Creating Change: Lessons, Skills and Advice

Lessons

• If you speak from the heart, somebody in the group will rise and say, "I'm so glad you said what you did because I felt the same way and didn't have the courage to say it."
• You don't win every political battle. There has to be compromise and things have to change, but sometimes it isn't time yet for that change to come. You have to be patient and know that it's not time yet.
• You can't force social change.
• By working diligently, being conscientious, staying the course, and not getting angry every time things don't go your way, you can make a positive difference in terms of social change.
• The only thing that holds you back in life is fear. Sometimes you need to be cautious, but if you feel safe, secure, and confident in your own ability, you will do things and go places intuitively.
• All of life is about social change—some issues are just a bit more dramatic than others.
• The same golden rules apply to every event, for example to treat everyone with respect.
• Stand up for personal convictions. We cannot expect government, the mayor, a social worker, or anyone else to change—it must come from the individual. Government merely reflects the society they represent. Only we as citizens of a nation can make the necessary changes to improve our communities.
• To quote Mohandas Gandhi, "Be the change you want to see."
• It has been my experience that within the Canadian political system the only way to change the laws that govern our nation is to get involved in a political party.
• At some point, active individuals need to take responsibility and contribute to society to the best of their ability. It may be as simple as voting or as dramatic as running for public office, but whether at a local level, provincial, or within the federal system, democracy will only be effective when its citizens get involved.
• For those who are committed to getting involved, it will be one of the best life experiences you can imagine—win or lose!
• Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Skills

The same skills are needed to bring about effective change in the community as those that life requires: love, patience, cooperation, and perseverance.

Advice

• Get involved in your community. Do not sit on the sidelines.
• Use your personal network.
• If you do not feel able to enter politics, support those who do run for office and especially other women. Seek out a strong woman and get a group together to help her get elected. We need women's input in politics and it is sadly lacking in our Canadian system.
• Focus on the issues that are important to you and do your homework.
• It is one thing to debate the issue; to gain respect and a more positive result, offer some dramatic solutions to the issues at hand.
• Don't allow anyone to impose their beliefs on you. Don't allow anyone to take your power.