LiFELiNE FOUNDATiON iNC.

Here are some excerpts from June 17 in Lifeline’s latest Self-Empowerment Seminar:

SAY THIS OUT LOUD: NICE IS BAD FOR MY HEALTH.

Shocking to say in our “must-please-everyone” culture where one is expected to not rock the boat and just bottle in the pain, anger, disappointment, you name it. YOU MUST BECOME AUTHENTIC. Let those feelings show.

Anger that is never expressed becomes depression.

Positive (+) signs in our lives:

• Pain
• Anger
• Frustration

Take notice of these feelings – they are warning signs for you to do something! Those negative feelings make way to bring out the positive. Don’t try to reason away the feelings or bottle them up, just like poison stuck in your body, it’ll hurt you – emotionally and even physically.

Express those feelings – write them down or go into a room where you feel safe to shout and fully express yourself, turn up the TV or radio if you need to. Imagine those same situations/people, you were betrayed or hurt by and fully express your anger and pain – say what you want to say (How dare you do that to me?!), get it out of your system.

You can’t move on in life without forgiving the person who hurt you, but you need to forgive for YOUR OWN SAKE, not for the other person and their feelings. You forgive because you’ve got a life to live.

You can’t forgive until…

1. You feel the depth of the pain, disappointment, betrayal – go to those feelings, face them, get them out of your system.

2. Once you’re done, once you’re bigger than the other person/situation – forgive, walk away and move on.

My pain, my anger, my frustration is a gift to me. I will not be afraid of those feelings.

We all deserve to be respected and treated right – believe that right and make it yours or else you’ll end up abused.

SAY THESE POINTS OUT LOUD –

AFFIRMATIONS OF MY BASIC RIGHTS:

• Nobody has the right to know my mind or my business or to tell me what to think, what to feel or what to do.
• I have a right to my own thoughts, feelings, values and beliefs.
• What I share with others about matters that concern me is determined by what feels right to me - not what they want.
• If people are abusive or disrespectful to me, I have a right to tell them so, to ask them to stop and to avoid them.
• I don’t have to be nice to people who aren’t nice to me.
• I don’t need abuse or to be disrespected.
• I have a need and right to love myself, respect myself and to stand up for myself.
• I have a right to be who I am and to harmlessly live my own life regardless of whether others don’t like it.
• I don’t have to feel guilty for not behaving as others might want me to or for not giving other what they expect of me.
• I accept myself just as I am in the moment with whatever thoughts and feelings I have.
• I accept my right to my imperfection and shortcomings and don’t feel guilty for not being perfect.
• I believe that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us - to be treated with love and respect.
• I believe that if I am true to myself and live by the highest truth I know, that things will turn out for the best in the long run.
• I don’t have to feel guilty for not behaving as others might want me to or for not giving other what they expect of me.
• I accept myself just as I am in the moment with whatever thoughts and feelings I have.
• I accept my right to my imperfection and shortcomings and don’t feel guilty for not being perfect.
• I believe that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us - to be treated with love and respect.
• I believe that if I am true to myself and live by the highest truth I know, that things will turn out for the best in the long run.

You need to set boundaries for yourself – communicating clearly what you will do and are prepared to do because of the other’s bad behavior (If you…, I will…)

This is a process of you defining yourself and taking control of your life – not making it a threat or being manipulative. This is you owning your choices and why you choose what you choose.

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN HAPPINESS. No one can take better care of me than ME.

Set those boundaries, but only when you are ready to follow them through.

ASK WHAT YOU WANT. BEGIN TO TRUST YOURSELF.

What is your dream job? How do you get you dream job? You might already be in your dream, but you might be ruining it by bad communication skills. What to do!?

Here are some of the questions asked on May 27. Take the time to read and answer them.

Career Questions

1. What types of things did I enjoy doing as a child? (Building things, drawing, sports, writing, solving puzzles, being with animals, my chemistry set, organizing games, talking, anything physical, playing house, cowboys and Indians, etc) Do I do anything today that has similar qualities to it?
2. How do I currently earn my livelihood? How did I come to be so employed?
3. What was present during the times I loved my work? What were the elements present in those situations?
4. Am I currently doing the type of work I love to do? If not, what type of work would I like to do? If yes, what would have to change for me to enjoy it more? What attitudinal change could I make to enjoy it more?
5. What has stopped me so far from pursuing the type of work I love? Do I want to continue allowing that to stop me? What could I do to change that?
6. What is my definition of success? (Not Webster’s definition)
7. Does your job match your personality?
8. Does your job connect to your life purpose? After 40 years, will you be able to say that you have no regrets with the job you’ve had?
9. Does your job feel like a job or like a hobby?
10. Is your life connected to your work?
    

Our thrust: giving young citizens in different underprivileged communities all over the world a brighter future with a globally competitive education.

Extreme poverty in the Philippines is approaching 30% of our total population, and the situation is only getting worse. Unless we come up with foundational-level solutions, generation after generation of Filipinos will get trapped in a cycle of poverty. The best answer is to make sure that our youth get the education they need. As the issue of inequality in education is addressed, and the youth are provided with the skills and competencies they need, this actually prevents future problems such as drug addiction, teenage pregnancies, career criminalists and the like.

A better future starts with solid basic foundations in language and mathematics, as well as basic life skills such as good character, grooming, manners and etiquette. This is exactly what LIFELINE wants to offer the youth of BF Homes, the largest suburb in the world, which is located in the southern area of Manila, Philippines.

With its nine depressed areas and forty thousand families mired in poverty, BF Homes is the best place to launch our pilot satellite school.

On November 5, 2007, LIFELINE Foundation will begin to educate twenty deserving young boys and girls from BF Homes from the ages of 11-15, with sixth grade academic competencies to prepare them for first year high school next year, when we will formally begin our high school program (Academic Year 2008-2009). Volunteers from LIFELINE foundation are investing their time, resources and energy to into educating these young people.

The screening process for our student candidates will indeed be rigorous, as each student will have to prove to us their dedication, ambition, love of learning and diligence before they will be allowed to enter the course of study. We will also ask them and their parents to sign a learning contract with us, stipulating that they must abide by the rules of Lifeline Satellite School in order for them to be allowed to stay in the program.

We believe that, given educational advantages, students from low-income families and communities will excel and be able to compete on a global level.

Goal: Educate the youth of BF Paranaque in order to give them a better future

• Pilot Project: BF School 1 – Opening 5 November 2007
• Time duration: November 5, 2007 to March 28, 2008
• Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:30-6:30 pm
• Volunteers/Staff needed – TEACHERS & TEACHER AIDES
• Books for Reading, Language, Math, Science, Penmanship

We live in a fast-paced, instant generation where video/computer games, television and internet are so easily accessible to children that books have been forgotten and left on the shelf. Lifeline Community along with SCCS Manila and Scholastic, advocate every child’s right and need to read.

Last July 14, Lifeline and SCCS Manila in partnership with Scholastic had its first book fair. Themed the Reading Rain Forest, students from SCCS Manila paraded around the block wearing colorful animal masks (some even had full costumes) they made themselves after which they settled down to read the books Scholastic brought. Many came, buying books for themselves, shopping for some early Christmas gifts as well because the best gift you could give anyone is a book and kindle that love of reading. Christmas is just around the corner, so keep your eyes and ears open, we just might be having another book fair before then.

Last May 26, Lifeline Foundation and Healthway Medical conducted a medical outreach for the BF community. Promoting an awareness for one’s health and the need to become medically informed were the main thrusts of the day. There were free medical check-ups, ranging from blood pressure and cholesterol determination to ECG and bone density tests, and one-on-one consultations for the first 100 registrants. It was an efficient and quick operation - the start of bigger and more far-reaching medical missions.