Impactful Leadership is about making a difference.

Making a personal difference in the lives of the individuals that make up the teams you work with. Providing a positive contribution to the businesses and institutions you work in. And ultimately, creating purpose and meaning in your own life.

Impactful leaders often come in larger-than-life-size packages with broad reach. The world recently lost an example in Colin Powell, an impactful leader of epic proportion, influence, and decoration.

Impactful leaders also come in small, everyday varieties. Like Lisa, the Manager at my local Kroger Supermarket, who always has a smile on her face, provides amazing customer service, and is kind, generous, and helpful to her staff, even when they are messing up.

While the two examples I provide here work at vastly different scales, as I reflect on them both, I recognize some common traits and behaviours worth considering.

• A sense of selflessness
• An attitude of service to others
• An ability to keep calm, even under pressure
• Acting with compassion and care
• Seeing and valuing every individual's contribution

And the outcome is that people feel a certain way around these kinds of leaders.

Divine love, as revealed in the Bible, is a central theme that permeates the entirety of Scripture. It is the love that God has for His creation, particularly for humanity, and is characterized by its selflessness, sacrificial nature, and eternal commitment. Understanding divine love is crucial for comprehending the nature of God, the purpose of human existence, and the foundation of Christian ethics.

In the New Testament, divine love is most fully revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. John is perhaps the most well-known verse encapsulating this truth: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This sacrificial love is the cornerstone of the Gospel message.

The prophets also speak of divine love, often in the context of Israel's unfaithfulness. Hosea's marriage to Gomer is a poignant illustration of God's unwavering love for His people despite their infidelity.

Understanding divine love is essential for grasping the heart of the Christian faith. It is a love that is both transcendent and immanent, reaching down to humanity in its brokenness and lifting it to the heights of divine fellowship. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this love is made manifest, offering redemption and hope to all who believe.

“I'm open for possibilities. I'm open for choices. I always welcome new ideas. I'm always eager to learn. I'm never going to close my mind from learning.” – Cesar Millan

“The vast possibilities of our great future will become realities only if we make ourselves responsible for that future.” – Gifford Pinchot

“If you so choose, even the unexpected setbacks can bring new and positive possibilities. If you so choose, you can find value and fulfillment in every circumstance.” – Ralph Marston

“I am grateful that I didn't let fear get the best of me. It only holds you back from possibilities and greatness.” – Mariska Hargitay

“Inspiration is the greatest gift because it opens your life to many new possibilities. Each day becomes more meaningful, and your life is enhanced when your actions are guided by what inspires you.” – Bernie Siegel

“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” – John Sculley

“I am awfully greedy; I want everything from life. I want to be a woman and to be a man, to have many friends and to have loneliness, to work much and write good books, to travel and enjoy myself, to be selfish and to be unselfish… You see, it is difficult to get all which I want. And then when I do not succeed I get mad with anger.”― Simone de Beauvoir

“I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it—I will love you through that, as well. If you don’t need the medication, I will love you, too. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me.”― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“When I get lonely these days, I think: So BE lonely, Liz. Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience. But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilled yearnings.”― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“God, but life is loneliness, despite all the opiates, despite the shrill tinsel gaiety of "parties" with no purpose, despite the false grinning faces we all wear. And when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter - they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long. Yes, there is joy, fulfillment and companionship - but the loneliness of the soul in its appalling self-consciousness is horrible and overpowering.”― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

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Loneliness is the human condition. Cultivate it. The way it tunnels into you allows your soul room to grow. Never expect to outgrow loneliness. Never hope to find people who will understand you, someone to fill that space. An intelligent, sensitive person is the exception, the very great exception. If you expect to find people who will understand you, you will grow murderous with disappointment. The best you'll ever do is to understand yourself, know what it is that you want, and not let the cattle stand in your way.”― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

Self-forgiveness is an element of self-compassion that involves releasing self-directed negative feelings. Research has found that self-forgiveness promotes greater overall well-being, specifically higher self-esteem and lower neuroticism.

Self-forgiveness is a psychological construct referring to the internal process by which an individual acknowledges personal wrongdoing, releases self-directed negative emotions such as guilt and shame, and cultivates positive regard and acceptance toward oneself. Unlike interpersonal forgiveness, which focuses on forgiving others, self-forgiveness is an intrapersonal process that involves both responsibility for one's actions and a reduction in self-condemnation.

Scholars commonly define self-forgiveness as the willing abandonment of self-resentment in the face of one's own acknowledged objective wrong, while fostering compassion, generosity, and love toward oneself. This process does not entail excusing or condoning past behavior; rather, it includes acknowledging wrongdoing, accepting responsibility, and actively working toward personal growth and self-acceptance.

In psychological literature, self-compassion and self-forgiveness are closely related but distinct constructs. Self-compassion involves responding to suffering or personal failure with kindness and understanding, emphasizing common humanity and mindfulness. Self-forgiveness, as an element within this broader framework, specifically addresses the reduction of self-blame and the cultivation of self-acceptance following personal transgressions. Self-compassion provides a nurturing and nonjudgmental foundation that facilitates the process of self-forgiveness.

Rights are things every person is allowed to have or do. These are basic rules of fairness and freedom that protect people and help everyone live a good life. Some examples of rights include the right to speak freely, the right to be safe, and the right to be treated equally.

Responsibilities, on the other hand, are the things we are expected to do. These are our duties and actions that show respect for others and help make life better for everyone. Examples include following rules, telling the truth, and treating people kindly.

So, rights are what you are given, and responsibilities are what you are expected to do.

Rights and responsibilities go together like peanut butter and jelly. You cannot have one without the other. If everyone wants to be treated fairly, they must also treat others fairly.

Many rights are written into laws. These laws are made by governments to keep people safe and treated fairly. Other rights come from schools, families, and communities. Responsibilities are often taught at home, at school, or in places where people work and live.

When you know your rights, you can speak up when something is wrong. When you know your responsibilities, you help build trust and kindness around you.

The meaning of life is a complex and subjective concept that has been explored through various lenses:

Philosophical Perspective: It is often viewed as the significance or purpose of human existence, with no universal consensus on its specifics.

Positive Phychology: This approach emphasizes personal strengths, purpose, and the pursuit of fulfilling experiences, suggesting that identifying one's values can cultivate a deeper sense of purpose.

Cultural and Religious Views: Different cultures and religions offer diverse interpretations, refecting a wide range of beliefs about existence and purpose.

Existential Inquiry: The meaning of life is also examined through existential and metaphysical questions, focusing on the essence of life and sources of significance.

Ultimately, the meaning of life varies greatly among individuals and cultures, shaped by personal beliefs and experiences.

Understanding Real Strength Through the Lens of Sheer Introspection

We’ve been conditioned to believe strength means being unbreakable. Never showing weakness. Always being “in control.”

But the greatest lie society ever sold us is that strength looks like armor. In truth, real strength is the courage to remove the armor and still stand tall.

To define strength, we have to observe it in its entirety — beyond muscle, beyond attitude. True strength is the balance among the physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions of our existence.

And at the heart of it all — is God. Our Divine Source.

Physical Strength — The Foundation, But Not the Whole

Your body is the vehicle that takes you through this world. To ignore it is to emasculate your life. But to idolize it, as if it were the sole wellspring of power, is just as misguided.

Physical strength instills discipline, toughness, and endurance. It allows you to weather storms with stability. But muscles can rupture. Bodies weaken. And if your strength is superficial, life will bring you back down to earth.

Stagnation is evident with higher unemployment and falling wages, making it difficult for individual workers to compete for jobs and wages.

During a period of stagnation, the stock market sees fewer gains, and stock, mutual fund, and ETF prices often hold steady or fall slightly during stagnation.

Stagnation represents a long phase of minimal economic growth, with GDP rising less than 2-3% annually. This economic slowdown can stem from cyclical downturns, unexpected economic shocks, or structural issues within an economy. During stagnation, high unemployment and stagnant wages prevail. Governments strive to reinvigorate growth through monetary and fiscal strategies, such as increasing infrastructure spending, reducing taxes, and lowering interest rates to stimulate economic activity and prevent prolonged stagnation.

• Stagnation is a prolonged period of slow economic growth as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) and may be accompanied by high unemployment.

• A recession is a significant and prolonged downturn in economic activity usually measured by two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product (GDP).

• The phrase "timeless lessons for mankind" often reffers to profound insights that remain relevant across different cultures and eras.
• Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" offers lessons on resilience, hope, and finding purpose in life's challenges, emphasizing that meaning can be found in every situation, even in suffering.
• Lord Krishna teachings inspire facing problems with calmness and resilience, teaching tht one must remain steadfast in their beliefs and actions.
• General timeless wisdom includes lessons on inner strength, personal responsibility, and the importance of love and connections, which continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about life and purpose.Search for Meaning: The central theme of the book is that the primary drive in life is not pleasure or power but the search for meaning. Frankl argues that finding meaning in life, even in the face of suffering, is crucial for psychological and emotional well-being.2. Logotherapy: Frankl introduces logotherapy, a form of existential analysis that focuses on finding meaning in life. He believed that many psychological issues stem from a lack of purpose or meaning, and addressing this can lead to healing.3. Responsibility to Choose One's Attitude: One of Frankl's most famous ideas is that even in the most inhumane circumstances, we have the freedom to choose our attitude. We cannot control our environment, but we can control our response to it.