#WCW Ellen and Happy Thanksgiving!

It's hump day!  And that means #WCW.  My crush today is Ms. Ellen Degeneres.  I am a big fan of her show and she always seems to put those around her in a good mood.

Three things I have learned from Ellen:

1) Don't worry too much about what other people think of you.  Ellen obviously dances to her own beat- and literally dances.  She does what makes her happy.  This is a lesson that takes some of us years to learn.

2) Care about others and have compassion.  Ellen often has guests on her show that do amazing things for others. She celebrates them and, in turn, reminds us to give it our all in our work and personal lives. 

3) Be kind to one another.  As you probably know, this is Ellen's sign-off phrase.  I have always loved it.  In a world that seems less interconnected these days, it's important to be kind to those around us.  I try to remember to give a simple smile or hello to anyone I see.  You never know how much that may mean to someone.


Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Malala #WCW

It's that time of the week again. My #WCW tribute this week is for a young woman by the name of Malala Yousafzai.  You may or may not know of her, but she is a truly inspiring young lady.

Three things I learned from Malala:

1) When you find your passion follow it- that is your purpose. By the age of fifteen, Malala knew her passion.  Since then she has been fighting for the right to education for girls around the world.  She went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

2) Bravery and courage are important when following your passion.  Malala was brave enough to blog anonymously for the BBC about life under Taliban rule, in Pakistan, at the age of eleven.  She expressed her concern that her school would be attacked.  She eventually began appearing on radio and TV shows and her identity was no longer anonymous. 

3) Your willpower and strength are insurmountable.  Malala was shot in the face by Taliban upset that she continued to speak out about the importance of education for girls.  She fully recovered and continued to speak out for girls around the world.  She now has The Malala Fund which works to secure access to twelve years of free, quality education for girls.

Malala did most of these things by the time she was fifteen years old.  When I see her on a talk show my heart just swells.  Malala reminds me that people can be amazing and do amazing things.  If we could only have the courage to follow and, if necessary, fight for our passions.