An MoTM Reflection by Reychel Ann M. Domingo
This article was graciously and wonderfully written by Reychel Ann M. Domingo, student of City of Malabon University. She reflects on her experience at a Meeting of the Minds (MoTM) event on her campus last November. I was joined that day by the illustrious Mark Bantigue, who is the founder and owner of website www.p-3.ph.
Read on to hear the voice of a young Filipina:
Reychel Ann M. Domingo,
President of Liberal Arts Society,
Future Journalist and a Proud Filipina
“MAKE A DIFFERENCE”
By Reychel Ann M. Domingo,
Attendant of Meeting of the Minds at City of Malabon University
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Being an average student in this fast changing world is tough. You have to cope fast in order to be IN. And the biggest challenge is to pursue success, but also make a difference in the world.
Power comes with great responsibility. Power is associated with leadership and influence, but I don’t look at leadership as responsibility- it is more of a welcomed challenge for a young person like myself.
To lead, you don’t have to be the smartest person. You just have to be wise. You have to be passionate, and you should have a big heart to understand the things that are difficult to understand.
On November 25, 2011, my mind was open for new and big ideas. The Supreme Student Council (SSC) at my school, City of Malabon University (CMU), offered a free seminar for the student leaders of our University. I was lucky enough to be there.
One of the sessions was called Meeting of the Minds, with Ruby Veridiano as the resource speaker. She helped us open our eyes to new things in a positive way, and also helped us throw out the negativity that this complicated world projects.
She asked us four questions that sounded simple enough, but difficult to answer. The first was this: what is your purpose and why? The question sounds like it could be in a beauty pageant, but I asked myself anyway, what is my purpose? And then I simply came to the conclusion: to make a difference, for this country is filled with problems, and I want to be the single candle alight and alive in the dark.
The second question is, “when do you feel most powerful?” I feel most powerful when I’m with my friends, family, and most especially, God, for they are the source of my power.
Third, “when do you feel most powerless?” My answer to this question is when people are dragging me down. But thanks to the Meeting of the Minds seminar, I have changed my mind. I have learned that I cannot please everybody- what is good for me may not be good for them. The only thing that I should do is try and understand, and take the criticism as a lesson and a challenge for me to become a better person.
Fourth and last is, “when do you use your power and why?” I took a deep breath and thought: I use my power to influence others and to make them laugh because I want them to be happy.
After all of this, I recognize that the Meeting of the Minds session changed me, and taught not only myself, but my co-leaders as well. After this meeting, I can say that the future is truly in our hands. If we want to have a better future, we have to be willing. We, the youth, should not be threatened by our age. Age is not the primary qualification of a leader- rather, it is our heart, our ideology, and our own plans to drive change for the next generation.
As John Maxwell once said: “Communicate from the heart, and leadership is influence.” So if you really want to make a difference, influence by communicating through your heart.
Live for others, as others live for you.
**Special thanks to Isabelle Lacson for helping to organize this event, and to my good friend Adriel Luis, for inspiring this workshop topic!
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1belle reblogged this from rubyveridiano and added:
sharing her energy...district. Looking forward
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