Kevin Clash, Co-Executive producer of “Elmo’s World,” the Director, Puppet Captain and Performer of Elmo wrote the following lessons he learned from Elmo.

“The joy I have witnessed when a child meets Elmo for the first time is incredibly overwhelming to me. I often feel like a fly on the wall witnessing pure happiness when Elmo’s fans, young and old, greet their furry red Sesame Street friend in person.

Nothing is sweeter to me than watching a child, with just a diaper on, coming up to Elmo for a hug. I remember one little girl who actually pulled Elmo off my hand and walked away with him, holding Elmo like a baby. I can still see this child, sitting on her mother’s lap, rocking Elmo to sleep. It was such a funny moment.

One day, a young man contacted me about his upcoming tenth wedding anniversary. He wanted Elmo to sign his Best of Elmo video as a gift to his wife. He explained that every time he or his wife had a bad day they would come home, put on the Best of Elmo video, and it would change their mood instantly.

What I have learned from performing Elmo is that loving and laughter are a gift, and they should be shared every day.”

And of course, Elmo LOVES you!

“To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest” – unknown

Photo of Michaela Cruz- Ungos

By Stuart Young

Take the opportunity tonight to gaze up at the stars and be awe struck by the sheer size of this universe.

This should be a humbling experience. Whenever I do it, apart from getting a stiff neck, I always feel inspired. Something to do with the magnitude of the universe and the impossibility of understanding how it all got here or even works, makes me feel that I don’t need all the answers. If my tiny little life is going to mean something I better get on and do something. I realise I must create the opportunities in my life rather than wait around for them to spontaneously appear.

This is pretty empowering and I hope you have a similar experience.

Fingers crossed for a clear sky.

Take care!

About the Author: Stuart Young writes his thoughts on How To Change Your Life One Day At A Time. He aims to provide a “set of 365 practical little guides which WILL change your life if you commit to implementing as many as possible.” He is also completing his book about changing your life one day at a time. You can check his thoughts here.

By Alpha Miguel-Sanford

Shiela Lirio Marcelo, born and raised in the Philippines, is the founder and the CEO of the nation’s largest and fastest growing online marketplace providing  services such as child care, sitters, caregivers, tutors and senior  home care providers. As the Chief Executive of Care.com, Shiela Lirio Marcelo is noted for her high-energy and her ability to raise more than $35 million in venture capital funding, most recently in October 2010. In an article published by the Harvard Business School Bulletin, Shiela was described as an “active dynamo” who gets up most mornings at 4:00 o’clock and stays more motivated when she is busier. Shiela is one of the very few female technology entrepreneurs in the entire world who continues to advocate for female entrepreneurship and a Filipina at that.

Shiela Lirio Marcelo who graduated from Brent International School (High School) in Baguio City knew from an early age what business ethics is all about. Growing up from entrepreneurial parents with six children, she saw in them the values of being an executive and a business person which would later  on guide her throughout her corporate life.  She entered Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts in 1989 majoring in economics and international relations. In 1996, she enrolled both at the Harvard Business School and Law School becoming one of the most sought after students in both school. While a student at the HBS, she was a representative and chair of the Education Committee, revitalized the HBS Ventures, among others. She also did a summer internship in the Philippines with Monitor Company, the management consulting firm.

Prior to establishing Care.Com, she was a corporate executive helping for-profit start-ups such as Upromise.com, TheLadders and MatrixPartners.  In 2006, after seeing the challenge of looking for a caregiver to her youngest son, she realized she was not the only one who was running into the same issue. As a business woman at that time, balancing life and family was a tough job.  With her educational and corporate background, she founded Care.Com with the vision of helping families find trustworthy and dependable care providers. Since then, Care.com has become one of the fastest growing online marketplace of home care providers with over 1.4 million unique online visitors each month and over 800, 000 members.

As her business grows so does Shiela’s achievements. In 2009, she was acknowledged as one of the Top 10 entrepreneur at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit and one of the “40 under 40″ executives in Boston Business Journal. She also received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 for New England. In 2011, she was awarded a Marshall Memorial Fellowship and named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for which she is co-leading a global task force on Women & Technology. Recently in March 2012, Sheila was named one of the 10 Most Powerful Women in Boston Tech by The Boston Globe’s Innovation Economy and was named a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute.

She lives in the Boston area with her husband Ron, their two sons and two dogs.

Below are some of my favorite portions from an interview she had with the New York Times published in August 2010:

Q. What were some important leadership lessons?

A. I was promoted as a V.P. in my 20s at Upromise. I had to go hire an executive coach because two of my mentors said: “You’re kind of getting in your own way. You’re ruining your relationships with people because you’re so focused on this black and white.” There are so many shades of gray on how to get something done, and how people do things.

And that was a great learning opportunity for me, because I had mentors who held a mirror up and said, this is the important thing for you to focus on.

Q. How do you balance focusing on results and the people?

A. I think it’s a push-pull, and it’s a little bit of an experiment in really understanding who you’re managing and the relationship you have with that person, and what they’re capable of. I can’t say that there’s one way of managing, because there are so many idiosyncrasies when you’re managing a specific individual. So I think it’s learning the different styles that people have, and harnessing their strengths, and how they get motivated and what inspires them to get stuff done.

Q. So what did you learn from the executive coach?

A. The first thing she gave me advice on, and I give it to everybody, is to journal. Write things down. When you come out of a meeting, or you come out of an interview, or you just finished running a session, what’s on your mind? How did it make you feel? How did you make people feel? What’s going on? Again, it was raising my self-awareness around my management style. I think that was critical.

And then she taught me a lot about meditation. At first, I will tell you, it was the hokiest thing I’d ever heard. Why would I even consider this meditation thing? And now I meditate. It’s this belief around “turning the mind into an ally,” and there’s actually a great Buddhist monk who wrote a book with that title. It’s about how you talk to yourself. And it’s getting to know yourself.

The key thing is self-stability. People ask me all the time: How do you juggle so much? You’ve got kids. You’re running a company. You do it all. And I always tell them: It’s not really doing it all. It’s learning to kind of manage my mind and create the stability. And it’s not always balanced. It’s not always great. And I have to do a constant check-in with myself to just say, O.K., I’m doing O.K. I’m going to get through this day.

You wouldn’t think that an executive coach would provide that, but at a young age when I was a V.P., it was the most invaluable piece of advice I got — to focus on really talking to myself in a positive way that moves things forward as opposed to on the negative side.

Q. Anything unusual about the way you run meetings?

A. We make three types of decisions at Care.com. We do Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 decisions. Type 1 decisions are the decision-maker’s sole decision — dictatorial. Type 2: people can provide input, and then the person can still make the decision. Type 3, it’s consensus. It’s a great way to efficiently solve a problem.

Q. What else about the culture?

A. Everybody moves around every year and has a different seat in the company. And people don’t have a choice where they sit; we rotate them. Part of the reason was to embrace change, to remove turfiness so that you’re not just chatting with your friends and sitting with your friends.

You sit with somebody else from a different team so you get to know their job. What are they doing? What are they saying on the phone? How do they tick? And it’s getting to know different people, so that we build a really big team. And we do that every year. And it’s now actually become an exciting thing that people embrace.

About the Author: Alpha Miguel-Sanford, is the founder and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed, a personal development website, with the vision of educating and inspiring individuals in their pursuit of happiness and success. You can contact her at amsdaily@yahoo.com, follow and like her on Facebook Page AMSDaily and be friends with her on Twitter @identitysolved.

Prepare in such a way that no matter when, or how the opportunity comes in front of you, it finds you PREPARED. – by Avdhessh Arya

 

Photo of Michaela Cruz- Ungos

By Avdhessh Arya

The other day something grabbed my attention when I was on my way to work. It was a small signboard on the rear of a truck (and it was kind of unusual) It read- ‘Stop Preparing, Be Prepared’

Isn’t that true about all of us? Often times we find ourselves preparing day in and day out, and never feel confident enough to call ourselves prepared.

They say opportunity love preparedness. The man who is living his life prepared is likely to grab more opportunities than others. On the other hand if you are still preparing, you are sure to miss many golden chances.

I have seen myself preparing for years, and taking no or little action. By the time I felt confident enough to dive into the sea of opportunities, I found there were none left. Most of the things had changed. And it left me wondering if I will ever be able to reach my goals.

Today, I understand it clearly. You do need to plan. You do need to get ready. But you also need to put your learning into action. 

Life, technology, jobs, market and relationships-everything changes with time. It’s ok to do your homework, but then you have to start from somewhere.

Life is on the job training. You learn something. You put that into action. You get results. Even if you fail, you gain something valuable-Wisdom. And its wisdom that gives you an edge.

It’s really important that you put your learning into action before it is too late; else, the things you have learnt may become obsolete. Then, you’ll have to start it from the scratch, and that would be nothing but a waste of time.

Keep learning.

Keep preparing.

But don’t forget to put your learning into action.

Prepare in such a way that no matter when, or how the opportunity comes in front of you, it finds you PREPARED.

Editor’s Note: Avdhessh Arya, is a personal development coach for youth and voice actor, who helps young people break walls of self-imposed limitations and become confident individuals. He is also the founder and owner of avdhessharya.com, a website portal with focus on dealing with lack of self-confidence, negativity, self-doubt, lack of focus and more. Visit http://avdhessharya.com to read more such insightful articles.

By Liz Scala

The Rejuvenation Collaboration (First Ever!) is being held to provide health care professionals and caregivers with tools so they can FULLY care for themselves at a mind, body, emotion, and spirit level. We have set up the series so that these helpers and healers receive balanced information on self-care. Topics will be diverse in nature to speak to the truth that wellness comes from living a life of healthy balance. Presentations will include a variety of themes; from nutrition to movement, from breath work to mindfulness, from purpose to communication, from energy modalities to listening techniques – all with the goal to rejuvenate and recharge the busy, stressed out nurse.

There is so much information out there on health, wellness, and well-being.  It can get overwhelming, even stressful, trying to uncover and figure out what works best for you.  Not only that, but “Holistic” has become a highly used catch-phrase.  Many of us know that we should be doing things for our health or that we could be trying new modalities, but we just lack the resources, time, and money to tackle all of the remedies we would love to try. 

The Rejuvenation Collaboration is a “one-stop” shop for well-being.  At times, even I have been overwhelmed with all of the holistic modalities out there that I could train in, practice, or try.  It has been helpful along my wellness journey to attend conferences, workshops, and tele-series (like this) that offer a variety of materials.  This way I can get a sampling of what is available to me and then walk away with a greater understanding of what works for me, what I enjoy, and what I would like to pursue further!  How are you going to know what you like or don’t like- unless you try it?

We have been working long and hard with each of the presenters to create workshops that are experiential and interactive.  (We are doing all that we can to avoid the “school” type feeling of being lectured at!).  We would love for you to be able to walk away from this event with tools that you can put into practice immediately in your everyday life.  We want you to be able to leave with a variety of modalities so you can then choose to follow up with the specific techniques that most spoke to you.  We really just want you to feel, experience, and embrace new and holistic methods that you can put into practice each and every day.

We want to help you care for yourself at a mind, body, emotional, and spiritual level. After all, we do so much for others, isn’t it time you did something for yourself?

During my career, I have experienced burnout and compassion fatigue.  I have been stressed, overwhelmed, and tired.  I have been disgruntled, frustrated, and irritated with work.  At my lowest points, my times of great misery and illness, I didn’t have the tools or the resources to cope with what was going on around and inside of me.  I wasn’t sure what to do to make myself feel better.  Looking back on it now, I would have loved to be able to attend some sort of supportive event that took care of the busy nurse- me!

Health care –while rewarding, is also an extremely stressful career.  I don’t have to tell you this; you know it.  We witness illness, tragedy, and death.  We suffer from sleep disorders, post traumatic stress, and “second victim” syndrome.  It is tough, tough work.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that there was a place that you could go to for relaxation and rejuvenation?  There is.  We have created this series so that you can create a caring network of your own.  The speakers, myself, and all involved are fantastic resources of support that you can turn to with questions, concerns, and conversations- even after the event is over!  And who knows… maybe you will meet another participant during the event that turns out to be a really good friend?  My hope is that all of us will meet a new colleague that we feel comfortable and close to- that we can turn to in a time of need.

We just really want you to take care of you, to get the mechanisms you need to make self-care easy, accessible, and your first priority.  We have a great group of speakers so come on by www.livingsublimewellness.com/rejuvenation-collaboration and sign-up today!

For more information, contact Coach Scala at coachscala@livingsublimewellness.com

Editor’s Note: Liz Scala writes about Health and Wellness monthly for AMSDaily. You can visit her  blog at Living Sublime Wellness to read more on these topics. 

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand. – unknown

By Buena Laoang

If you were to describe YOUR role in the workplace setting today- how is it?

 
ROCK as my own metaphor just came to mind.

 
Hard as a rock in overcoming difficulties, including negativities.

Solid as a rock in knowing my purpose and standing on my principles.

 
Like a rock that seems so plain, just about anywhere, but can be utilized for countless purposes, anywhere too.

 
How about these? A rocking chair, a rocky road (or the ice cream!), a boat being rocked, or rock and roll…

 
If you were a rock in the workplace, what special feature of a rock are YOU?

 
CHALLENGE: The way you see yourself is your very armour to the workplace. Rock it on! Show what you’ve got. And most especially, may you be that kind of rock that always rolls out goodness, or spreads some blessings- everywhere you go!

Editor’s Note: Buenaflor Laoang-Rosete contributes weekly on AMSDaily. You can visit her blog at Barefoot Life Reflections to read more about inspiring stories.

As a woman, we are innately good at multi-tasking. Likewise, it would be easy to balance, if one enjoys what she is doing. The key therefore is enjoying and being passionate with what you are doing and putting God in the center of whatever you do. – by Dr. Ofelia Samar-Sy

By  Alpha Miguel-Sanford

“The apple does not fall far the tree” is what Dr. Ofelia Samar-Sy and one of her daughters, Julliane Moira Sy have proven. By far, they are a  mother and daughter tandem who excel in their field of expertise. Dr. Ofelia Sy, the mom is an internist-cardiologist while Julliane, the daughter is studying to become a lawyer in theUnited Kingdom. Both have shown their dedication to serving the underprivileged members of the society, especially in thePhilippines. Both are respected in and around thePhilippines for the contributions they have made and continue to make for their fellow citizens. Both exemplify humility and deep relationship with God. Both continue to put their best foot forward in everything they do.

As a mother and daughter, they have a special bonding. They also have a common understanding of love, care and excellence! They are a special family “team” whose efforts continue to leave a huge impact in the global community.

Today, I am very pleased to share with you their story and hope that this will serve as an inspiration to the mothers and daughters.

This is their story:

AMS: Tell us both your background: education, training and community involvement.

Julliane Sy: I’m 21 year-old, in my final year as law student inUniversity of Bristol,United Kingdom. During my time in law school, I was involved in the law clinic, a student body giving legal advice to the local community. I spent a year serving in the University’s Catholic society’s committee. I volunteer at the local homeless shelter. After graduating High School from the Philippine Science High School, I was sent by the United World College (UWC) Philippine Committee as the lone scholar-representative to the Li Po Chun UWC inHong Kong where I took International Baccalaureate degree. InHong Kong, I helped provide para-legal assistance to OFW’s via our advocacy group Helpers for Domestic Helpers.

Dr. Ofel Sy: I come from a very poor family and finished medicine through my parents’ hard work and determination, government scholarships and help from many benevolent people. I finished Summa Cum Laude in College and had been a consistent scholar since high school. I realized I was good in class when I graduated valedictorian in Elementary in the most remote barangay of our town in Nabua, Camarines Sur. Presently; I am an internist-cardiologist who trained inUP-PGHMedicalCenter.

 I have various community involvements. To mention a few, I am the President of the Pinoy Power Bicol Coalition, Inc which started out as a volunteer group which supported PNOY’s campaign to help our country in our advocacy for good governance and poverty alleviation. I am the Bicol Representative to the National Council of the People Power volunteers for Reform which does multi-sectoral advocacies in partnership with other NGO’s and the different government agencies. I am the Bicol Coordinator of the AGAPP(Aklat,Gabay, Aruga, Tungo sa Pag-unlad at Pag-asa) Foundation led by Presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada which builds preschool classrooms, provide livelihood program and feeding program for the poor. I am one of the leaders of the Philippine Funds for Little Kids , particularly the Masbate Funds for little Kids which later formed a foundation called the Yellow Boat for Hope Foundation which helps impoverished children with challenging concerns particularly in achieving education, alleviating poverty and other social concerns. I am also the President of The Albay Medical Society, Regional Regent of the Philippine College of Physicians, and President of the Philippine Science High School Bicol Region Campus. I am also very active in the Smoke Free Albay Network group pushing for the anti-smoking ordinance in our province.

AMS: What are you currently involved in?

Julliane Sy: I serve in church and volunteer at the local homeless shelter.

Dr. Ofel Sy: Above-mentioned projects are all on-going.

AMS: What made you support these causes?

Julliane Sy: Studying law requires a lot of time and hard work so I am very careful about how I spend my time. Volunteering makes my time more meaningful. The natural response of knowing God’s love for me is to find out how I can love Him back. Jesus said that I can find him in the least fortunate. I want to follow Jesus and he told me to love my neighbors.

 
Dr. Ofel Sy: I have experienced how to be poor and how others helped me and eventually my family got out of poverty. I derive joy in my personal experience of how education of one poor child can make a big difference and progress in the lives of may people.

 
AMS: Tell us more about these causes. What are your visions for them?

Julliane Sy: I hope these causes will teach me how to love so I can be better at loving others when I pursue my career after I finish school.

 
Dr. Ofel Sy: I envision for each child helped to have the same progressive, comfortable and fulfilling life I am experiencing.

 
AMS: How do you see yourselves within these organizations and your participation in them in the future?

Julliane Sy: I think I will always seek to contribute to my local church out of gratitude. There are numerous ways of helping others and I am open to the opportunities to help that the future will bring.

 
Dr. Ofel Sy: I see myself not just as a leader but also as an active participant in every opportunity that comes to sustain the organizations.

AMS: As a successful mother and daughter tandem, what do you think is the most important lesson that a mom must teach her daughter or child about life and being successful? And vice versa.

Julliane Sy: Before pursuing any goal, be aware of what success means to you. Be honest about your source of definition. Seek the definition of success which will truly complete your joy. Genuinely and courageously live by it.

Dr. Ofel Sy: Teaching by example is the best lesson.

AMS: For a follow up question, as a daughter what is the best advice your Mom has ever given you?

Julliane Sy: My parents, especially my mother, taught me the value of education and this has driven me to work hard in my studies throughout the years.

The best things do not come from words said. They have taught me to love and be responsible by example.

AMS: Dr. Sy, how did you raise your daughter to become who she is today?

Dr. Ofel Sy: Julliane, has been a very goal-oriented person even as a young child. She is a visionary and writer. She used to write novels since Grade 2 and she would use the writing medium to express herself and her dreams. She is very specific.

 
AMS: How was it like sending her to a different country to study?

Dr. Ofel Sy: It was difficult for me to be separated from my eldest daughter. But as parents, we had no choice but support her dreams, happiness and passions.

 
AMS: How do you nurture your relationship together as a mother and daughter, despite the pressure to excel and be successful?

Dr. Ofel Sy: Julliane is a very competitive and perfectionist person. She wouldn’t go for anything substandard. She would always opt for what is globally competitive and of international standards. Her quest for studying abroad must have been inspired by her readings of books with international setting. As parents, we have made her feel that we will always support whatever her aspirations and endeavor that will make her happy, that we are always there to support her in any way we can.

AMS: Apart from your family and of course, each other who are your inspiration? Can you please cite an example when they were the most influential to you.

Julliane Sy: Jesus inspires me! Often we think of him as apart from us, but he walked the same earth we walk on now. The people who inspire me most are those who live ordinary lives with extraordinary integrity.

 
Dr. Ofel Sy: Aside from my own family (husband and four kids) my inspirations are my parents, my foster parents, everyone (there are a lot) who showed examples of genuine charity and commitment to help others and all my partners and members of our organizations. And of course, God has always been there providing many miraculous deeds. There are just too many instances that may take long to narrate. But one which was a great turning point which showed me that there really is one God that planned everything for me was how I was able to miraculously study medicine despite poverty. While, it seemed so impossible at that time, the realization and putting into pieces of how I attained my profession was made so perfectly smooth. There was no doubt in my mind, it was God’s miraculous hand paving the way.

 
AMS: As a mom, how do you see your role in the future of your daughter and for the future of the advocacies you support?

Dr. Ofel Sy: I want to play a nurturing role which will serve as an inspiration for my daughter to achieve her own dreams and happiness and our organization to continue to flourish and serve others.

AMS: How do you balance the life of a successful doctor, community supporter and a Mom? What is the key in being successful in all of these areas?

Dr. Ofel Sy: As women, we are innately good at multi-tasking. Likewise, it would be easy to balance, if one enjoys what she is doing. The key therefore is enjoying and being passionate with what you are doing and putting God in the center of whatever you do.

AMS: Finally, what is your definition of success?

Julliane Sy: Success is God telling me at the end of my life, “well done good and faithful servant”. It is finding joy in whatever life throws at me and learning genuine love for others.

 
Dr. Ofel Sy: Success is when at the end of the line you can honestly say that you got involved, took a stand, and made a change to make oneself, others, and your country better that God will tell you, congratulations!

To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

Editor’s Note: Starting this week, the “Saturday Success Stories #___” title of this series will now be changed to “Success Story”. The title will change but the vision of this series will still continue to be on chronicling stories of extraordinary individuals from around the world.

Picture on File: On the picture above is Dr. Ofelia Samar-Sy and Julliane Moira Sy, with Jules (her son) and her husband Jullie. Two of her daughters are not in the picture shown.