Kim Baird was just 29 years old when she was elected the head of the Tsawwassen First Nation Indian Band. She became one of the youngest and one of the few female Indian chiefs in Canada. I recently read about Kim and was incredibly inspired by her story.  I wanted to share today what I learned from a young woman who has very much affected the community where I grew up.

It isn’t always easy to make a difference in the world. Everybody wants to make their contribution but sometimes it seems like you’re swimming upstream, riding up the down escalator and it’s tiring. Incredibly tiring.

When Kim moved with her mother and two siblings to the Indian Reserve only her mother knew as a way of life, it was a far cry from what she was used to. Poverty was rampant. There was a hopelessness and apathy that prevailed amidst the drug abuse, drinking and unemployment. Determined to make a difference, Kim went on to transform her reserve, sign a landmark treaty with the government and give her community hope. 

When all odds were against her, she sat down with a group, composed mainly of women, and said, “let’s figure out what works.” But even when they did find answers that worked, Kim wasn’t always celebrated. There were storms of outcries and anger from critics both on and off the reserve. Kim didn’t back down, but went door to door herself and allayed the fears of her community. On October 15, 2007, Kim Baird became only the second person in 110 years that has been invited to speak at the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia.

As I read this story of a tenacious young woman, I had to stop and ask myself if I would do the same thing. Would I look at a hopeless situation, a dying community, an uncooperative government, a male-dominated process and put myself out enough to change it? Would you?

Every time I read of people who overcame horrific challenges, I have to ask myself: Am I that strong; that determined, committed, tenacious? Am I that tireless? The answer is always NO. And I have to ask myself why not? I have asked myself that question a lot this month.

Back in the warm sunshine and robin blue skies every day, the easy going lifestyle of the Mexicans is highly contagious. Nothing is perfect and that’s life. Have a beer, play Frisbee on the beach, enjoy a meal with the family, go to church on Sunday and laugh with your neighbor. What more could anyone want? It always reminds me of the entrepreneur who told the easy-going Mexican fisherman that he could build a fleet of boats, hire many people, catch a lot of fish and make a ton of money. When the Mexican asked him why he should do all of that work, the entrepreneur said: “So you can take it easy, enjoy your family, spend time on your boat and take a siesta in the afternoon”. The Mexican replied that he enjoyed that life right now. It definitely makes you think about what you want as opposed to what everyone else thinks you should have. 

I like my Mexican lifestyle. I love having the maid come in and clean and change my sheets every week. I love the weekly in-house 90 minute massages. I love the amazing fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. I am in love with waking up to sunshine every day. I am very clear on the lifestyle I want.

And that is always the million dollar question. What do you want? Two of my good friends, Adrian and Brenda are visiting Bucerias, my new hometown for the month. Brenda and Adrian are very clear on what they want and they manifest it consistently. Brenda works a few hours each morning while Adrian looks after the running of the home and then they are off to play each day, boogie boarding, exploring a new beach, fishing, enjoying a great meal or sitting and having a drink watching the sunset. They got very clear on what they want and today live a life that many people envy.

So what I have decided is that some people are here to rock the world despite huge struggles. I can think of a dozen unstoppable, grin-in-the-face-of-death kind of entrepreneurs that makes my heart beat with excitement for them.  I feel their fight with a ton of empathy, I can celebrate their win…and I absolutely know at the very same time that I don’t want any part of their struggle.

I get clearer every day that I can rock the world and have what I want - peace, quiet, Jan time, God time, friends time, Greg time, along with love, joy, and magnificent abundance and prosperity. I do not have to give up one for the other. I can have it all.

Some people may need to go through excruciating times to reach their goals. Others seem to glide there more effortlessly. I’m not saying it doesn’t take work to reach our goals, because it does. But perhaps the greatest work is getting really clear on what you want. Maybe the largest task at hand is knowing with every cell in your body exactly what you desire. I believe the greatest test of faith is believing that you can have it and never wavering, never doubting, never letting go of the dream, even when it doesn’t show up when you planned.

My job, your job, our job is to get clear on what we want. Then our assignment is to know it with every fibre of our being. This is about overcoming the naysayers, shutting out the doubters and hearing your conviction in every word you speak. That’s the hard part. The rest I believe can be much easier than we think.

I applaud Kim Baird for her contribution to a better and fairer world. She inspired me to know even more clearly what I don’t want. Because of Kim, I am even more convinced that women working together can do amazing things. I have another notch in my belt of faith that I can have everything I want.  I am absolutely positive that you can too.  Just get clear on what that amazing life looks like and then don’t let it go.

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan 

Subscribe to the post comments feeds or Leave a trackback