“I know of no other advice than this: Go within and scale the depths of your being from which your very life springs forth.”

- Rainer Maria Rilke
February 1903, Paris

This quote reminded me of our generation back in 2011 — young and on the edge of a new world. I smile when I look back at us, vibrating with excitement, trying to shape the society that was emerging. Those days were precious. Hard. The best times of life.

For the 50 years leading up to 2011, scientists warned of nuclear proliferation, an exploding population, runaway corporate power, species loss, deforestation, economic and ecological collapse, and widespread famine. For the most part, our society ignored them. We razed our forests, over-fished our oceans, over-cultivated our land, and poisoned our fresh water with toxins, oil, sewage. Global warming brought floods, fires, hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, disease, rising sea levels. The population grew, emitting more effluent, slowed only by frequent, unjustified war. Corporate greed devastated our economy and the growth of state surveillance eroded our civil liberties.

Many of our brightest thinkers questioned whether our species would survive the century.

Quick, radical, peaceful change was vital. Humanity turned to a younger generation to drive that change. We were the largest, most connected, most informed, most diverse generation in history. We were the spawn of globalization, rapid technology change, connectivity, environmental destruction and global crisis. We had more questions than the authorities (or their systems) could answer. We were old enough to vote and young enough to be idealistic. We were digital natives. We came from all countries, and we were ready to create mass social and cultural change.

It all started with media. We were connecting to each other — constantly. Through our social networks, we began making media that reflected our values. The Internet and technology democratized the means of production and we used media to generate an inclusive culture of independent thinking, cultural alternatives, progressive politics, racial integration, art, music, creativity, intelligence and peace.

As the years went by, our interconnectivity fostered new, powerful collaborative forms of thinking. Back then, crowdsourcing and the instantaneous cross-fertilization of ideas was a new phenomenon. Decentralized, horizontal social organization was just beginning to be discovered and explored. The internet was not simply an innovation in information technology and communication; it sparked a profound cultural shift similar to the cultural revolutions of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment.

Activism was redefined and widely adopted as a common social practice. With the help of technology and social media, democracy was galvanized. Thanks to online and mobile voting, 95% of the voter population participated in elections. Citizen-led decisions making groups were formed, fostering widespread collaboration between the government and the people. Top-down, hierarchical government gave way to lateral, self-policing communities — built and maintained by the people who live in them. Economies and food production were localized, folk culture invigorated.

When widespread sharing and online community organizing took hold, we collectively realized we had been making a false assumption about human nature. The neoclassical presumption that people were selfish — and acted strictly on personal and financial motivation — was wrong. The social, economic and political structures we built based on this assumption created systems that provided individual freedom but not a lot of resources for the greater public good. Collectively we broke those beliefs and ushered in a global, civic culture that changed the way of life on our planet. We created new systems that assumed people would act in ways that created public value.

Our global community has changed much since those youthful days of fleeting exuberance and passionate toil. Our deep inclinations that a better world was within our reach — they were true. As a generation, we were given opportunities to start behaving in a new way, and we did. The global youth came together with a sense of membership, belonging, duty and purpose. We had much to gain and little to lose from experimentation so we began to positively deviate from the norm of civic passivity. We woke up and, perhaps for the first time in human history, we had the collective power to steer our planetary destiny towards something better, healthier, kinder and more peaceful.

Looking back now, our most difficult problems were social, political, personal. What brought about the transformation of our generation from a civic audience into an active public was our ability to, individually and collectively, imagine a new story. You have a profound and enormous opportunity before you, and so I offer you this advice:

Create. Participate. Share.

Love each other and manifest the dream.

Forever yours,

Tara Mahoney

Editor’s Note: For more stories about Millennials featured in our special issue of Village Vibes, click here.

Tara Mahoney (@genwhymedia) is the Creative Director of the Gen Why Media Project, a peer produced, collaborative, interdisciplinary community building project that seeks to characterize the underrepresented zeitgeist of youth culture. She has worked as a documentary filmmaker and campaigner for Greenpeace and the Sierra Club of Canada. She currently works as Community Outreach Coordinator for Pull Focus Film School, a nonprofit film school based out of Vancouver, BC.
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I hope you enjoyed this letter as much as I did. I know that we all have a part to play. Even just imagining this coming true is a start- shifting the collective consciousness.

We can make this happen – in fact in another dimension it already does.

Have a wonderful weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: charity village on line paper, millenials, tara mahoney, the future of millennials, the future of the world

I may have written about this topic before however I do feel it is appropriate to write about now, especially considering what is going on around the world and the many changes, challenging of systems and the emerging of countries with new leaders to drive the country (Tunisia and Libya as examples). The rate at which we are manifesting and changing is incredible.

I have been working on the creation of a youth development and empowerment program that I want to launch in the New Year. It is as much about the millennial youth, their development and empowerment and what they will create as it is about bridging the relationship between the baby boomers and the systems that they have created politically, socially, economically, and in their businesses and corporations. There is a disconnect between the two groups that is evident. After evaluating the habits, thinking patterns, their desires/needs/wants I truly believe, like all relationships, it’s a matter of understanding the other person’s language. Saying that, the real shift for me is taking what has worked in the past, discard the rest; understand what makes sense today ( what the millennial youth resonate with) and then make it relevant, executable and sustainable for today. Then comes the connecting of the two groups; finding the language that will allow both to understand one another. The benefit for this is tremendous: creating new ideas, new businesses, creating a mutually beneficial relationship that will hopefully be seen in policy decisions and government initiatives.

We have the perfect opportunity to apply this today. When we see what is going on in Europe with the financial crises it is as though they do not know how to fix the problem that they created. Tempers are flaring, there is name calling and people and countries do not want to take responsibility. I believe that there is a solution. Is it simple and easy?? – the answer is no. Is the answer to have China buy up all the bonds and then hold the power of these countries? For me, the answer would be a resounding no. That would be a band-aid solution and one where the countries hand away their power. Here is an opportunity for the leaders to evaluate their systems, see what has worked in the past, what is not working currently and how to create something new for today that will benefit all people but especially the younger people for they will inherit this mess. If this group of European leaders could actually put their egos aside and sit down with the intention of being creative and brainstorm I AM SURE THAT SOLUTIONS WILL START TO FORM – ATLEAST BABY STEPS TO CHANGE. The problem will not be fixed overnight and may take months if not years. Think of how long it took to create this problem. It means coming together for the greater good of the people, their country and the world. While this suggestion seems “simple” I can tell you the power of brainstorming is incredible– it means opening up to ALL POSSIBILITIES and IDEAS – not shutting down anything at this time. What is being handed to the millennial youth is a tremendous burden that was created by the generations before them. These are the grandchildren and children of these very people. Think of it that way.

So why do these leaders not do this? Why don’t they take their responsibility and then begin to make choices that make sense for today? I am sure that there are many thoughts out there.

Part of the problem, I feel, is that Baby boomers tend to look at history, their past, as their bench mark; longevity and security. It is a backward to forward thinking. It is ok to look to our past to learn however we cannot get stuck in our past. To do so will bring about the very destruction of what you created because things are always changing. The millennial youth come to things much differently. They look at the present and want to know what will something look like in the future – how can they create this – take what they know and add to it. The past is not as relevant to the millennial group. When I look at this I do feel that taking what works from the past is important; again, it must make sense for today. What you do not want to get stuck in is the long history as the only benchmark for future success. All we need to do is look at dinosaur companies that have gone by the wayside – one’s that had decades of strength behind them: Eaton’s, Nortel, Beta and VHS technology (Video Stores), Lehman Brothers, and so on.

What can the Baby Boomers learn from their past? They created the systems that exist today – politically, economically, financially and how businesses and corporations are run. If they went back in time to the 70s they would see that they were the ones who demanded change, the desire to stop war, wanted peace and had their “love” sit ins. The youth movement, “Occupy Wall Street”, is really no different from what they wanted. Can they go back to that time in their mind and remember why they had their movements? Why did they create certain things? Look at what they created and determine what is working today and what is NOT working today? If sustainability is important to these people, they MUST determine what are the trends that will impact them in the next decade; are the way their businesses and corporations being run effective and sustainable? Are they operating from a place of integrity and truth? Are they walking their talk? Is the consumption base society that they created – more, better, bigger really working? Is this what the millennial youth want? The millennials are your future workforce and leaders of tomorrow.

What may have worked at one time does not necessarily work today or at least part of it.

Being aware of our past is wonderful: we can celebrate the trail blazers that allow us to live the life we life in a free democratic country with freedom of speech and abundance of all things from water, food and shelter to every possible consumable item. The key is to not get stuck in this and to remember that things are always changing and with that we can bring forward what makes sense for today.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful weekend. I do hope that Europe resolves itself soon for everyone’s sake. I hope it means that the group of leaders come together in the best interest of all peoples and they begin to execute changes that make sense and are sustainable.

Europe is rich with history – take the lessons from our past and make it relevant to today.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: Baby Boomers, Eurozone, how to bridge our past and present and future, millenials, occupy wall street

Before I get into this topic I want to comment on a “comment” that was sent to me in regards to my Steve Jobs’ article. I am not sure how old this person is; I don’t know in what reference they were making their comment. I do know that the commentator is female. I didn’t post her remark because in truth it didn’t mean anything to me, there was no substance. In this article I wrote 2 weeks ago I gave tribute to Steve Jobs for making a difference. I also noted that one person can make a difference in their life and the lives of others. The remark sent to me was basically FUCK YOU however the person did a nice job of actually spelling it out eff you see kay ; why oh you.

So I call my friend and my boyfriend and say, can you believe that someone sent this to me? My friend tells me to just let it go and that is exactly what I have done.

Why do I share this story? I share it because if we have a point to make then we are free to make it. To have impact (for me) your point needs to have some backup and then come up with a solution to make a change. I am open to being challenged. I may agree or disagree with your statement however I will respect it. What I do not respect is just an off the cuff disregard with no substance.

So let’s turn our attention to a message with more substance. We have been seeing the youth and others protesting against Wall Street, called, Wall Street Occupation. In this instance we are seeing youth united and wanting to have their voice heard. It is refreshing to see this. There are some experts that say that this has no impact because it lacks direction. I say, being able to come together is valuable. What is even more valuable is when you combine it with a strong message and an action plan to go with it. I am not sure that the youth have an action plan. In the case of Finances and “Wall Street”/Stock market, what needs to change is the entire system. Saying that, the youth do have a part to play, in a sense, an action plan. The youth can show the adult world, that they know how to be financially responsible and accountable.

It means leading by example. I know the systems need to change, not just in North America but around the world. Everything has its time. This will come but how long it will take, no one knows. What can we do today? We can begin to make financially sound and smart choices. First know what your budget is – how much do I have to spend, can I afford to make a certain decision? Do I really need (yes, of course want) what I am going to buy or can it was a few weeks, months and even years? Everyone I know has been hit by the financial markets. No one has escaped, not my wealthy friends, not my less wealthy friends. It means that you work with what you got. It may mean making different choices for a while. I was reading an interview with David Chilton, the author of The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns. He is a financial planner as well I believe and he was sharing a story that a friend of his called him to ask him how he can save money in this economy – this guy receives calls from friends to go to the hockey and/or baseball game or to go out to dinner and he doesn’t know how to financially deal with it. David’s short answer was, “JUST SAY NO”. His friend did not respond for a few minutes and then he says, “is that all you have to give”. A few weeks later the friend calls back and says that he feels great, less stressed and yes, he has been saying no more often to things he cannot afford. The best part, he says, is people understand and there is no judgement.

The larger point for me is that speaking up has value. Speaking up and having a plan or solution has even more impact and value. I saw the remake of the movie, Footloose, and it was great. I really enjoyed it. What stuck out was when Ren, the boy who moves to a small town in the West (Georgie) from big-city Boston, finds out the town has banned the playing of loud rock music, dancing and really being kids and enjoying yourself. He learns that three years earlier the town lost 5 “star” kids in a tragic car accident. The loss was tremendous and unfortunately the action taken by the adults of the town council to protect the young kids of the town was so severe and swift. Ren and Ariel, the minister’s daughter come together (her brother is one of the 5 kids killed in that accident) along with a core group of friends and decide to challenge the ban on dancing. They want to have a senior graduation party in a location other than school or church halls. Ren, with the help of Ariel, presents to council a sound reason why dancing should be allowed. There is part of his speech that really resonated with me and my work. He tells the council, “we are kids and we are meant to do stupid, silly things. We are meant to try new things, make mistakes, fail and learn. We are meant to play our music loud,sing and dance. We are supposed to challenge our parents, systems and laws. That is the job of the youth”. That may not be word for word however I have captured the essence. In the end the council declined this proposal however that was only for that town. They do have their dance in the bordering town. While the council denied the proposal you do see many of the adults are on the side of the kids and supporting them in their endeavour.

This movie reminded my why my work is so important. The young MUST fall and get up – call it fail, that is the only way for them to learn. They MUST speak their voice and be heard. That is what Wall Street Occupation is all about. The real impact of change will come when the youth are supported and guided by those trailblazers that understand that the systems must change. While I say that, it is important to recognize the things that have worked in certain systems, take it and then create something new. I look forward to uniting the wisdom of our elderly with the enthusiasm of our youth to create sustainable and executable programs and system that do make sense for today. I do tell the youth that in order to challenge something, you need to have a plan or solution, execute it and then live by it: walk your talk. Otherwise, you are no better than the system being challenged and your behaviour will be considered hypocritical.

If you know of someone younger who is struggling to have their voice heard, help them to do so. Guide them and show them HOW they can do this. Create a strategy that is sustainable and executable to make it happen. The idea is only part of the equation, the action plan is what will make it happen. Then stand back and watch it happen. This is empowerment, mentoring, guidance and creation.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: david chilton, movie footloose, Steve Jobs, the wealthy barber, the wealthy barber returns, wall street occupation, youth development

The idea of mentoring for the most part has gone by the wayside. Tonight, I experienced true mentoring from a place of heart and helping.

I am at the place in my life where I have gathered much wisdom and knowledge and I am looking for a way to bring it to the world to impact as many lives as I can. The idea of doing good is ulturistic and where I choose to be however this may not in fact be the best way for me to reach as many lives as I can. In fact, I may need to start in the for-profit world and gain my successes and then go for the “give back” method.

I sat with a man that has been through his own tragedy – he lost his daughter to an accident that could have been prevented (risks and choices). She stepped off a curb and was hit by a car. His story is powerful, his healing has been a journey and he shed light into so many things for me tonight. He shared his book that he wrote, no mountain too high: A father’s inspiring journey through grief as well as the book he published of his daughter’s poetry, I am a Rose.

We talked about empathy and the power of showing our fellow human being empathy. He shared that most people do not know what to do when someone they know is going through something beyond their comprehension. So what many people do is choose to close out the person because they cannot fix the situation. What is really required at this time, he says, is just a simple expression of compassion – a hug, an opened stretched arm, to sit with a friend and listen, not interrupt.

I am a strong supporter of mentoring and the power of it. We all have our own stories and many don’t want to share it for fear of being rejected and/or laughed at, or just a belief that no one will care, so why bother. I am going to ask that you share your stories for there is definitely someone out there who can benefit from your experience and knowledge.

One of the reasons that I began this site is so that people do not feel alone. Knowing that someone has experienced something similar to you is very comforting and it also confirms that you are not alone. For me, it makes me feel better and that I am not going crazy.

For those that want to do something, whether it is on a large or small scale, find a mentor that you can talk to. Share your vision and hear their’s. Sit back and listen (not always my strength) and then ask questions. Of course, take what resonates and then make it your own. Life is a journey and enjoy it. As Steve Jobs’ said, you cannot connect the dots looking forward only backward. Whatever path you choose it is the right one.

Have a wonderful weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: book no mountain too high, how to show empathy, I am a rose, Menotring, Ned Levitt, stacey levitt

I spoke to a young woman that I know who has recently returned to school to do her masters in science. She is choosing her thesis topic. Initially she talked about the topic of competition between men and women in the workplace and how in pressure situations men fare better. This launched into a whole discussion about women in the workplace and why there are not more women in senior roles and on boards, particularly in Canada. Also, how women have been trying to behave more like men rather than combining their “male” quality of speaking their truth and setting boundaries along with their more “feminine” qualities of nurturing and being compassionate.

She talked about systems and how they are hard to break. She did not know how we are going to break cycles that already exist. I told her that cycles can be broken and paradigms can shift: one person at a time. She disagreed and said that one person cannot change a system nor make a difference and that he or she will be “squashed” and forced to leave. She has come from the banking world where she has seen this happen.

I reminded her that the financial systems are crumbling and that change is imminent whether people want the change. The systems are falling apart because they cannot be sustained. There has been no accountability nor responsibility, especially in the United States at any level: individual, corporate or government. All levels have failed. Now is the time to break the cycles that brought this very system down.

To get back to the question at hand, can one person make a difference? My answer is a resounding YES. I want to take Steve Jobs and what he has done for Apple and the tech industry in the last decade +. Initially Steve Jobs was forced to leave Apple, a company he co-founded. Likely he did not fit into the system that was being created and yes he was forced to leave. This did not stop him and yes it did take some time however he did return to resume his leadership role at Apple and through his vision and determination, he brought Apple to forefront of the industry, bypassing all his competitors.

I truly believe that initially the world was not ready for Steve Jobs and we needed to catch up to his vision. When we did, all exploded. Apple went from a company that was known more for design and became a household name; every child I know wants an Apple computer, IPOD, IPAD and IPHONE.

There are very few Steve Jobs in the world however, each and every one of us can make a difference. We all have greatness within and with our passions and talents we can begin to touch peoples’ lives. It is said that each person “touches” the lives of 1,000 people in their lifetime. Imagine if you touched the life of one person, you are actually touching the lives of 1,000 people. Multiply this out and if you touch the lives of 10 people than you are actually touching the lives of 10,000 people. It has also been said to me that in order to make a difference and see change it only takes 1/4 of 1% of the population. This is a very small number of people compared to the volume of people that buy into fear and negativity.

The world can change one person at a time. Eventually there will be more and more people who think, feel and believe the same. This collective energy then begins to impact humanity for the better.

This weekend we are celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada. There is much to be thankful for. As you sit around the table with your family and friends be aware that you have the ability to influence and impact the lives of others, some you don’t even know. Take the time and listen to what others are saying and asking. Speak from a place of love and kindness, people can feel that.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. I also wanted to acknowledge Yom Kippur, the time for looking within and asking forgiveness for our sins and then being written into the book of life. As humans we all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. Let’s choose to be our best and give back to others. Each one of us can make a difference even if it is smiling at your neighbour and lifting their spirits for the day.

Enjoy this beautiful weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: Apple company, making a difference, Steve Jobs

First off I want to wish all those people celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a happy and healthy one.

I sat in shul yesterday listening to the Rabbi take about the Torah portion which had to do with Abraham and the human sacrifice of his son, Isaac…. which we know did not happen.

Human sacrifice was prevalent in many cultures (Incas for example) in history. Thankfully, today it is not or is it??? I know we do not physically sacrifice our children on an alter however the sacrificial metaphor finds itself in other actions we do see today.

When we put our own selfish interest ahead of others with the intention of destroying, bringing down and making them feel less than human are we not performing human sacrificing? I really want you to think about this. Has this happened to you? Has anyone made you feel less than human, called you names, treated you with such indifference that it’s like you are not there?

These actions by anyone towards you are completely unacceptable – on the individual level, city level, province/state level and finally country level.

EMPOWERING OURSELVES. The time has come in history to end this behaviour for it is not acceptable and cannot continue. It will not be sustained by the energy that is being shifted in. We have been moving to a more balanced, male and female energy, that is about win/win, collaboration, working together and heart energy.

The male energy I am referring to, as discussed many times in the last year, is about speaking your truth, following your heart, setting boundaries and staying true to this in all choices and actions. The female energy I am referring to is the mother nature energy we are seeing – love, compassion, care for our fellow human beings and pure heart energy.

Consider where you are at in your life and if this is the cycles you want to continue? Criticizing and putting others down to elevate yourself might give an immediate feeling of supremacy or importance … however, it is based on illusion and once that person or people or situation challenges you, you will fall. The bully can only exist if there is fear from the other party. Once that person/people/situation alters this then the fear no longer exists.

It all begins with you. You can break the cycles and lead by example. Baby Steps. Many of these core beliefs are so ingrained in you, subconsciously, that to change this you must begin to change the way you feel, think, act and be. You need to bring your inner thoughts in alignment with your conscious thoughts and actions.

I want to wish you a wonderful Fall weekend. The next time you want to say something that brings down, diminishes or is just plan critical and mean, step back and ask yourself – why are you saying this? can you say this differently, in truth but with love, so that you can get your point across however in a different manner.

Have a wonderful weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: Abraham and Isaac, human sacrifice, sacrificial lamb

We spend our entire lives seeking balance. To be in balance means different things to different people. For me being in balance means balance within (peace) and without (all my relationships: self, significant other, family, children, finances, health and so on).

It also means that I learn to respond and not react. When I react it is usually driven from my ego: fear and illusion. I allow my head to talk me into an action that is not necessarily the truth of who I am. Rather, I am acting on an emotion. Following your heart and being emotional is not the same.

What we are seeing today is people reacting and being emotional, especially where the markets are concerned. Rather than stepping back and responding to the market, many people are selling everything because they are scared of what is going to happen. This behaviour is dangerous and swings the pendulum out of whack.

There is no balance.

The example that I have provided is true on every front. In our society many of our systems are being challenged. Hopefully what we strive for is balanced systems that can be sustained.

We are reacting to the fear and illusion in our markets however we have been the co-creators of these very systems. We have created systems in our businesses, governments, and countries that truly are not sustainable and as a result are crumbling. Rather than stepping back and responding to the failing systems and deciding what we can keep and what we should rid of, we are behaving in an irresponsible manner. We have the ability to be the co-creators of better systems. This means working together in a win/win manner. Unfortunately, too many egos fighting to be “right” and acting on emotion are not allowing this to happen.

I recognize that depending where you are in your life, your response will be different. Being in cash may make sense for your want to preserve your capital. For others who are younger, reacting can be dangerous and bring about a great loss that over time will would correct itself.

The world is not only correcting itself but shifting and changing; We are in the midst of creating new foundations for our systems. Being aware of this allows you to choose: respond or react. Before you choose the latter, please step back and ask yourself, am I acting from fear or truth.

I believe that if people did this than our markets would not be swinging like a pendulum – back and forth.

Instead, it may correct itself to a more balanced existence; one that can be sustained and followed.

For me, the good thing is knowing that if we can create this mess, we can also clean it up.

Again, it is a choice.

Please make responsible, informed choices that are close to your truth. Do not overreact for this behaviour is driven by fear and illusion.

Enjoy this weekend. If you can, just put the market activity aside and enjoy the transitioning from Summer to Fall. Cycles. Everything has a cycle and flow.

All my love,

Sandra

Tags: fear in the markets, financial markets, financial pendulum, making good financial decisions

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