c/o BBC
“Even after all this time the Sun never says to the Earth, “You owe me.” Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky.”
Face it
I was recently humbled when one of Danish my friends introduced me as a “knowledge seeking gentleman”. I’m fully aware that I have had a rich lifestyle and have always strived for excellence in everything I do, even so, to be honest I was a little taken aback. Does this mean that I am still not comfortable being the hero of the story, or are the words of coach John Wooden too deeply engraved in my consciousness?
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. - John Wooden”
I will leave a legacy
I want to leave a legacy because my life matters and my legacy will be passed on by the people that I have met on my journey. My legacy is pouring whatever I have experienced into whoever is listening and that’s proof that I was here. And if at the end of my life I have added something to your life that made you move forward then I contributed towards your journey. Whenever anyone asks about your journey, you will tell them about this guy you met and that’s how we as people have survived for centuries. My forefathers withstood slavery and so many other atrocities because in the mindst of all the horrendous things we experienced, we still clapped our hands and sang our songs. We still managed to be creative and we are still here! My people have been through lynching, rapes, burnings and killings. My legacy is that we danced and sang and survived. We had opposition, trouble and tears, and I don’t have to write anymore about that.
Agony will always find you on its own, its ecstacy and happiness that has to have your name on it. I’m sending you the potential to go beyond agony to the ecstacy of fulfilling everything you were created to be and that’s my legacy. It’s in the people that heard me, it’s in my children, it’s in my friends and colleagues. I write like I speak and it always sounds like I am having a conversation with a friend. I’m easy to find both online and offline, and if you can't find me it’s because I’m dead. I will be fruitful as long as I’m alive and can move, making the best use of my resources and time.
When you label me, you deny me!
We are so obsessed by what was and I think that it’s something to be said if you are living and learning. You have to deal with cross generational realities even though we’re in different stages of life. Just because I am a person of faith it doesn’t mean that I don’t have moments of doubt. And because you may be a person of doubt, it doesn't mean you don’t have moments of faith. It takes faith to sit down on a chair, I don’t know anybody who checks a chair to see whether it will bear their weight before sitting down. You cannot exist without faith!
“Once you label me you negate me. - Søren Kierkegaard ”
Once we learn to label and we teach what that label means, now we’re trying to live up to being in that label. You have a gift and don’t lock it up inside just to please a small group of people. Keep speaking until somebody listens, keep singing until somebody claps and keep painting until somebody stares.
Your DNA does not change
via The Guardian
We all have the same DNA sequence as when we were born, what makes each of us unique is the interplay between our DNA and environment. My experiences have taught me that it’s not, '“Can you go with me, it’s can you grow with me?” It’s only when we have shared philosophies, the seasons will change our reality. Unfortunately, many of us keep trying to hold onto our last season without discovering the beauty of the season we are in now. Eternal youth is not real, there is nothing wrong with being 40, especially if you explore 40 and re-pivot into the beauty of being 40. And if you are still in doubt, just ask an 80 year old.
Stages and ages have repercussions on how we get along. We are constantly in motion, we are constantly evolving and are constantly becoming, so we should not look back at the transition with envy. I think getting older is something that should be celebrated and getting old is a gift. Sometimes we forget that, and as time goes on is inevitable, it’s not going to stop for us. I think we can either embrace the process or not and personally, I don’t want to miss the beauty of grey hair and love through wrinkled eyes.
Tomorrow can never be the same as yesterday
As a person of colour living in Denmark I really don’t understand why whole idea of racial injustice is not being thoroughly investigated. The locals think it’s not my problem and the culture is very seductive. We will always have these two things competing against each other! The game to keep things same and safe, and my game to make things interesting and better.
Tolerance is not about not having beliefs. It is about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you. Sometimes we think that as creative people discipline stifles creativity. I think that discipline allows us to focus on what matters, and when we focus on what matters, we get more clarity and space in our minds to be creative.
Tolerance
““Tolerance is not about not having beliefs. It is about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.” - Burrellism”
I lost my wallet
Yesterday, I lost my Commes des Garçons wallet which I bought in Tokyo (2016). The DKK 500 and various coins is of little significance compared to the lucky Viking coin my son gave to me when he was in 1st Grade. It’s the first time that I have lost anything and I am extremely grateful that I live in Denmark. The Danish technology system is excellent and the ease of access made the process of cancelling my credit card and travel card so easy. Ordering a replacement identity card and driving license was no problem. The psychological impact of my loss is greater than the financial burden of the replacement cards.
In today’s world, possessions increasingly reflect who people are or at least how they would like to see themselves. How much we see our possessions as an extension of ourselves may depend in part in how confident we feel about who we are. I will never forget the memories attached to my faithful companion who was with me 24/7 for the best part of 5 years and I still live in hope that my wallet will be found and returned to me by a kind soul. Only time will tell…
Walk and talk
Our “Amarminoen” tour began at 10.10am this morning outside DR Byen metro station on a 24 km hiking trail through beautiful forests, marshlands, beaches. We had sunshine and wind, it’s an amazing adventure ending with beers in Dragør (a picturesque seaside town). I’m so grateful to the Flanuer guys for welcoming me into their group and that I live in Copenhagen.
Where do I position myself in my own story?
I think that it’s a universal human desire to be heard, to have one’s unique identity recognised and seen as worthy. Therefore, I have always made a point of showing an interest in the history, culture, and people of the the places I have visited. Believe it or not, I really do not like speaking about myself.
Last night I was asked the question, “What do you really do?
I replied, my mission is to inspire organisations by showing them how to simultaneously deliver happiness to their customers, employees and community in a long-term sustainable way. As I think the smartest selling tools add value to existing systems and processes, I do this by using the 4 D’s (discover, define, develop and deliver).
International Women's Day
Every action from anti-slavery movements to women’s rights, from civil rights to LGBT has been met be opposition. You don’t have to look like me to share my outrage at injustice, you simply have to believe in freedom for all and join me on my daily struggle.
Little decisions become big decisions
We are constantly looking into the past, projecting into the future and creating alternative realities. Reality is as it is, you either argue with it or you can embrace it! When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is still to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here, as I have a wonderful life and I love it.
“Your input determines your outlook,
Your outlook determines your output, and
Your output determines your future. ”
Happy Valentine’s Day
The voice of resistance is millions of years old.
The voice of resistance understands that love is dangerous because love makes you vulnerable.
The voice of resistance understands that love is dangerous because love generates criticism and because love is not for everyone.
Doing things in a calm and confident way
““The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” - James Allen”
SARS-CoV-2 (RNA)
Copenhagen (2200 N)
According to the World Health Organisation
Most common symptoms are:
- fever
- dry cough
- tiredness
Less common symptoms are:
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- diarrhoea
- conjunctivitis
- headache
- loss of taste or smell
- a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
Serious symptoms are:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest pain or pressure
- loss of speech or movement
And even though I have none of the above symptoms, this morning I received notification from the Danish Health Authorities that my PCR test from yesterday morning is “positive”.
Therefore, I am in self-isolation until 5th February 2021. Stay safe 😷.
It's all about discovery
Nowadays, we are living in a moment in history where compromise is a dirty word, and everything seems to be about conflict and blame. The old phase, “my way or the highway” appears more prevalent than ever and I for one would like to get more people to face up to their own hypocrisy. Day after day I am trying to live up to the basic human responses - honesty, empathy, courtesy, patience and goodwill.
I know that the best strategies mean nothing if you don’t have the resources to execute them, fortunately, when it comes to myself - I am more than capable. I am analytical and “even” Stephen because of my balance. Some would say that I am skeptical of convention and pretence, others would say that I am wise, funny and gracious.
What are my priorities today? And, how will I be of service today? These are far more valid daily questions than worrying about what people think of you.
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as the Vice President of America later today, not only the first woman in history to hold this position but also the first person of colour. I salute you on this momentous achievement and wish you good luck in your endeavours over the next 4 years. Both Kamala Harris and I have our paternal roots in Jamaica ❤️.
Jamaica is known for reggae music (Bob Marley) and sprinting (Ursain Bolt). There is so much status attached to showing talent in sport and music that sometimes the rest of the world forgets about the opportunities we are denied due to the colour of our skin. My parents always told me that Jamaicans are entrepreneurs by nature because from a very early age you learn how to lead, delegate, problem solve and oral communication skills. I could spend the rest of my life explaining why - due to our ancestral heritage - I’ll save that for another day. Congratulations Kamala Harris.
Whistle to the mouth
Nowadays everyone is harking on about authenticity! What exactly does authenticity mean? I think the only time when we are being our authentic self is when we are wearing nappies (diapers). And ever since then we have been faking it and the big question is why we fake it. This may be because when people see us they will judge us differently based on our appearance.
It’s not because this is our authentic self but it’s because it's the self we choose to put forward. So perhaps we could redefine authentic to mean consistent. And our consistent self is one that if you look at it from the back or look at it from the side - it’s the same. Our consistent self is the way we behave in front of our parents and in front of our customers. I think when we are consistent then we can define that as a version of consistency.
Future proofing our youngsters
Someone asked me the other day about what I thought our youngsters should be learning in order to counter the threat of AI (artificial intelligence). Here’s what I think and not in any particular order:
Public speaking
Project management
Negotiation
Conflict resolution
Critical thinking
The art of selling
Storytelling
People management
Customer service
Marketing
Goodbye 2020
“There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. - Nelson Mandela”