When Drew Barrymore was growing up, she was pretty light on formal education, and the education she did get was on movie sets and at night clubs such as Studio 54, where she was a regular when still a child. What she did learn set her up pretty well for making money — she is now one of the highest paid of Hollywood actresses — but on a personal level the lessons were somewhat rough. While still in her teens, she had to go to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. Related to the renowned Barrymore family of actors, she grew up with her mom, Jaid Barrymore, who had split from her husband before Drew was born (February 22, 1975). It was the child’s acting that largely supported mother and daughter.

Gertie Teaches ET

In an interview with actress Carrie Fisher for Glamour, Drew said that by the time she was three, she “had done five or 10 commercials and three TV movies” which had a lot to do with her mother dragging her around to auditions, and was the reason she didn’t see much of the inside of classrooms. The movie that launched her career was E.T., the Extra- Terrestrial, in which she played Gertie. It was Gertie who taught ET how to speak.

Elliot: What?
E.T.: Elliott! Elliott!
Gertie: I taught him how to talk. He can talk now.
[Elliott sees electronics and supplies together in the closet]
Gertie: Look, what he brought up here all by himself. What’s he need this stuff for?
Elliot: E.T., can you say that? Can you say ‘E.T.’? E.T.
E.T.: E.T.
Elliot: Aha!
E.T.: E.T.! E.T.! E.T.! Be good.
Gertie: Be good! I taught him that too!
Elliot: Maybe you should give him his dignity. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen.

Education is Light

Probably because of her lack of a formal education, Drew has  a deep appreciation for the value of a good education and the dignity it provides. She ended her article for Marie Claire: “I remember the sign painted on the wall of the school I saw yesterday. I walked up to it and photographed it. I felt it conveyed everything about finding a path to doing something meaningful. On any scale. In big letters, it said, ‘Education Is light.’”

It seems that Drew has been teaching herself. In the Marie Claire article, she noted: “I didn’t go to school, so the older I get, I choose different college courses in life.” And in a magazine article about home decorating, she said, ‘You can never have too many books.’ Behind the glamour, there is a sensitive and dedicated person who has gone beyond acting to producing and directing and to having her own production company, ‘Flower Films’. She produced a documentary about her African trip that was about to give her an education that even the nightclubs of California couldn’t come close to providing.

World Hunger Campaign

In 2005, Drew travelled to Kenya to see first-hand the impact of hunger on the poor — especially girls and women in the slums. In the Marie Claire article, published as part of the magazine’s ‘World Hunger Campaign’, you can see her move from idealism to realism. It is a moving article that reveals much about the young actress.

On her way to Nairobi, she had a stopover in Heathrow Airport. While waiting, she wrote: “And I want so desperately to ask the questions: Why is there so much excess in some parts of the world, and such a lack of food and basic needs in others? How is there ‘all you can eat’ and starvation? How can you, the individual, make a difference when governments can’t tackle the horrors of our world?”

Contrast this to how she feels in the middle of the journey: “Later that afternoon, we go deeper into the slums to film more footage. At one point, our car gets stuck, and we are so crowded in by the shacks and the people that a sense of danger washes over me. I feel like I shouldn’t be here. I want to go back to the hotel. I feel trapped and claustrophobic. After a while, we move on. As soon as we get out of the car and into some open space to film, I feel fine.”

Quiet Tears

She feels ‘fine’ for awhile, but there is more to come and it moves her deeply. She visits schools and goes with students to their homes to meet the rest of their family, which is often a single mother and several siblings. She learns of the sexual mutilation the young girls are inflicted with, she hears of the horrors they endure and sees first-hand how little they live with.

“We pull up to the store,” she writes, “and everyone gets out. I sit there paralysed. How can everyone speak about these horrors with such a matter-of-fact tone? I think about how much fear and pain there is for these girls, and I start to cry for the first time on the trip. In this strange little parking lot, I sit by myself and just cry for a while. I feel helpless and sad and angry that anyone has to suffer through such absolute torture. Every time I try to collect myself, I realise the quiet tears are still coming, and I just wait for them to stop. Then I take a deep breath and go into the store.”

The issue with Marie Claire’s ‘World Hunger
Campaign’ became one of the magazine’s best-read features of all times. Readers wrote thousands of letters and emails asking how they could help. Drew and photographer Evelyn Hockestein did an auction of photos in New York at the International Centre for Photography in 2006, and along with a charity campaign in Marie Claire, over $50,000 was raised for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Kenya.

Honoured & Humbled

When it was announced in May 2007, after two trips to Africa, that Drew had been named ‘Ambassador Against Hunger’ for WFP she stated: “I can’t think of any issue that is more important than working to see that no schoolchild in this world goes hungry.”

She joined world marathon record-holder Paul Tergat, from Kenya, as a WFP Ambassador Against Hunger, and it was with Tergat, a former school feeding recipient, that she travelled in Kenya on her second visit to Africa.

“I am honoured and humbled to accept this challenging and rewarding assignment,” Drew said. “Feeding a child at school is such a simple thing — but it works miracles. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. “School feeding not only fills stomachs, but has a proven track record of boosting enrolment, attendance and academic performance. For just pennies a day per child, this programme changes lives — and ultimately can impact the futures of poor countries around the world in a profound way,”

Passion & Commitment

WFP’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran said: “We are delighted to have Drew Barrymore join our team. Her passion and commitment to changing the world for the better — and of course, the respect and admiration she commands — will make her a wonderful champion for school feeding.” Drew followed this up by joining Tergat and Sheeran in Washington to raise awareness about school feeding — and to advocate for passage of draft legislation in the US Congress that would expand and regularise funding for US- supported school feeding programmes. Once the legislation is passed, it would increase funding from the current average of US$100 million a year to about US$300 million a year within five years. In 2006, WFP fed 19.4 million children in 71 countries through school feeding programmes.

Fill the Cup

In March 2008, Drew announced that she would donate $1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to help the agency feed thousands of Kenyan schoolchildren. The donation kicked off WFP’s ‘Fill the Cup’ challenge to raise enough funds to help feed 59 million children around the world for a year. Drew made the announcement on the Oprah Winfrey Show, saying she had witnessed first-hand the impact hunger has on poor children during two visits to Kenya in the past two years. “I have seen with my own eyes what a difference a simple cup of nutritious porridge can make in a child’s life. It helps them learn, stay healthy and sets them on track for a bright future.”

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran noted that for only 25 cents a day, WFP can provide an entire school meal to a child in a developing country. “Just $50 fills a child’s cup for a year, and we call in everyone to click on wfp.org and make a donation,” she said. WFP is trying to jump-start school feeding programmes in many developing countries so that local communities can run them once they have the capacity.

Spreading Her Wings

In her article for Marie Claire on that first life- changing journey, Drew wrote: “I read an article in the New York Times last year that said there are schools that can change a young person’s life with the help of very little money. Cents and dollars can feed and educate these children. Four dollars can put one child through school for one year or buy that child a uniform. When I read this article, it made me feel that just one person can help another person and on and on. Economist Jeffrey Sachs says that when you close your eyes, the problems seem so big, but when you open your eyes and really look at them, the solutions become clear. I want to open my eyes. And with that, my flight is taking off, and I am on my way.” Charlie’s Angel has opened her eyes and spread her wings. Drew has found a way that she, as an individual, can make a difference, and there are a lot of children in Africa that are a lot less hungry as a result. She is on her way.

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Steve Wilkinson, who has been handicapped since birth and goes by the name of ‘Wheelchair Steve’, was born with ’spina bifida’; but he is not letting his disability rule his life. Not only has Steve demonstrated consistent courage, but a remarkable determination to take up challenges many able-bodied people would shrink from.

Fire Walking with a Difference
“I’ve been dealing with disability all my life, since 1953,” explains the native of Newcastle, England, “but I’ve always had a positive attitude, looking for opportunities to go outside my comfort zone. Last year, for example, I went to Tony Robbins’ ‘Unleash the Power Within’ session, and I did the ‘Fire Walk’ - not like anyone else - naturally. I have no feeling in my feet, so I did it on my hands.”
To perform this feat, Steve held his legs up wheelbarrow-style. He repeated the event to raise funds for charity in Newcastle. “Last year, I abseiled from the Tyne Bridge, which is very similar to the Sydney Bridge.”

Sir Bobby Inspires
“When I was looking for a charity challenge this year, I was inspired by a man I admired so much: Sir Bobby Robson. Sir Bobby,” Steve says, “had a great career in football, first as a player with England International. Then he went on to be a manager of many clubs before ending up at Newcastle, my home town.”
For 15 years, Sir Bobby battled against cancer - and this year he set up the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Its objective is to raise £500,000 to set up a cancer research centre in Newcastle. During the past two years, Steve lost both of his parents to cancer, so he started looking for a way to support Sir Bobby and his cause. “I thought about parasailing,” he recalls, “as I’ve seen people do it when I’ve been on holiday abroad, but I’d never done it.”

Parasailing the River Tyne
“I had a vision to travel down the River Tyne: the Tyne Bridge is one of my favourite icons in the world. I thought it would be great to come in from the coast, parasailing something like seven miles, past the cranes of the Swan Hunter shipyard, soaring under the arch-shaped Millennium Bridge, then descending in front of the Tyne Bridge. I thought that would be a fantastically spectacular event!”
However, when Steve started searching for someone who could organise parasailing, he discovered there was only one parasailing company in England - Humber Parasailing.
The company’s owner, Steve Webb, said Steve’s idea was feasible - but instead of parasailing at Newcastle on the River Tyne, he suggested relocating to the Humber Bridge, a vast suspension bridge over the wide Humber River: an outlet to the North Sea at Hull, about 100 miles south of Newcastle.

I’m Ready to Go!
By this time, Steve’s contribution to the half a million pounds that Sir Bobby was trying to raise had already reached £1,000, and Steve was hoping at least to double that. Prior to ‘takeoff’, Steve remarked, “We’re taking some videos of the event, and I’ll try to add a little bit of audio commentary on the day. There’s still tension in my mind about how it’s going to go, but I’m not too worried about it. I’ve always had a positive attitude and believe I can succeed. My philosophy in life,” he added, “is you can do what you want to do; you can be who you want to be; and you can go where you want to go. In this case, I’m ready to go outside my comfort zone!”

A Lack of Wind
It was now Saturday afternoon: the Humber parasail was over and it had been a great success. “We had a few technical hitches,” Steve points out. “The wind wasn’t enough and we weren’t sure we were going to be able to make it. We certainly had to go a lot faster - so I wasn’t up for an entire hour. It was about 25 minutes from takeoff to landing back on the boat.”
“We were worried that it wasn’t going to happen,” he admits, “because of the wind. There has to be a certain amount: otherwise, the boat has to go at enormous speed - and we had to do about 32 knots, or over 40 mph.
“We soared up to around 200 feet and travelled a distance of about six miles. Steve Webb did a great job, totally professional, in putting on the event and making sure I was safe. We had to stop early, but for me, because I’m a wheelchair user, I’m really delighted to have done such a thing while raising money for Sir Bobby Robson’s Foundation. At the moment, we’ve raised about £1,200 - and I’m hoping we can at least double that.
“We’ve got lots of video footage taken by Andy Evans and his brother, and my mate Nick. I had a handheld cam too,” Steve admits, “but it didn’t quite work - because I had it upside-down!”
Anyone who hasn’t sponsored the cause yet, can still do so - just log on at www.justgiving.com/wheelchairsteve.

UK XL Member Molly Bedingfield jumped out of a plane at 29,500 feet – all in support of Global Angels…and survived to tell the tale!

Read about Molly’s amazing feat and why she did it here.

Congratulations Molly! ]]> http://xlgroupblog.com/xl-members/on-top-of-the-world/feed http://xlgroupblog.com/xl-members/lose-weight-and-feed-a-child http://xlgroupblog.com/xl-members/lose-weight-and-feed-a-child#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:04:46 +0000 XL Results Foundation http://xlgroupblog.com/?p=200
New Zealand based XL Member Wendy Barker has had an amazing week. She has linked her wonderful Figure 8 Body Chain to Buy1GIVE1 and now the media are hungry for this with national print and TV coverage. As Wendy puts it, ‘the phone has been running red hot’! Wendy’s Body Chains are part of a great weight loss programme, and when you buy a chain, children get fed.

The more weight and chain links you lose, the more children get fed – a great example of the power of B1G1.

Do you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning? Don’t like the thought of facing the day and going to work? A survey of Americans found that 80 percent of them ‘lack passion in their lives’. Do you think this could be your problem? If you are wondering why other people seem to be enjoying their life more than you are enjoying yours, perhaps it is time to take the passion test.

Wealthy & Wise
The Passion Test was developed by Janet Attwood and Chris Attwood, who have years of experience helping people with their personal development; they have spoken extensively at events and seminars, have appeared on National television in the US, are best-selling authors and are co-founders of one of the largest online transformational magazines in the world, Healthy Wealthy n Wise. For over 30 years, Chris Attwood has explored human consciousness with his extensive research methods and by extensively studying Vedic literatures. Janet’s approach to personal development combines a blend of spirituality and useful knowledge that can be immediately put to use.
Their book, The Passion Test, that hit #8 on the New York Times’ Best Selling List, has just been released in paperback and is just one of many books and articles they have written.
“You are powerful beyond your imagination,” they state on thepassiontest.com website. “You have created your life, and the good news is, if you don’t like it, you can change it. Remember, your life is created first in your mind, then in the world.”

The Passion Test
Realising you control your destiny is the beginning point for people who want to get their life on track, or take it to a higher level - taking The Passion Test is the next step.
What is the test? “The Passion Test is a simple, powerful way to get clear about what matters most to you, and then a process to make these things the priority in your life,” Janet responds. “Because neuroscientists tell us the mind can only entertain five to seven things at one time, The Passion Test identifies your top five passions. The process then guides you through creating ‘Markers’, the evidence that will let you know when you are fully living your passions, and a number of other exercises so that by the time you’re done, you have clearly described what you choose to create in your life.”
Chris adds: “As we say in The Passion Test, ‘When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life and only to the extent you are clear.’ The Passion Test provides that clarity.”

Clues to Your Purpose
Chris goes on to explain why you should take the test. “Your passions are clues to your purpose in life. They are the keys that unlock the door to the reason you are here.
“Studies tell us that only 20 percent of working Americans are passionate about what they do,” Christ continues. “If you’re among those in that category, then you can’t afford not to take The Passion Test. It is the first step in connecting your life to your purpose for being here.” Janet points out that even if you feel you’re living your passions, you will want to take The Passion Test. You might be successful and happy but there are still things you can learn as Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series found out. Jack has taken The Passion Test a number of times and it led to his creation of the Transformational Leadership Council, which now includes many of the teachers featured in the movie and book, The Secret.

Exceeded Expectations
“When I did the work on discovering your passion with Chris and Janet in a workshop, I wasn’t expecting that much to happen because I am already living my passion,” Jack relates. “I was teaching others about how to become more successful. However, their powerful process took me to an even deeper place, where I realised I was not spending enough time with my true number-one passion - my family! That realisation, and the other work they did with me, has changed the way I have lived the past year.”
What can you expect to gain from doing the test? “You will take the first step in living a passionate, turned-on life,” Chris states. “You will have a tool you can use regularly to keep your life connected to the things you really care about.”
Janet says the next step is to practice the secret that guarantees a passionate life, “Whenever you are faced with a choice, a decision or an opportunity, choose in favor of your passions.” She adds that studies of the most enduringly successful people in the world found that every one of them had developed this habit.

Passion or Fad?
How can one be sure they are really making a decision based on their passion, or if it is just a passing fad? Chris and Janet say there are three steps to help ensure you are making the right choice.
‘Intention,’ is the first step, they emphasise. That is having a clear picture of what you choose to create. This is the whole purpose of The Passion Test process. “When you are clear about what you want, it will show up in your life but only to the extent that you are clear about what you want,” Janet points out.
The next step they both agree is ‘Attention.’ “What you put your attention on grows stronger in your life,” Chris explains. “Give attention to the things that you choose to create. On a practical level, this means, do everything you can think to do, then come back to the third principle.”

No Tension
The third principle is ‘No Tension’. “Let go of your attachment to the outcome,” they advise. “You only have control over the action you take never over the results. This is why one of the seven keys to a passionate life is ‘Staying Open’.
Like all advice on how to improve your life, the key is to actually take action take the required steps and make it happen. For those who have, the results have amazed them: “Before I did the Passion Test with Janet,” noted Marilyn Maxan, Vice President & Senior Financial Advisor, Assante Capital Management, “I was unsure as to what I was really passionate about and therefore not concentrating my efforts. Since doing The Passion Test with Janet, I now know what it is that will ‘rock my world’. Janet’s spirit, love, and unique ability translate into one very special gift to anyone fortunate enough to be near her. That gift is learning that your heart’s desire is right there for the taking!”
Janet and Chris co-founded one of the largest online transformational magazines in the world, Healthy Wealthy n Wise and a marketing firm that was responsible for arranging 36 of the 52 interviews for the movie and book The Secret.

Janet’s Passions
Janet’s latest passion is working with homeless women in transition, and youth in detention centres, and recently created the CD series: “The Empowered Women Series” that is being distributed to homeless shelters in the US. Her “Empowered Teen Series” for youth in detention centres, is almost completed.
For her ongoing work with homeless women and youth in lockdown detention centres, Janet received the highest award for volunteer service in the US, The President’s Volunteer Service Award, from the President of the United States.
Chris and Janet are also founding members of Jack Canfield’s Transformational Leadership Council, a group of world-class trainers, authors, coaches and speakers that Jack put together after taking the Passion Test.

Get The Series
Chris and Janet regularly spend time with some of the greatest transformational leaders, interviewing them on their passions. Their ‘Passion Series’ of interviews have helped thousands of people learn the principles that lead to a passionate life. They partnered with Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen to create ‘The Enlightened Millionaire Program’ and are active members of Marshall Thurber’s Positive Deviant Network.
Put yourself to the test and find out what your passions really are, and what you are missing in your life.

www.thepassiontest.com
www.janetattwood.com
www.healthywealthynwise.com

Dr Muhammad Yunus and Roger Hamilton from XL Results Foundation In Conversation in Singapore on 10th October 2008. A fascinating discussion about world affairs, the global economy and social enterprise.