Never too late for education, consultant reports to WIN-R
by Daryl Pollak, reporter

    It’s never too late to become educated, a motivational speaker told Women In New Roles (WIN-R) students recently.

    Leslie Furlow, owner of a nationwide consulting firm, Achieve Mentors, Inc., came to South Campus to share her experiences in a speech, Adventures in Attitude, a preview of a three-day seminar she holds nationwide.

    Furlow, a mother of two, who did not get her first degree until after she turned 30, now has several bachelor’s and master’s degrees ranging from business to nursing.

    In order to become more powerful, Furlow said women must change their attitudes and think more positively.

    Instead of focussing on their negative points, women should respect themselves in order to gain respect.

    Furlow involved the audience in many activities to help the women open up and get to know everybody in the seminar. She had the participants ask each other important questions in one activity.

    “Be pertinacious,” she said. “The door is always open as long as you beat on it hard enough.”

    It is important for women to feel confident about themselves, Furlow said. She pointed out that women can learn a few things from men when it comes to having a confident attitude.

    “Ladies, instead of getting up in the morning and saying, ‘My thighs look too big, I need make-up’ or ‘My hair just won’t work,’ you need to act like a man. Say something confident about yourself like ‘I look good,’” she said.

    Furlow then had the audience members write down positive statements about themselves and then stand up and say them as though they meant it. When going in depth, Furlow told her enthused audience that feedback is important.

    “Valuing people leads to power and respect,” she said.

    Furlow referred to Mother Teresa’s power as a result of her caring and listening to people.

    “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” she said.

    Furlow concluded with a little rhyming story called Go Away Swampy. Swampy was a monster that dragged people into a swamp by saying, “You are inferior to everybody else.”

    Furlow asked women to ignore Swampy and use her advice to better their lives.