Good Reads-The Alchemist

The Alchemist is an inspiring novel by acclaimed author Paulo Coelho.  

I was so moved by this novel.  I felt my entire being uplifted and infused with the hope and faith captured within the story.

If you ever lose faith; if you ever feel lost; The Alchemist can help you find the path to the destiny that is hidden within your heart.  

"The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn."  I chant it like a mantra whenever I struggle to go on, and I am filled with peace again.  

Before they were famous: JK Rowling

Reading on the life of JK Rowling was inspiring.  Her life spins a story of an ordinary woman with all the same weaknesses, foibles and fears that plague the most basic elements of our human nature, but one who has risen above all its pettiness to attain the purest expression of what our humanness is capable of achieving, i.e., the power to imagine, create, and persevere in the face of adversity.

In front of the camera, the public mostly sees the glamorous, perfect lives of the rich and famous, but in truth, many famous people had to suffer years of failures and hardships to achieve their dreams, in Rowling's case, it was seven years of it!

The Seven Dark Years of JK Rowling 

The first Harry Potter book took 7 years to complete, from its inception to actually getting it published. And in those long years, Rowling would suffer poverty, death of a loved one, a failed marriage, emotional trauma, rejection and depression.  But ultimately, there was light at the end of that long tunnel, where she found her own voice and inner strength to emerge, perhaps battle worn, but triumphant in overcoming her life's adversities.

James Cameron's secret to success

James Cameron may not actually be the "king of the world", but he's certainly accomplished some amazing things in his life: he's an A-list film producer, director, and screenplay writer, directing pioneering movies such as The Terminator, Titanic, and Avatar. A mixture of dreamy-eyed romantic meets computer-geek, Cameron has pushed the frontiers of CG cinemetics.

But few know that before he became Mr. Hollywood big-shot, he started out as a college dropout making ends meet by trucking.  But that didn't stop Cameron from fulfilling his star-filled destiny.

How did Cameron achieve success?  

                                        Guts, Grits, and Passion

How is Ai-jen Poo inspiring people?

                                      Combining the power of love and grit

Ai-jen Poo is like a modern day Harriet Tubman or Princess Leia fighting for justice in the world.  But instead of fighting to end the evil rule of the "Emperor", she fights to give a voice to marginalized domestic workers (maids, nannies, caregivers, etc, you know, those who are hired by rich people to do the work that most normal people have to do themselves.)

may the Force be with you

 

Michael Jordan--unleashing the fighter within

I love Michael Jordan's story because MJ wasn't born a great athlete, he made himself into one. Popular culture likes to depict Michael Jordan as some superhero that was born to be great, but not so.

Superman Jordan?

Jordan is definitely human but what sets him far and beyond "ordinary" humans is his warrior spirit. He is a fighter from within and without; a man wrought of titanium: lightweight, effortless but as unyielding as steel.

Oprah Winfrey--the best "Rags to Riches" story

She may be the only Black woman in history to be a billionaire, and one of the most powerful and influential women in the world, but the life of Oprah Winfrey was not always so rosy.

Childhood and early adolescence was hard for the would be talk-show queen. She was born into rural Mississippi and was so poor that she wore dresses made of potato sacks.  (Dobby Winfrey?)

Her mother had her own problems, being a single teenage mother and working as a housemaid just to survive, she didn't have a lot of time to watch over the young Oprah.  As a result, starting at the age of 9, Oprah was being sexually molested and raped by relatives and a family friend.

This must have been a dark period in Oprah's life; young, helpless, terrified, desperate and with no end in sight to her sufferings.

Malala Yousafzai Interview with the Daily Show

Be inspired by Malala's interview on the Daily Show

Determination and courage are the words I would use to describe this 16 year old.  Yeah, she's only 16 and already taking on the Taliban to change the future course of her country.

Oprah Winfrey's Harvard Commencement Speech

I'm starting to really love Oprah Winfrey, her energy just uplifts you; you feel stronger, more confident, and fearless when you're in her presence.  It's as though she has her own gravitational force.  I wonder if you'll start rotating around her if you ever stood near her. 

I want to share Oprah's commencement speech at Harvard in 2013.  Her words were inspiring and they filled my heart with a sense of life!  I especially loved this quote: "You will find true success and happiness if you have only one goal.  There really is only one, and that is this: To fulfill the highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being.  You want to max out your humanity by using your energy to lift yourself up, your family, and the people around you.  Theologian Howard Thurman said it best.  He said, 'Don't ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.'

Ang Lee: six years in purgatory

Most people know of Ang Lee as one of Hollywood’s megastar directors, producers, and screenwriters.  He has won accolades and awards for his many works including Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi, Hulk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, etc.  But few know that before he became a big shot director, he went through six agonizing and long years of “failures.”