~~~~ Chapter One: You found me. ~~~~
On the corner of Right Here and Almost There.
And after a lifetime of existing in the safety of shadows, I grew up with adventures found in books and with words silenced in my mind.
It took me too long to find the courage to enjoy the journey, but now that I have, what better time to pour the escapades onto the page and into the universe?
I’m a social entrepreneur with wanderlust to the point of distraction, just figuring out the world one word at a time.
So yeah, thanks for being here.
Thanks for finding me.
But this isn’t my story. Not really. It’s about him and how he changed me. So, okay, maybe a little bit is about me, but the best parts are about him.
~~~~ Chapter Two: Life Sprints ~~~~
“Sprint toward your dreams like you’re flammable and time is the match.”
He didn’t know any other way to express his actions, to explain why he burned the proverbial candle at both ends and any other place the wick was exposed.
But even as I heard his words, I had an image of myself that I needed to maintain, a facade that prevented me from truly comprehending how limited a human life could be, and I was on autopilot from one day to the next, operating on what I believed would fulfill my obligations and provide the lease amount of resistance.
My life had become a well-orchestrated series of compromises.
But he wanted me to sprint with him.
~~~~ Chapter Three: Promised Me ~~~~
He promised me a life of adventure.
He takes me on these amazing escapades, and when I’m unsure, he cheers me on, and he waits for me when I can’t keep up, and he tells me my crazy ideas make sense to him.
I’ve always been so afraid to do so many things, but he holds me and tells me I can, and when I can’t, he helps me.
If you spend enough time with him, you will believe your dreams are achievable and you will plan the implementation of an entirely purposeful journey during your one precious lifetime on this planet.
Because of him, I will never doubt that the power of one person can ignite a positive perspective of change.
~~~~ Chapter Four: The Style of the Journey ~~~~
Here is where the Always Angling story really begins.
We are interested in examining:
– how models link theory with practice
– how privilege nurtures blindness
– how marginalization also leads to blindness through learned helplessness
– how role models push us to exceed our limits
– how great and lasting leaders live their values
– how leadership is viewed as a role, a process, and a complex emergent phenomenon
– how organizational culture and cultural agility are mandatory in navigating today’s global landscape
Purpose Statement: The purpose of this exploration is to understand the roles of leadership competencies and community leadership development programs on building engaged communities.
Research is “a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue” (Creswell, 2012, p. 3).
As a team dedicated to always angling for the best way to live life, we are curious about adding to our knowledge base, improving our practices, and making informed decisions.
Yvon Chouinard is quoted as saying, “It’s not the attainment of the summit. It’s the style of the climb.”
Reference:
Creswell, J. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (5th Edition). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Always Angling 