International Institute For Global Leadership
Issue #122 * February 2012
www.global-leadership.com
Asheville, NC. USA
Guest Editorial
Is Life Unfair?
Dennis K. A. Penu (Ghana)
dennispenu@yahoo.co.uk
developtodevelop.wordpress.com
Have you ever contemplated the saying “Life is never fair?” This has been the old adage that seems to be a popular saying for most people as an explanation for their failures. Sometimes I have used it as well, when I see people who I presume haven’t put much effort towards gaining the reward I think they’ve got. I ask myself, “Why must these chips of good fortune fall to this lazy or undeserving person, considering that it is someone else who has worked for it, deserves or needs it the more?” After studying the Book ‘Psycho-cybernetics’ however, and paying attention to the explanation offered by this book on the neutrality of life and its fragility, I look at my life and think that at times when I have said to myself that I have been dealt unfair blows by life, I had rather actually been unfair to life. I can count many fortunes that have fallen to me out of little sweat and I now understand; it is easier for us to remember misfortunes than fortunes, and this makes us miserable and resort to blame games.
Fear and anxiety have been issues that I have battled with for some time. I have confidence in my abilities to perform when the task falls in line with something I am good at. However, when I have the task of doing something that falls outside my strengths, I begin to get anxious and more so when there have been cases of failure with that activity in the past. The idea of life and its unfairness has been a long held view, and this book’s explanation of the points against that assertion makes me realise the power of our thoughts in chaining us to a particular course: if we believe that in our lives, unfairness befalls us often, we are reluctant to take up new challenges, we miss opportunities, and life seems more and more ‘unfair’. A person may have been born into a not-so-rich family and may consider that a misfortune, but then how do you relate that to someone who never had the opportunity of life at all? We may have failed an exam despite our unrelenting efforts to study hard and we may perceive that as a misfortune, but how would we consider the person who never had the opportunity of reading and taking exams? I believe that the tree of LIFE has its own way of storing ‘opportunities’ and ‘threats’ as they are perceived by those who pluck them. The fruits of this tree have no original definitions but they are defined by the mind of the harvester.
Ask yourself, “is it the same dish of life that has served me the good fortunes that I have enjoyed in my life-time, as compared to those that I saw as bad”? Is there a reason for these ‘double standards’ as we perceive them? Have I ever considered how ‘fair’ life could be for the good fortunes I have enjoyed or have I only been hasty in picking quarrels with life on my challenges (not failures)? Our perceptions define occurrences in life and I am convinced that the fruits of life are indifferent and the meanings they attract are only based on our interpretations and perceptions. The same life that was supposed to be unfair to you could not also have been fair to you at the same time. The interpretation you give it is what it becomes and as Psycho-cybernetics explains it: ‘your unconscious mechanism works towards it’.
News
IIGL Launches New Website
We are very excited to announce the launching of our new IIGL website which has been developed and is being managed by Pius Reis, one of our advanced students in Nigeria. Pius has done an awesome job in giving the website a totally new look with moving banners, student testimonials and new features such a an automatic translator which translates the whole website into 52 different languages. Also, rather than removing a students name and photo when they become inactive, we simply leave these with the message “currently inactive” where appropriate. This way we can easily re activate the link when a student reactivates. If you are uncertain of your student status you may want to check this out. In any event, check out the new website at www.global-leadership.com and share it with friends and colleagues that you think would like to participate.
New Dean Of Students
Deborah Rosen, who has served IIGL in various capacities for the past several years – including a tenure as president of the boar – has joined the staff as Dean of Students. She is now responsible for processing the enrollment of all new students and handling all of the new assessments except for the Level Three assignments of those students who are currently working on Level Three, which Michael will continue to work with. You can see Deb’s photo and profile at http://www.global-leadership.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=95
What Our Students Are Saying
Owino Ogwal Phillip (Uganda)
When you admitted me to this course of study with the IIGL, I felt very hopeful and glad because I’d been searching for a while for an online course and it has so far been so much better than I’d anticipated. Thank you so much for saving my life.
What Our Students Are Reading
The HeartMath Solution: Engaging the Power of the Heart’s Intelligence
by Doc Lew Childre & Howard Martin ($10.17)
The title’s a bit misleading. It’s not about cardiac care and it’s not about calculus, but rather how 30 years of research have shown that the heart’s “intelligence” affects emotions and physical health–especially when it comes to handling stress–and specifically what you can do to balance heart rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and boost your immune system. The “intelligence” that the authors focus on refers to both the heart’s “brain,” or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation. When such positive emotions are felt, they “not only change patterns of activity in the nervous system; they also reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.” When there’s less cortisol, there’s more DHEA, the so-called fountain of youth hormone known to have anti-aging effects on many of the body’s systems. The HeartMath Solution outlines 10 steps for harnessing the power of the heart’s intelligence, including ways to manage your emotions and keep energy levels high. Each step includes references to data proving its effectiveness, with handy summaries of the key points to remember at the end of each chapter.
Valuable Resources for Personal & Planetary Transformation
World Transformation
www.worldtrans.org
Here you will find a cornucopia of ideas, resources, connections, information, inspiration and surprises, all aimed at growing, creating or discovering a world that works better for all of us.
Giordano Bruno GlobalShift University
www.giordanobrunouniversity.com
The Giordano Bruno GlobalShift University is a humanistic online institution, committed to creating informed and ethical agents of change who bring a new consciousness, a fresh voice and up-to-date thinking to the global community, transforming obsolete paradigms and empowering the co-creation of an equitable, responsible and sustainable world. The university was launched in Budapest, Hungary this autumn. The application fee is only $10. The enrollment fee is $240 and the tuition per course is $120. It is in the process of becoming fully accredited and offers both BS & MS degrees.
Meet Our New Students
We are please to welcome one new active students this month. He is from
Malawi.
Cosmas Jimson (Malawi)
My name is Cosmas Jimson. I am a Malawian and my home district is Nsanje. I am a Sena by tribe. I started my tertiary education in the year 2007 at a local college called Malawi College of Accountancy. I studied for a local qualification with a local examination body Public Accountants Examination Council and graduated with Diploma in Accounting. Currently, I am studying at Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi. I am expecting to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Education (Science). I am from a family of five, three boys and two girls and I am the first born. I have been engaged with different leadership roles from as early as 12years up to now. These leadership positions include being a chairperson and treasurer of the choir at school. I attended a project management course which was hosted by Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP). I like leading novels and my favorite novel is by Robert Ludlum titled Prometheus Deception. I have not travelled out of my country but I know many exciting places in my country to which I have been before. I also like watching soccer and movies. Currently, my best movie so far is “For Colored Girls.” I play hockey very much and I like the game so much.
Graduates
The following student(s) completed one level of study this month
* Ugbekile Chuks Friday Nigeria Level One
* Osayi Ujunwa Lynda Nigeria Level One
Student Progress
We had 15 students from 9 countries complete a total of 25 books in January. These students were from Botswana, Cote d’ Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leon, Sudan & Uganda.
Minny Nkwe (Botswana)
* PsychoCybernetics
* Keys To Success
* Success Through Positive Mental Attitude
Roger Yomba (Cote d’ Ivoire)
* Inside The Economists Mind
Ziyad Rube Abdule (Ethiopia)
* Goals: How To Get Everything ……
* Maximum Achievement
* NonViolent Communication
* The Law of Attraction
Patrick Nketia (Ghana)
* Real Magic
Cosmas Jimson (Malawi)
* As A Man Thinketh
* Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Francisco Okaformbah (Nigeria)
* How To Win Friends & Influence People
Ijalana Olubunmi (Nigeria)
* Goal Setting 101
Ken Offor (Nigeria)
* Instead of Education
Ogunnaike Sikiru Oladimejo (Nigeria)
* Keys To Success
* PsychoCybernetics
* The New Dynamics of Winning
Osayi Ujunway Lynda (Nigeria)
* Real Magic
* Giant Steps
Ugbekile Chuks Friday (Nigeria)
* Real Magic
* Goal Setting 101
* The New Dynamics of Winning
Mustapha Klah (Sierra Leon)
* The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People
Francis Okeny Silvio (Sudan)
* How To Make Collaboration Work
Harriet Opondo (Uganda)
* NonViolent Communication
Noeline Kirabo Mulongo (Uganda)
* The Five Languages of Love
* The Seven Laws of Spiritual Success
Statistics
New Enrollments
5 enrolled in January
5 enrolled in 2012
Book Assessments
25 in January
25 in 2012
Books Shipped
24 in January
24 in 2012
Cost of books
$384.75 in January
$384.75 in 2012
You Make It Possible
We extend a special thanks to the following 16 individuals and/or organizations from four countries who contributed to IIGL during January. Your ongoing support makes this work possible.
Deb Silver (Israel)
Edmee DiPauli (UK)
Colins Imoh (Nigeria)
Lawrence Afere (Nigeria)
Deb Rosen (USA/WI)
Ron Walker (USA/VA)
Peggy Moore (USA.NC)
David Banner (USA.NC)
Janis Thayer (USA.NC)
Peggy Moore (USA/NC)
Heidi Stewart (USA/NC)
Lynn Murguia (USA/AZ)
Corine Wilson (USA.FL)
John Hornecker (USA/CA)
Wanda Gail Campbell (USA/AL)
Janae & Barry Weinhold (USA/NC)
Make A Difference
You can make a major difference in the world with modest monthly contribution to IIGL. What kind of difference? Check it out here: You may set up an automatic monthly credit card contribution here: https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=12579 or send a check on a US bank payable to the International Institute For Global Leadership to PO Box 18909, Asheville, NC. 28814, USA. Contributions are tax deductible under the 501 (c) 3 tax code of the United States Internal Revenue Service.
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