I was inspired today!

A year ago we started an advisory committee to help guide our social enterprise and employment project called PEER Connections. 5 community members agreed to join us and share their insights and passion for working with youth who find themselves at risk. We had our first meeting of the Fall today and I was inspired in several ways:

• I was inspired by the obvious passion and commitment of these 5 people to join us on a Friday at noon. Thank you.
• I was inspired when one of the committee members told us how she heard a couple of seniors planning their lunch dates at our cafe
• I was inspired by another committee member's comment that "we [this project] have enough success now and it's time to celebrate it." I was inspired by the ownership evident by the use of "we" and that we are making a difference in people's lives.
• I was inspired by a young man who told us how he moved from gang activity and hopelessness to feeling really good about himself.  He mentioned several times that "people like me here." He expressed how he wanted to share with others how "working hard gets you places" and how it "feels good to come here."
• I was inspired by the committee members' long list of very useful suggestions on how to tell our stories like the one we heard from this young man. (placemats with quotes/short messages, a cookbook of recipes and stories, stories written in local papers, etc.)
• I was inspired by our staff member who took the difficult path by including someone in the project who was risky and how this has worked out great.
• I was inspired by how a group of 6 young men and several staff "became like a family by the 2nd day" working in this project.

Thank you for inspiring me. I hope you also felt a connection to something good.

How were you inspired today?