Driving to work this morning, I saw some construction workers by the side of the road and started thinking about #Privilege. Thought I was open and aware about this, but I reckon I was wrong. I’ve always said that everyone has the ability to achieve great things, but now I’m thinking different. Let me share some thoughts with you and I’d love to have your feedback as well.

 

Let’s first create some awareness. I have way to many awesome men in my life that I want to be around when I grow old.

More about Movember:

STOP MEN DYING TOO YOUNG

Sign up to raise funds and awareness for all the dads, brothers, sons and friends in your life. Together we can make a difference for men’s health – in prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Click here to learn more or register (ZA link, should reroute to your region).

privilege
/ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ/
noun
 
empathy
/ˈɛmpəθi/
noun
the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
diversity
/dʌɪˈvəːsɪti,dɪˈvəːsɪti/
noun

Privilege

In South Africa I’m considered privileged. We all know the story. I’ve always told my students that everyone has the ability to achieve great things, like me, I never went to college / university and started working when I was 15.

I believe(d) that hard work begets passion, and passion is the thing that pushes you in front of the bus of luck.

Until this morning…
I still believe that everyone has potential, but our surrounds have an impact on us. Family, friends and our parents. So, because my parents had more opportunities (they were privileged), I grew up believing that anything is possible. I had no voices telling me it wasn’t possible, or that would never happen. And that is what changed me – possibility. I might have had same opportunities than others, but I did not have negative voices / beliefs counting against me.
So let’s have some empathy for those that grew up without believing it was possible (even if it was). And be proud of those that still pushed through and found themselves. Please invest in your friends, family and children by making them believe that anything is possible. Stop negative talk – use your words as good weapons. To uplift and build people.
And remember that diversity is not just about race, gender, religion etc. It’s about our life experiences, the pain and happiness we’ve experienced. That’s what makes you who you are!
#Ubuntu cupcakes, hope you find your #Ikigai on your life journey.

I’ll be speaking at The European SharePoint, Office 365 & Azure Conference in Copenhagen, 26 – 29th of November. #ESPC18 @EuropeanSP Also honored to be a community reporter at the event. Hoping to see you there!

“You can also find me contributing to REgarding 365. I’m a member of a group of enthusiasts, sharing their stories, thoughts and opinions about Microsoft 365. Catch us at https://regarding365.com | @regarding365 on Twitter and regarding365 on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/regarding365 ”

Disclaimer:  I create content about Office / Microsoft 365. Content is accurate at time of publication, however updates and new additions happen daily which could change the accuracy or relevance. Please keep this in mind when using my blogs as guidelines.

New Initiative:

Every couple of months I’m going to travel to a new country, rent a motorcycle, and travel to as many communities as possible, for 15.2 days. Purpose would be to create awareness around Digital Literacy and give users an overview of Office 365 Apps and Services and how it can transform their lives. I’ll do video and written blogs to capture and share my journey and experiences.

Feedback would be crucial, and I’ll be using Microsoft Forms & Flow to gather valuable feedback for myself and Microsoft. I will be inviting other community members to join me on my journey when I’m in their respective areas.

Of course it wouldn’t be possible without sponsorship to help support this cause. Reach out if you’re interested on getting involved in any way, here’s a link to a Microsoft Form that can be completed:  https://bit.ly/2LaQBRQ