WAV-E-TRAINING

Published Work

Published Article in the Business Network Biznik

April 17, 2010

The Road Uphill

By Catherine Llwyd

It was an early Monday morning in February when I made the call to Robin at the Registrar's Office of Kings University College in London Ontario. I knew that it was a call that might not be well received but I made it anyway. I was feeling desperate and I just couldn't wait another minute!

Weeks before, I had left work on my lunch hour to attend an admissions interview with Tracy, where I was asked questions about my life, my education and where I saw myself in the next ten years. I answered all the questions with feeling and honesty, firmly stating that I would be self-employed and making a difference in the lives of others in the next ten years. It was a wonderful, relaxed interview. We had a great rapport!

Tracy smiled and stated that who I was and what I stood for was exactly what they were looking for at a Liberal Arts University.... But still I wondered... would I be accepted?

Tracy told me just before I left her office that acceptance packages would be sent out in March but I also knew I could very well receive a very thin letter of rejection!

University would be life-changing...I had planned my life well... I would leave work at the end of August and start right in to my studies..If I was accepted...

I got back to work on time, excited and wanting to share my experience with a fellow co-worker. She listened, smiled, congratulated and hugged me and then (without my knowledge) went to
our supervisor and told her where I had been during my lunch hour!

When I had accepted my position at work, I was told that promotions were not available and that I would be doing the same work day in day out. I accepted that at the time...grateful for the position but I had been fooling myself. I wanted so much more!

Within three weeks, I was called into my
supervisor's office and told that there was no work for me.

I left the office, head bowed and feeling the
weight of the world on my shoulders.... What now? I went home and spent a weekend feeling sorry for myself before deciding to pick up the phone on Monday morning! I heard Robin's voice answer "Good morning Admissions office". I gathered all of my courage and I told Robin, a perfect stranger, what had happened at work, that I needed to plan my future and then apologetically asked her if she would tell me if I had been accepted at King's.

She said "Just a moment" and put me on hold... It felt like an eternity before she came back on the phone and said " Well, I am not supposed to tell you this but considering what has happened, I am happy to inform you that you have been accepted".

I simply cannot express what her words meant to me. The pure joy and relief of being able to carve out my own path in life felt surreal.

Did I just do this? I lost my job, lost all faith in a colleague that I once called my friend, lost my income and security so that I could change the course of my life forever! ...and change I did! I started university in the Spring session and never looked back!

Today, I own my own company and I advise all of my clients, friends and family to make a plan, dare to pick up that phone, to speak your mind, to have the courage to change, to feel the hurt, to accept the discomfort, to open yourself up to rejection time and time again and to travel uphill for a while without giving up!... When you do all of this, Good things are waiting for you at the top!

http://biznik.com/articles/the-road-uphill

Published Article in the Business Network Biznik

April 19, 2010

An Owner's Perogative

By Catherine Llwyd

Last week, my client, who is a young stroke survivor, his father and I were having a conversation about medical decisions that have affected my client's life adversely. In the middle of the conversation, my client's father, who was speaking vehemently about the lack of sound medical advice given by a doctor treating his son, threw in a racial slur, under the guise of a joke about the doctor. I was astounded! His words were directly related to the doctors place of origin and the colour of his skin.

As a business owner, I had the perogative of telling him that his remarks were unkind and offensive. I mentioned that a doctor like any other person from any region of the country or the world, and of any colour, race or religion can be wrong. I asked him what the doctor's skin colour or where he comes from had to do with the medical advice given?

He immediately retracted his comment when he realized that I was offended.

Poor decisions, errors in judgement and mistakes are made by each of us on a daily basis regardless of where we were born, the colour of our skin, our religion or our size. It is okay to question or even argue a decision or a belief (this is how we grow intellectually and emotionally as humans) but it is not okay to attack the person!

What makes human beings wonderfully unique is our shared capacity to know right from wrong. We have been given an incredible gift... that of conscience. "Let your conscience be your guide." These are powerful words that speak volumes. It is up to each and every one of us to use this gift in a wise and caring way.

It is this gift that allows us to do what is right and just, to be sensitive to the needs of others and to be aware of hurtful words/comments/jokes that do nothing but create chasms. It is our collective gift of struggle that helps us to appreciate diversity, to empathize with those who are struggling, to have the ability to relate with those who are different than us and to accept each other for who and what we each have to offer.

Our choice of words can hurt or our choice of words can heal...We either use words as weapons or we use words to empower!

It is up to each one of us to think of others first, to be cognizant of others feelings, to choose our words carefully, to be aware of how our word choices affect other people and to care enough to be aware.

Humans are both able and disabled, of colour or not of colour, short or tall, young or old, attractive or unattractive, wise or unwise, but we ALL have one thing in common above all other life. We are all imbued with a quantity of conscience and with this conscience comes responsibility for each other and for all life properties.

I cannot speak for why some people seem to enjoy putting others down with their choice of words but I, for one, choose to accept, respect, Love and enjoy diversity and I choose to challenge those who attack others because of our differences. At the end of the day, when I look in the mirror the only thing that truly matters is what my conscience has to say about me!

http://biznik.com/articles/an-owners-perogative

Travis McGean, The Face of Ability

By Catherine Llwyd
East Coast Accessable Magazine
January 2010 feature article

Recently, I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was writing an article on "The Face of Ability". Her response was, "What does that mean?" I told her that my definition of ability is very much the same as the dictionary but that the definition is incomplete without including Travis McGean in the meaning. To me,Travis is "The Face Of Ability."

The dictionary definition of ability is the quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, or powers needed in order to accomplish something. In other words, a natural or acquired skill or talent and the quality of being suitable for, or receptive to something.

Travis has accomplished many physical feats in his young life. They have been difficult and he has had to use his intellectual powers to work harder than many others to figure out the best way to work through these challenges.

Travis was born with Cerebral palsy also known as CP. CP is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control our ability to use our muscles and bodies. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles. Travis was also born with an extra heaping of gumption! He thoroughly commits himself to living a full life doing things like playing Dance Dance Revolution. In perfect timing with the music Travis takes each step with his hands flying across the mat instead of using his feet.

Travis has also had a blast earning a speed skating certificate, while using a walker and boots made of rubber that don't freeze. While up to bat, Travis used his physical power to smack the baseball so hard that he hit a home run. His friends ran the bases while Travis stood triumphant. He also earned a running club certificate for running using his walker and logging the hours needed.

Catherine Llwyd

Travis McGean, The Face of AbilityBy Catherine LlwydEast Coast Accessable MagazineJanuary 2010 feature article

The dictionary definition of ability is the quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, or powers needed in order to accomplish something. In other words, a natural or acquired skill or talent and the quality of being suitable for, or receptive to something.

All of these accomplishments and so much more make Travis McGean the true definition of "The Face of Ability!"

Travis McGean, The Face of Ability

By Catherine Llwyd
East Coast Accessable Magazine
January 2010 feature article