Your job is to act, not judge.

The seeds we plant can sometimes grow much beyond us. Your job is to not judge the seed. Your job is solely to plant. In life, your job is to say yes. Say yes to the opportunities that come near you.

I took on many leadership roles growing up, never really knowing why I was in those positions, or why. But whatever the opportunity, I tried to make the most of it.

This gala I was honored to be hired to be the keynote speaker is one of those Yes moments I never forget. You see, this event came out of a necessity in my second year university. I was in the biosciences program full time and the wrestling team full time with no time for a part time job, and I had $0 left. I was coming from foster care and asked my social worker if there was any funding that could assist me, as I couldn’t work, while training and studying full time. She looked into it and reported back, not really. I asked why not. She said, there really had not been anyone in your unique position. See at that time, the thinking and expectations about kids in foster care was not very high. Kids in foster care also did not think highly about themselves. It was a vicious cycle, repeating itself generationally. I wanted these kids from the same situation I was in to have pride in themselves and shoot for the moon as I was. I wanted them to redefine themselves. Of course I was a little eccentric, but I was going for the whole pot.

I met some of the bigger players in the organization. I made my plea about what was needed. They saw the vision, and with their generous help, we started a bursary fund. That year there was I think only $2,000, and I received $1,500 as the first recipient. Not only that, but I became a strong advocate of youth issues. I would travel to Queens park, meet the minister of social services and other political dignitaries, lobby for funding, essentially I was in a position to be a catalyst for real change.

Fast forward to years later. I get hired to come to this event. I was honored as one of the people who helped bring about the bursary, but our little bursary no longer just had $2000. We now had thousands and thousands of dollars of which went towards university education, trade school, activities for youth, just in time emergency support. We were not only funding one youth, we were now funding hundreds. Giving kids with challenging backgrounds life transforming opportunities.

It’s amazing what happens when you trust. You will attract the people, the circumstances, the resources to bring whatever it is to reality. Trust whatever beats inside you is real. See with your vision, not your sight, because the circumstances can sometimes be completely different than the vision. TRUST. And take action. -UGO