Sister Stars

Last night, I went to a Sister Stars empowerment session where Dr. Debyii Sababu Thomas presented to the “sisters” some encouraging advice on overcoming obstacles. Dr. Thomas presented to us the guidelines for dealing with obstacles. What makes a woman a woman, she noted, is the way that they handle obstacles. But before we began, we were asked to write down obstacles that we have had in our life. My obstacles ranged from physical attributes to academic struggles. Being able to write down my obstacles allowed me to analyze how what I’ve gone through has helped define me as a person. We then defined the word obstacle and came up with this definition: an obstacle is something that gets in front of you that takes time to deal with it; it’s a barrier, it’s something that stands between you and a goal, and its nebulous – something that you can’t always see.

Furthermore, she gave us 4 words to describe what obstacles do: disappoint, distract, deform, and discourage. These four words perfectly paint a picture of how obstacles get in the way. She then said that obstacles come at different angles and she gave us the 5 ways to deal with obstacles. First we regroup, then reexamine, redirect, rethink, and then recommunicate. In the regrouping process, you must collect yourself. Moreover, in the reexamining process, one should distinguish between an internal or external obstacle. Rethinking involves finding another way. And finally you recommunicate by speaking to the obstacle and preventing it from standing between you and your goal again.

Dr. Thomas gave some very helpful advice. She communicated to the sisters about obstacles – something we deal with every day – and how to properly handle them. Many times, we are faced with obstacles and are confused about how to handle them. This session was very empowering and enlightening.