What words define you? This week, I was lucky enough to staff some meetings with guest speaker Natan Sharansky. Having heard him before in a larger event, I was looking forward to the smaller meetings that were scheduled. In one of the meetings, he was asked, "You were a prisoner, dissident, Member of the Knesset, and now Chairman of the Jewish Agency - what did each role mean to you?" Sharansky responded with such clarity, "Those are just titles, in every role, I fought for identity and human rights." I was moved by the foundation of his principles and how he held onto those principles no matter what.
Last week, at another event, I was again lucky to hear Leon Panetta give a very compelling and passionate speech about his life and politics. I was again moved by the clarity in which he described his life's journey. With every position in which he served, Mr. Panetta said that he accepted the job as though he was "answering the call."
So for the past few days, I have been thinking about my personal life and professional career and wondered what words would use to define me. The word that best describes me is "Solution." Looking at the past few years, I realize that the most critical moments were about overcoming hardships, personally and professionally. Not every solution is profound or right, but it is still nonetheless a solution, a way to move forward. It doesn't feel good to be stuck and therefore, living in "solution" helps with being "unstuck." This past year, I noticed that my colleagues and I began referring to my office as "the solution room" which prompted me to name my blog, "My Solution Room." It feels good and it feels right.
My life is not perfect, but it is real. Living in solution does not mean I don't have problems. There is still so much to do - personally and professionally. Even when I am afraid and worried, I try to focus on what needs to be done. Sometimes things are difficult and I feel paralyzed, but I know that a solution will come.
So what words describe you?
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