I want to talk about two women who inspire me. I am not talking about women the whole world knows about but everyday women who have gone and dreamt the impossible and made things happen. One I have known all my life and the other I have just met.
Meet Mira Stanislawska-Meysztowicz who is one of my Mums dearest, best and most crazy friend. For the first 18 years of my life she was like a 2nd Mother and I am sure knowing her has rubbed off on me and helped me chase my dreams and believe in myself. She is one person other than my fabulous Mum who always told me to follow my dreams and my heart. Mira moved to Poland over 20 years ago and discovered her passion and that was to make a difference in this world and protect the environment.
For nine years she has led the Clean Up the World campaign in Poland, as well as many other pro-ecological activities. In 2001 Mira was awarded a Knights Cross Order of the Revival of Poland. The children of Poland also awarded her with the Order of Smile in 2002.
I was so excited to catch up with Mira yesterday on her annual trip back to Australia. I love that in the latter part of her life ( I dare not disclose her age) she looks as young as she did 20 years ago and that she still has such incredible passion in all aspects of her life.
On Friday I attended a most amazing one day workshop where I was lucky enough to meet with one of the speakers Cathy Burke. Cathy is another awesome everyday woman who is making a massive difference in the lives of others. She is the CEO of The Hunger Project in Australia.
The Hunger project believes in self reliance, they are not about raising funds and sweeping in on a white horse with millions of dollars. Instead they believe that people have the ability and more importantly the desire to be self-reliant. Their goal is to end world hunger by addressing peoples attitudes and once their mindset has changed, they begin action through skill building and helping with achievable projects. They work at a grassroots level by finding leaders within the local community to help empower women and give them a voice.
They work in Africa, India, Bangladesh and Latin America.
I could go on and on but I urge you to watch this video for a greater understanding.
Cathy Burke and I clicked and felt a kindred spirit in each other and will be working together in the future to keep getting the word out far and wide about what The Hunger Project does. I so love this organisation and what it stands for and would love for Piccadilly Market to get involved so watch this space peeps.
I would love to leave you with some wise words from a woman who I have admired for a very long time after discovering her when I lived in America.
Maya Angelou
Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.
Courage allows the successful woman to fail-
and learn powerful lessons-
from the failure-
so that in the end,
she didn't fail at all.
Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you. All the other tangible rewards will come as a result.
Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise.
I can be changed by what happens to me. but I refuse to be reduced by it.
If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.
I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.
It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.
Maya Angelou
