Empowering Others

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lcom-logoI was recently providing a training for ESL tutors for the Literacy Center of Milford, CT. The mission of the Literacy Center of Milford is to provide services at no cost to any individual who wishes to learn the English language or enhance their reading, writing, speaking and math skills necessary to lead productive lives in our community. I’ve been also teaching basic computer skills at the center. The experiences are great and I get to meet a lot of beautiful people with amazing stories.

During our ESL tutor training I focused on the fact that teaching English as a second language is to turn someone bilingual. Being bilingual is an excellent job qualification in cosmopolitan areas. It is also a great tool in many other ways. Consider the fact that many tutors are not bilingual but by offering their time, efforts, and services they are helping someone to become bilingual. That is only the beginning. A person who learns English as a second language can get a GED, a driver’s license, a job, and the opportunity to help their people.

e0a70f72bdae9885bfc32d7cd19a26a1_XLWhen we help others and provide for them tools and resources they didn’t have before we are empowering others. It is that simple. Think of knowledge as power. Providing knowledge is providing power. Had you consider giving back to your community? Believe me, it is one of the most rewarding experiences you would ever have.

 

Renewing our minds

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During a sparing session, one of the fighters was a little timid during a fight. His skills were not showing. My martial arts instructor Renshi Herbie Bagwell told him: “It is all in your head. From the neck down you have all you need to win”. How many times do we get paralyzed by fear? How many times we lose the fight without even trying? How many times our perception makes us forget our skills? How many times our mind is keeping us away from what we are capable to achieve?

born-again-sculpture

Renewing our minds is a concept shared by various sources. Practices that involve spiritual and emotional cleansing talk about the concept of focusing the mind into thinking positive in order to achieve results. Social cognitive theory in learning psychology explains the importance of life experiences to form what we think of ourselves based on our interpretations of those experiences. Therefore, it is important to take advantage of every situation to learn and form an acceptable, affirmative perception of ourselves. Faith, for example, speaks about believing that something will be done and seeing it done before they are done. Christianity speaks of the renovation of the as well:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)     

Born Again by Dr Ivan Tirado

Born Again by Dr. Iván Tirado

We often follow a behavior and thinking pattern based on what our environment and experiences forced on us and we end up thinking that we have no other choice but to continue living that way (remember the kid hiding during art class). Let’s give ourselves a chance towards a new life. We can’t change the past, but we don’t have to follow the same pattern. From the neck down we have all we need to win. We have a choice! We can try again! We can try something new! We can still win the fight! We can be born again!