"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Zen Habits is a blog I subscribe to. It was created by a man named Leo Babauta and he describes it in the following way:

Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness. 

If this is of interest to you, I encourage you to check out his website by clicking on the image below:

The Big Picture

For all of the visual people, here is a phenomenal website that proves a picture is worth a thousand words. It presents stories, through pictures, of current events happening around the globe.

Click on the picture below to view the website:

World Press Photo of the Year 2011

7 Deadly Social Sins

Politics without Principle
Wealth without Work
Commerce without Morality
Pleasure without Conscience
Education without Character
Science without Humanity
Worship without Sacrifice

- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao-Tzu

The purpose of this blog is to education, stimulate creative and innovative thinking, and encourage you to think critically about International Development. That sounds like a big cup of tea, but let me explain. Are you familiar with the quote... "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." Most people stop quoting it there, but Marianna Williamson goes on to say more; "It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us... as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others."

Within you is the capacity to change this planet, and I am here to encourage you to do so. I am here to present our world's current situation and to give you ways of combating poverty in a constructive way. As Dr. Seuss once said, "Unless someone like you cares a whole aweful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."


So where should we start? I guess the first question to ask is: What is International Development? According to good old Wikipedia:

International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development - the development of greater quality of life for humans.

For me, International Development is about empowerment. If people lack oppourtunity, it is about providing oppourtunity. If people lack dignity, it is about spreading equality. If people are suffering, it is about providing relief in any form possible. The field of International Development is extremely complex but the constant thread is hope for a better tomorrow. I am here to change the world because I am unhappy with the way things are going right now. I hope you are here to do the same.

So, comment on this post and subscribe/follow this blog if you would like. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions about anything I have posted.

I will end with the words of Aristotle; "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"; meaning your thoughts and opinions are equally as significant as mine, so let's put our heads together and change this world for the better :)