Gina O'Brien
Our graduates keep making a difference in the lives of others in their families and communities.
THANK YOU to everyone at EmpowerU for putting a fire in me that led to my brother's return to the family!! It was like a classic prodigal son story. My brother had a falling-out with my parents about two years ago. I was away at college so my details are fuzzy, but the basics were arguments about religion and money. My 32 year old brother married the girl he thought he loved, and it turned out that she didn't want him to have any contact with his family.
After I came out of the EmpowerU class, I brewed on the situation for a few days, and then sent my brother a letter (both by email and by 2-day air to make SURE he got it). In the letter, I chewed him out, no pity. I reminded him that planes crash, and people die. I asked tough questions, like "If I were to die today, would you come to my funeral, or would you stay at home rather than face Mom and Dad?"
He is extremely happy now, and I can see it in his eyes. I have my brother back! My parents and my grandmother are so very happy, too. They have thanked me several times for writing the letter, but I say, I just told him how I felt.
Well, it took a couple weeks for a response, but when it came it was dramatic. He divorced his wife and moved in with my parents!! He is extremely happy now, and I can see it in his eyes. I have my brother back! My parents and my grandmother are so very happy, too. They have thanked me several times for writing the letter, but I say, I just told him how I felt.
This all happened right before Christmas, and it was really the best Christmas ever, as you can imagine. The gifts were all crap, and we had each other. My Mom told me that she had prayed so hard for him to return, she had even said that she would literally give up a limb if she could have her son back. Well, shortly after his return, she went snow-skiing with him. She fell and tore her ACL (really important tendon in the knee) and had to have surgery. She is recovering now --already walking without a cane -- and is so happy that she didn't even have to give up the whole leg.
One more thing before I go. The teacher in me wants to leave you all with the week's homework of raising the bar one more notch. But I have a specific notch in mind. Be careful of how you use the word "just." It's almost as bad as "try" in lowering your power. I don't want anyone to post, "I just wanted to say..." That minimizes its value! Whenever you use the word, be sure that you intend to minimize the value of what you're talking about, such as, "It was just a scratch." NEVER say "It's just me." What do you mean, just you? JUST me can do a whole lot! Just me brought my brother back into the lives of my whole family! You are powerful. You wouldn't say, "It's just a tornado, no biggie." So don't say "just" me.
Gina O'Brien (Team 327)
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Without a doubt, my experience at the Leadership Awakening course was by far the most impactful weekend of my life!
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