I Am My Life

If you're like me (and I know I am), you're ready for the new year.   2020 was not easy!    While some good things did happen, I’ll still take a refund on the entire year.  Of course, that can’t happen so let’s just hope 2021 is a year to remember — for all the right reasons!

This January blog is  a bit different than previous entries.  For the last few years, my first January post has been “Best Boss Resolutions.”  Those actions and behaviors every leader should commit to in order to be, well, that best boss ever!

This year, though, I’m going in a new direction.   In fact, the entire year will have a different tone.

So just as the Best Boss blog would launch the upcoming year, so does this one.  My focus on people, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, valuing others, civility, and generally making the world a better place all starts with one thing — knowing me.

Often when I speak, I start by asking the audience, “Why should you listen to me?”  In fact, why should you listen to anyone?  Everyone has an angle, a perspective, a background that developed their thinking.  Every speaker, every journalist, author, politician . . . EVERYONE!

Knowing that angle and perspective helps the listener judge and interpret the content.  It helps us gauge the truth factor.  It gives context to the content.  And it allows us to apply — or not apply — their words to our life.

That’s what this blog is all about.  I’m going to talk about me.  I’m going to let you know who I am and where I’ve come from.  I’m doing so with hope that you’ll get to know me, understand me a little, and, ultimately, follow me and engage with me throughout the year.

So who is Darren K. Ford?  

Well, I’m just like you.  I’m a human being who lives and breathes just like you.  We both have basic needs of food, water, air, and shelter.  We both have emotions, wants, and desires.  We want to connect to others and we both want some fulfillment in life.  We’re really very much alike.  

Yet I’m completely different than you.  In fact, I’m totally unique.  

So what’s made me unique?  Well, there are sooooooo many inputs throughout my life but this partial list will give you a little insight to Darren K. Ford.

WARNING!  For some people, a few items on this list may be triggers to stop reading and never return.  PLEASE read the entire list!

More importantly, PLEASE don’t judge me simply because of the experiences in my life.  

Most importantly, PLEASE read my next blog which will put these experiences in perspective.  And then you can decide whether or not to come back and be part of the conversation.

Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, here is a small snapshot of my life:​

• I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• My mom and dad stayed married for almost 60 years.  Mom passed away just a few months shy of their 60th anniversary.  My dad still lives in Tulsa.
• I have one older sister who also lives in Tulsa.  I love her tons along with her entire family.
• I moved around growing up.  Move to Los Angeles at age five, then a small town in Oklahoma (I’m talking small!) when I was eight, Chicago from about 10 to 12 years old, and then back to Tulsa for junior high, high school and college.
• I’m a dog lover (sorry, cat lovers) and big Chicago sports fan (first pro sports event was the Cubs at Wrigley Field).
• Grew up in the Methodist church, accepted Christ as a young teenager, and still follow Him and go to church today.
• Moved to Dallas after college graduation (go Golden Hurricane!) where I sold advertising in the computer industry.
• At a nightclub one Friday night in Phoenix, I asked a woman to dance and 33 years later, love her more than ever.
• I have three amazing boys, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and one amazing grandson (and I’m waiting for more!).
• I grew up Republican, have a Conservative bent, and tend to vote that way.
• Lived in Bulgaria for four years.  At 45, I was learning a new alphabet and a new language.
• I’ve started (and stopped, unfortunately) a nonprofit organization to teach leadership and life skills to high school and college students.
• I’ve developed and delivered training and keynote presentations through both my consulting business and as an HR professional.  
• I’m a morning person.
• I like movies (Tombstone is #1 on my list).
• I like Bourbon.
• I love people!

These things, along with 60 years worth of other experiences, have made me me.

In fact, there is no one else like me on dear ol’ Planet Earth.  I’m one in a 7,836,311,154 as of 10:20 a.m., January 2.  

And just like I’m unique, so are you!  No one else just like you anywhere in the world.

Now it gets tricky.  

While we’re totally the same, we’re also totally different.  The differences may be big such as gender or religion or politics, or the differences may be small, say dogs or cats.

And if we’re not careful, these differences can cause conflict.  These conflicts can grow and grow and grow, to the point where we’re simply not able to get along, as individuals or as a society.

Sadly, that's where we are today.  We're not getting  along.  We can't talk to each other anymore.  

How did we get to this point?  More importantly, how do we get back to being friends?  How can we stop yelling at each other and start caring for each other?

That’s exactly what we’ll explore this year.  We’re going to take a deeper dive into our differences and find ways to overcome those differences. 

So will you come back?  Will you read future blogs, ask questions, and make comments?  

Will you join me on this journey of making the world a better place by connecting people through similarities while overlooking, even celebrating, our differences?  

And maybe, just maybe, with each blog, comment, and interaction, we’ll make the world just a little brighter, one connection at a time. 

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