Fear and Liberty

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

~ Marianne Williamson

Milan's, No Alarm Clocks and a re-acquiantance with a classic

Surrounded by large mango trees, we had lunch under a nipa hut. To top it all, the wind was lulling us to a perfect daze. That was how Talisay, Batangas got imprinted in my memory. The Tilapia Supreme is to die for. Everyone must stop at Milan and order this inspired meal.

Imaj, the advertising talent agency I co-own and work for as their Chief People Officer, had an early vacation last week. Tuesday. We drove to Balai Isabel for some rest and personal recreation.

It was fun. Specially when we did a version of Pinoy Henyo and played charades up to the wee hours of the morning as red wine flowed generously. It was a great bonding moment for a team where the new outnumbers the old. A good and firm first step in developing a fresher and more agile Imaj.

The thing I like about last week is the fact that I do not have to set the alarm clock. My wife and I woke up when we feel like it already. Things were slower. Pronounced, maybe. We can hear our breathing but we were not bored. Just chilling. Reading. Breathing. Eating.

In short, it was a very long moment and I enjoyed it.

This rest and pause felt more dramatic and more deserved than usual maybe because I have been invited to quite a number of speaking engagements the past months. (The last one was in fact a day before I made the Talisay trip.) Mostly because of what was entrusted to me during the Shibuya Trip - MFCA. Some call it ISO 14051. But I personally call it as Productivity 2.0. Yes, guilty as charged for the crime of creating, or to be more precise - trying to create a buzz word :- )

I am not complaining. I am actually stoked to be contributing this way. At the very least, the burden is being creatively expressed and shared in the most appropriate avenues. It is a journey I will not miss.

Which I can described as serendipitous because I was essentially doing the same thing last year. The difference though is in the expression. This year was grander than what I imagined it to be. I am humbled.

I do not know what is it about the first quarter of the year but I always catch myself immersed with everything quality management system. In fact, I just finished a first cut for a re-imagination of a classic, 5S. I am hoping it gets its screen time but if it does not, all is well :- )

Tay, salamat po. Thank You for entrusting me with this responsibility, mission. I am humbled.

"... why think like mere men?"