred, violence, poverty, and ecological destruction. We have not failed from a lack of ideas and technologies. We have failed from a lack of will. The solutions we needed were already here.

Now it is too late.

We cannot solve these global issues globally. We can see them clearly. We can understand their root causes. We have evidence of solutions that would have solved them. But we refused to compromise, to collaborate, to persevere in resolving them as an intelligent, creative species living on one precious planet.

Now it’s up to us, not as global leaders but as local leaders. We can lead people to create positive changes locally that make life easier and more sustainable, that create possibility in the midst of global decline.

Let us use whatever power and influence we have, working with whatever resources are already available, mobilizing the people who are with us to work for what they care about.

As President Teddy Roosevelt enjoined us: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are

 

Who Do We Choose To Be:

http://margaretwheatley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/MW-WhoDoWeChooseToBe.pdf

 

Here is a consummate example of doing what you can with what you have where you are

Homeless Man Buys Stranded Woman Gas With His Last $20:

https://www.today.com/kindness/homeless-man-buys-stranded-woman-gas-last-20-here-s-t119251

 

Thanks this week go to Julia N with Parenting 2.0, Meg W, Arman S-B and You for showing up with courage & compassion in 2018

Pay it forward please…
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“Give me the courage to show up and let myself be seen”
Brene Brown’s Vulnerability Prayer