Rock Your Joyful Strength

Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. --- Abdu'l-Bahá

I find great Wisdom in these words of Abdu'l-Bahá. Our Strength more vital, our intellect keener, and our Understanding less clouded... are powerful returns on Joyfulness indeed.

In the past, I have written on cool Composure and richer Confidence. I have written on Optimism Primed and Ready. I have written on rockin' Purpose. I humbly offer now that they are all part of walking (and rocking) this thing called Character Leadership... healthily detached and decisive... and nobly determined. In all of that... Joyfulness and Strength matter and they are not mutually exclusive. And, we best needs rock them now and forward. So... at home, school, work, business, play and community... locally, globally and glocally... personally and professionally... what would rocking your and joyful Strength look like in practice.

In my experience, education and observation through my 64 years to date, Joyfulness is not the same as being happy about something. Happiness is an emotion, a response to our circumstances. Our emotions matter, indeed. Grief matters. Still, Joyfulness is a Virtue, a Strength of Character, a spirit if you will... a countenance and gate... and we get the opportunity to practice it, like any Strength of Character. I encourage you to read and reflect on the Virtue that is Joyfulness.

And then there is Strength ...

... and it is not simply grit and Resilience ...

... nor Fortitude ...

... nor Forbearance (though these are noteworthy and needed aspects of Character).

Strength is indeed a countenance and gait that is confident, patient...

... optimistic, enduring and more.

Strength is not somber nor melancholy. It is not grounded in disappointment, despair nor despondency. It is discernibly decided and devoted. It acknowledges our emotions, but is not simply a servant to them. It feels, but it responds with noble Courage. So what might that joyful Strength look like in consistent practice?

In this special issue of Aim High, let us decide and dare on imagining joyful Strength. My body of work and Service over the years, and my sense of Life... tells me this.

• Let us imagine its practice, real time and real world. Imagine what it would look like in times of trial and triumph alike. Imagine it at home, school, work, business, play and community. Imagine it in assured step with other noble hearted and minded Souls. I suggest that it might draw from these words.

Joyful Strength, indeed and indeed. These words above ring resonant to me. With that noted, years go I drew this rendition below of a young Igoo from the Herculoids of childhood. I then imagined the rock ape joyful and strong. I still do. Joyful Strength; in these times of change and challenge, we need it ever more so.

With all of that in mind and heart, and as part of imagining what joyful Strength might look like in daily action, I encourage you to consider these 5 steps to walking and rocking that Character Leadership thing...

Character Leadership matters. That said, amongst other things, I am a Master Facilitator with the Virtues Project? and Certified Facilitator with Personality Dimensions? ... both since 2004. Exploring and advancing on Character and Temperament are core to what I do. More recently, I have been taking these bodies of work and "marrying" them with my investigation of Stoicism and the Science of Character... to forge The Humanity Map... for walking this Character Leadership thing. In Determination and the Noblellion (pronounced no-bell-e-on) ... I noted that I will be weekly diving into Nobility and Character as fundamental forces for meaningful change forward. I wholeheartedly recommend that read and reflect. I truly and humbly do. That said, I offer this up from Ryan Holiday on 9 ideas from Marcus Aurelius... for walking through Life... plus...

... these links and resources:

• The Humanity Map
• Exploring Stoicism
• From Dale Carnegie: How to Wind Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
• Essentialism by Greg McKeown
• Thoughts on a Just Cause by Simon Sinek
• Thoughts on meaning by Emily Esfahani Smith
• Thoughts on attention and focus from Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Thoughts on self mastery from Master Shi Heng Yi
• The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner
• 9 Stoic Rules from Aurelius offered by Ryan Holiday
• Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
• an offering on Character Leadership
• Innocent in Heart by MJ Cyr
• and an example from Abigail Washburn on presence and Service.

And, I invite you to consider what joyful Strength might look like for you, now and forward. Also, I invite you to check out the Noblellion. Reach out, if you feel called so.

Oh, jheesh lol ... and in that post, I shared on Determination and some 29 other Virtues explored to date. That said, the 31st Virtue is...

Devotion advances our focus. We dive into what matters most and give it our best attention. We discern our Purpose, and rise up... walking wholehearted, keeping our Faith... in habits and actions. So, with everything noted above, I simply ask...

• To what and whom will you practice Devotion, and the joyful Strength to serve that?

Go rock your joyful Strength. It's a beautiful thing.

The deconstructing on Character will continue.

Peace, Justice and Unity...

Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy with Epic Engage

• I am an Educator, Speaker, Coach, Author and Creator helping Educators, Entrepreneurs and Emerging Leaders lead for a better world with Character, Purpose and Unity. I help advance Character, Purpose and Unity as forces for that better world. In so doing, I bring my work as Master Facilitator with the Virtues Project? ... my experience as a Certified Facilitator with Personality Dimensions? ... and my Service as a Facilitator with the Ruhi Institute and as Practitioner of the work of What Color is Your Parachute? since 1982.
• I invite you to check out Character, Leadership and Education...
• ... and The Humanity Map...
• ... and TUGtv...
• ... and The #hUmaNITY Podcast ... officially launching in October 2024...
• ... and The Epic Entrepreneurial Assessment...
• ... and The Epic Engage Onesheet...
• ... and my services forward. I and we serve...

• "I had the distinct pleasure of being in an audience in Montreal with Barry Lewis Green on the stage. Quite simply, Barry absolutely captivated us with his talent, his message, and his heart. The feeling of Unity that Barry created in the room that day was extraordinary. I absolutely recommend him for your meeting or event." --- Joe Calloway

• "The Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce were fortunate enough to have Barry Lewis Green as a presenter for a Webinar Series we recently offered. He was so engaged with his audience and made everyone feel valued. He brought excitement and energy to our session and certainly shared his passion and knowledge with us. We will certainly be having Barry back for another series. Thanks Barry for being so professional." - Wanda Palmer

• "Barry has a presence...I have known of Barry’s work for many years but have gotten to know him as a friend and colleague within the past five. Whether it be in person or during a presentation, he has the uncanny ability to pull on all of your emotions while driving home key messages that provide personal clarity. Barry’s presentation skills can be explained as ‘heavy metal hits’ meets ‘folk tunes’ meets ‘sounds of nature’. He has an arsenal of skills that is quite eclectic. As a Master Facilitator for The Virtues Project and several other impactful programs, he combines a wealth of knowledge with his own extensive library of content creations. He is highly respected and well-connected within the speaking and social action communities. Barry is a true champion of character leadership. He ‘talks the talk’ and ‘walks the walk’. He approaches each and every interaction with passion and ZEAL! I highly recommend reaching out to Barry for collaboration opportunities." - Trent Langdon

• "The most learned or experienced person is not always the one who helps us grow and thrive. We all grow and thrive with those who ask the important questions in a loving and Noble manner - with the patience to allow our thinking to unfold, our feelings to emerge and our spirits to soar. This is what being in the same space with Barry is like. Working with Barry on #hUmaNITY is such a joy. I feel the excitement of standing before a blank canvas at the beginning of every gathering, exploring the depths of our creative energies throughout the conversations shared, and emerging at the end with a piece that I could not have painted singularly even on my best days. That is what conversations with Barry feels like. He is organized and efficient. Fearless and Bold. Lives with arms wide open.... and has the best questions (which begin with "I wonder....") asked in a most inclusive manner within a safe space that I often forget we are recording and that others will be witnessing our responses." - Russell Zehtab

• "Barry is compassionately honest. He has the talent to say what needs to be said in a way that people "get" it. His honesty and intelligence come through whether he is presenting on stage or just hanging out with friends. And...have you heard him sing? Man... he has a set of lungs that can wail a tune. Talented, smart and funny, when he takes the stage, he commands the stage." - Lea Brovedani

• "It takes immense strength of character to insistently amplify the goodness of every individual whose destiny crosses path with one’s own, no matter how briefly. This is who Barry is. The precious gift of Barry’s faith in you compels an irrepressible desire to show up as the best version of yourself. And in a world aching for radical hope and pragmatic wisdom, Barry is the gentle torch bearer whose light is constant amidst the maelstrom of fads. Should you then find your path intersecting with Barry’s, pause for a while in his companionship, and make space for the gift of his life-changing attention. I know because I paused. Barry, my heart continues to expand with immense gratitude for your indescribable presence. And this gift of an expanding heart, is priceless ??" - Dr. Roslina Chai