One of my favourite sayings is:

‘When one door closes… another opens, but we often look so longingly at the door that has closed that we don’t see the new door that has opened.’ – Alexander Graham Bell

I’ve been in this place in the past… and through experience I now know that there will always be a new door that will open for me.

Recently I was privileged to hear the amazing Ita Buttrose speak at the Business Chick’s breakfast in Perth. Her presentation was so engaging, authentic, funny and full of stories from her rich journey in the world of journalism and the media. Her messages resonated with me as she spoke about ‘opportunity’. She is an optimist like me and believes that sometimes life catches us by surprise and presents unexpected opportunities. Yes, there are always obstacles to go around, but it is always possible to find a way around those obstacles. She encouraged the audience to be courageous and never be afraid to pursue our dreams and take the fork in the road that will challenge and stretch us when unexpected opportunities present themselves. She shared a number of examples from her own journey that demonstrated that if you embrace change and accept adventure, you never know where that will lead… and in Ita’s case she is a wonderful example of someone who has achieved great personal fulfilment and success by just doing that!

What do you do when an unexpected obstacle or opportunity presents itself?

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Stories Out Loud

Having the strength to continue, when adversity has threatened to stop you, is a person’s most precious attribute. Angie Paskevicius, CEO of Holyoake, shares how uncovering her family history revealed important lessons for her life and how she drew strength from adversity to become an award winning CEO. She opens up about finding the drive to lead a small government funded program and transform it into a worldwide social enterprise, helping others find their own strength and resilience through music. (DRUMBEAT)

July 2017

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The Victoria Park resident and Holyoake chief executive has been working in the not-for-profit sector for about 20 years, including nine in her current role.

Holyoake helps more than 6500 people struggling with alcohol and drug issues, guiding them through challenging times and into a better future.

“I’ve always had a strong desire to give back and make a difference,” she said.

“The opportunity at Holyoake was to transform it and grow it; I’ve just loved doing that.

“I’m most proud in that growth and the way we have been able to make a difference in people’s lives.

“As a CEO, every day is different and I’m always in meetings, networking and making sure we are on track in terms of our strategic perspective.”

Ms Paskevicius said one of her proudest achievements was the growth of the social enterprise program DRUMBEAT (Discovering Relationships Using Music Beliefs Attitudes Thoughts).

“Participants receive a hand drum and take part in a series of activities, which are linked to what’s happening in their lives,” she said.

“It’s also been used in schools, at mental facilities and with refugees.”

Ms Paskevicius said she was shocked to be named as a finalist in the Community Award category for the Western Australian of the Year Awards.

“It makes me feel humbled to be a finalist. I’m just an ordinary person who has been given extraordinary opportunities,” she said.

“I’m just happy to be able to make a difference and help people achieve their potential and grow.”

Written by Aaron Corlett

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