1)What Do You Think of Country Leaders?
Eleanor Roosevelt
Pre-Talk
1)What do you think of country leaders?
2)What is the role of the president’s spouse?
3)Who do you look up to in your own country?
Picture Talk
1)What does this quote mean?
2)Where do you place yourself in this quote?
3)How can we focus our energy on discuss ideas rather than people?
Article Highlights
1.There Are no Absolutes in this World
“A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is ableto be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned thatthere is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walkshumbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that inthis world no one is all knowing and therefore all of us need both love andcharity.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Going by the essence of Roosevelt’s brilliant statement, we must always realizethat everything in this world is relative and there is nothing which is absolute.This is especially valuable in today’s world where we tend to generalize things andforget that every community, race and religion has its own merits and demerits.
2. Listen to Your Heart
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you’ll be criticizedanyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.” – EleanorRoosevelt
The only way not to be criticized is to do nothing and say nothing. However, thisway you will accomplish nothing and will never be happy. Going by what you feelis right will make you happy and provide you the momentum to achieve yourobjective.
As long as you’re comfortable with your decisions, you will be happy, regardless of whether or not other people agree with you.
3. Facing Fears Makes You Stronger
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in whichyou really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I livedthrough this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Experiences in life, especially those related to your fears can actually make youstronger and a more confident person. It is only when you have had the chance to look at fear in its face that you can realize your inner strength and true potential.
4. Cultivate Curiosity
“One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested inone thing, it will always lead to something else.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Cultivating curiosity is the very best thing you can do for yourself. If you remain open to new experiences and new things, you will find that your interests in lifebecome so far-ranging that you don’t need to search out new interests anymore,as Roosevelt says – they will come to you.
5. Learn to Appreciate Creativity
“The arts in every field — music, drama, sculpture, painting — we can learn to appreciate and enjoy. We need not be artists, but we should be ableto appreciate the work of artists.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Our leisure time is already sparse, and spending it in pursuits that increase our knowledge and interest in literature, films, music, and painting, among otherthings, will make us wellroundedas human beings and appreciative of all thefiner things in life.
Discussion
1)What can we learn from Eleanor Roosevelt?
2)What is your opinion of her?
3)Do you think she made a difference? How so?
4)Do you think anything has changed since her day?
5)Do you think life is better today thanks to her? Why?
6)How can we take her inspiration and apply it in our own life?
7)Would you do anything different after reading this?
8)Which connect impacts you most?
9)Do you put time into creativity based on what she says?
10)How do you remain curious?
11)Do you face your fears daily?
12)Do you ask yourself if you failed something daily?
- Why should you?
13)How do you handle being criticized?
14)Is there such a thing as being perfect?