by A. E. Rivera

Created on: May 21, 2008   Last Updated: May 22, 2008

It's a brand new day! It's time to move forward and leave the things that don't serve me well behind.

I naturally love people and derive most of my energy from them. One of things that I love most about my job is getting in front of large groups of people and speaking on various topics. The energy that comes from the groups I address fuels my passion for delivering even more dynamic and interactive presentations. I'm an extrovert and that's what extroverts do, derive most of their energy from people. People's energy has the potential to affect me either in a positive or a negative way. I understand that and have learned to work around it. I've learned to curtail the effects of negative energy that comes from people that I don't have an emotional attachment to. I've learned to evaluate things and leave the negativity where it belongs, with them and outside of myself. If one person out of three hundred gives me a less than favorable review of a presentation I've given, it's okay with me. I don't internalize that. I look at it in terms of, "Oh, well, different strokes for different folks," and I move on. If a colleague is intimidated by me and I've done all that I can to resolve whatever issues they may have regarding me, I've learned to transfer ownership of the problem to where it belongs, within them, not within me. I can't help anyone overcome insecurities if they're not willing to help themselves, and I can't forsake me in the process by pretending to be less than who I am so that they can feel comfortable in their own skin. I've never really understood the concept of women being jealous and intimidated by other women's successes so I don't play into that. I've worked hard to be where I am today and encourage others to do the same. I'm well known for encouraging the growth of others, even when that growth far surpasses my own. We are, after all, on this planet to help each other on to the next level, or at least that is my interpretation of the teachings of our greatest spiritual leaders. So "live and let live" is my motto as it relates to acquaintances and people in the work place.

It's the people closest to me that have been a challenge for me. I mean, how does one turn one's back on someone one loves and cares about? How does one stop holding on to hope and the faith that somehow things will work out, even when that person slams the door in one's face? How does one say, "Oh, well, that's her problem, not mine. She'll get over it." I'm not only people-oriented,

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