When times are easy it is relatively easy to be a leader.
It is times like these where true leadership matters, where true leadership is needed, where true leadership rises.
How?
Canadian Songwriters: rise into an expanded version of leadership – you have a voice and a platform. Look into your catalogue – submit songs that express “What Canada is to YOU”. Inspired to write? Submit. Perform and speak to the Canada 160 Project The largest on-line digital Canadian Playlist. Use your voice to strengthen Canada.
Canadian Agents: encourage your artists to submit, help them recognize the media opportunity
Canadian Festivals: include a themed workshop stage
What is happening in our world is an opportunity.
The opportunity can go either way
We can become angrier – and we have reason to be – or we can become calmer and more reasoned.
We can become disillusioned – and there are lots of examples for that – or we can expand our conviction and commitment.
We can become divisive – and we have witnessed this as well – or we can create this an opportunity to focus on our commonalities and expand our connections.
The opportunity can go either way.
Canadian Best selling author Robin Sharma:
“Every moment in front of another human being is an opportunity to express your highest values and best self.”
What is happening in our world is an opportunity.
Let’s express our highest values and best selves.
We’ve experienced the shock, the abuse, the hurt, the anger, the confusion, the frustration, the dishonouring.
We have felt small, helpless, victimized, and scared
We’ve made decisions to shop local, staycation and send a clear message with our actions.
We’ve pushed against – it is time to move toward?
Elbows Up emerged, and many Canadians have rallied behind this call…
Where did Elbows Up come from?
Gordie Howe – known for playing a very rough game of hockey is said to have coined the phrase to mean that a fight was finishing before it really got started.
It means to protect yourself and fight back. Mike Myers, who started the viral use of Elbows Up wore a Canada is Not for Sale T-shirt. His actions encouraged us to stand our ground and stand up for ourselves. It has become an empowering and unifying message for Canadians… but Canadians all know that we aren’t playing hockey, and we know “Elbowing” in hockey is penalized.
The administration of the US has forgotten who they are and what they stand for.
As Canadians, let’s not do that.
We had a moment of forgetting when the US anthem was greeted by booing – the country known as the Peace Keeping force on the planet forgot who we are and what we stand for. It just wasn’t Canadian. We forgot who we are. We forgot about the glorious and free part.
We let our values and our beliefs sink to a level that frankly scared many of us. And the fear served a purpose.
That fear woke some of us up.
That fear moved many of us out of complacency and disbelief.
That fear transformed and invited the leaders in us to examine who we really are, and what we really stand for.
When we let fear take us over, we become divisive.
Remember – The opportunity can go either way.
Instead, let’s use this an opportunity to expand our connections and express our highest values and best selves. It’s chaotic times that invite leaders to be solid.
Let’s lead through the example of this wonderful folk community. A community that holds truth, justice, peace and connection as its highest values.
Remember who we really are and where we’re from – and communicate what OUR Canada means.
We are Canadians. We are world peacekeepers.
Let’s lead our families, our friends, our communities, our provinces and our nation to stand together, collectively, collaboratively and peacefully.
An let’s flood our stages and Social Media with songs that speak to what Canada means to us. Tag both #ElbowsUp #ElbowsLinked
LEAD.
