16th June 2011

Today is a 25th Anniversary of my escape from then communist Poland. It's been very eventful quarter of a century, years that made me who I am.

There were some people who made me see more than I had the perception to see myself, I'm grateful to them for being a part of my life however brief those parts may have been.

I would like to thank the most important ones;

My school Friend Marta Cygan-Piwonska back in 1985/86, by studying with me and simply saying few positive things about my ability to learn and achieve made a tremendous impact on my self- belief.

Alyson Rudd, in 1992/93 saw more potential in me than every other person present at that time in my life. That has changed my perception of me. Alyson is a football journalist now, working for The Times. She too followed her passion and destiny.

Guy Marriott back in 2007, who by asking me to be his coach and mentor completely changed the path of my life, making me realise what my passion and destiny and purpose are.

It seems with time the changes became bigger and bolder. True freedom is only achieved once we follow the path of our purpose.  

The poem by Flavia Weedn describes the feeling;

Some People

By Flavia Weedn

Some people come into our lives

and leave footprints on our hearts

and we are never ever the same.

Some people come into our lives

and quickly go...Some stay for a while

and embrace our silent dreams.

They help us become aware

of the delicate winds of hope...

and we discover within every human spirit

there are wings yearning to fly.

They help our hearts to see that

the only stairway to the stars

is woven with dreams...

and we find ourselves

unafraid to reach high.

They celebrate the true essence

of who we are...

and have faith in all

that we may become.

Some people awaken us

to new and deeper realizations...

for we gain insight

from the passing whisper of their wisdom.

Throughout our lives we are sent

precious souls...

meant to share our journey

however brief or lasting their stay

they remind us why we are here.

To learn...to teach...to nurture...to love.

Some people come into our lives

to cast a steady light

upon our path and guide our every step

their shining belief in us

helps us to believe in ourselves.

Some people come into our

lives to teach us about love...

The love that rests within ourselves.

Let us reach out to others 

and feel the bliss of giving

for love is far richer in action

than it ever is in words.

Some people come into our lives

and they move our souls to sing

and make our spirits dance.

They help us to see that everything on earth

is part of the incredibility of life...

and that it is always there

for us to take of its joy.

Some people come into our lives

and leave footprints on our hearts

and we are never ever the same.

Lynne McTaggart - The Living Matrix - Thought Field Therapy - Tapping Th...

The POWER of TFT

ATFT Foundation (UK) Board Meeting 12th May 2011

I had the pleasure and a privilege to be invited to join the board of ATFT Foundation (UK). Charity dedicated to bring Thought Filed Therapy to help humanity in overcoming fears phobias, trauma and PTSD.

http://www.atftfoundation.org/

I'm hoping to be able to fulfil the expectations and bring TFT further on the path to recognition and integration into everyday lives of people who need assistance with emotional problems.  Some day to become the "emotional aspirin" available in every medicine cabinet in every home.

Life is a play...

Everywhere I go
I hear people say
"Life is a play",
Stop being afraid, live in a fearless way, don't regret any day!
Namaste.

3000 people die on our roads every year WHY?

by Monika D'Agate on Wednesday, 02 March 2011 at 11:51

My main area of concern is the road deaths that occur on our roads every year. Around 3000 people are killed and that’s an equivalent of 10 Jumbo Jets per year! If that happened no one would fly!  None of these road deaths or very few make headline news, as if human lives lost on the road are part of some kind of collateral damage in motoring.
The other comparison I could give is the death of the soldiers in the last wars that Britain has taken part in. Since 2001 the death toll of the coalition forces amounts to around 1800 soldiers, with UK loses around 600.  These are people, who are well aware of the risks in the job given to them, their families are also aware of the dangers. Compare that to the death toll on only UK roads of around, 3000 per year, which makes a staggering number of 30 thousand dead people since 2001. None of the families were prepared for and an abrupt ending to the lives of their relatives.
Most of the road deaths are preventable through driver education and evaluation of skills, which currently is not present in law and the governments are very reluctant to bring more driver education, as it will make them less poplar with the voting public.

It’s worldwide problem. In China 80 thousand people die per annum, in Russia 40k.  As if the car has become a tool for “natural” selection.
Can we open people’s minds? Insist on a change in legislation; create better drivers from the beginning by better driver education and higher standards of evaluation.

Government needs to have pressure put on them to implement changes. Everyone needs to realise the need to educate drivers to very high standards. Invest in people first not cars.

Can we help save lives on the roads in the UK and beyond?
These are the few things that could be done.

http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2011/2/22/dia-discusses-changes-to-driver-training-with-road-safety-minister/38944/
Copied from the above link;

"The Driving Instructors Association (DIA) chairman Graham Fryer and general manager Steve Garrod met with under-secretary of state for transport Mike Penning to outline current thinking among training professionals on developments that would, in particular, improve the general standard of driver education.
The first change that the DIA would like to see is the integration of the current Pass Plus scheme into the learning-to-drive syllabus. Motorway training should be part of that syllabus and ADIs should be allowed to teach pupils on motorways. Those applying for a driving test should only be allowed to do so once instructors are confident that candidates have sufficient experience of driving on all the types of road they will encounter when they have a full licence.
The DIA also feels that driving qualifications for qualified drivers need to be developed further. For example, drivers of company vehicles should have to achieve minimum national occupational standards for driving (currently there is no recognised syllabus for company drivers in category B vehicles). Qualifications should also have a shelf life to encourage refresher training.
Another issue that that the DIA feels needs addressing is that there is currently there is no formal training syllabus for potential Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) to work to. The DIA's belief is that there should be a prescribed syllabus to prevent customers wasting their money. The minimum entry level to the industry should also be raised to include recognised teaching qualifications (e.g. Preparing to Teach in the Life-long Learning Sector).
The DIA also thinks that the trainee licence scheme should be abolished. The pass rate for the Part 3 examination - the passing of which is required to become a fully qualified ADI - currently lies at around 30%. This suggests that trainees are not being properly supervised. The DIA recommends that the current system should be replaced with a probationary scheme that includes supervision, in line with teacher training programmes.
The final change proposed is that all drivers should have their eyesight tested by an optometrist, not at the driving test centre, with drivers' eyesight checked at least every 10 years. Currently, the responsibility is with the driver to self-certify their eyesight has not deteriorated after the age of 70.
Steve Garrod said of the meeting: "The under-secretary of state seemed very open to the DIA's suggestions and appreciative of the association's desire to improve road safety through better driver training. We're especially heartened with the minister's belief that learner drivers need to be taught to drive rather than simply pass the test and his concerns over the trainee licence scheme."

Best regards

Monika D'Agate
1st London Driving Academy