Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

Ecuador Beats Jamaica 2-1 in Pan-Am Games - Lessons to Learn!

Jamaica's Under-20's hopes of winning the gold in Football in the Pan-American Games being held in Brazil, were dashed today, when they were beaten 2-1, by Ecuador.

Although Jamaica's Eric Vernon scored first, in the 5th minute of the game, Jamaica was only able to keep Ecuador at bay until in the 75th minute of the game, when Ecuador scored.

Then in the 84th minute of the game, a curious penalty was given to Ecuador by the referee. I say curious, as there was no physical contact from the defender's side, but from what I saw, the Ecuadorian player flung himself at the defender and then at the ground.

Ecuadorian captain, Edmundo Zura, scored the penalty, which gave Ecuador the gold.

Despite this disappointing result, I still say the young Reggae Boyz played well, as this was the first time in the tournament,that were conceding a goal and this was the first time that an English-Speaking Caribbean country, was playing in a Pan-Am Games Football Final.

(Jamaica beat teams like Argentina,  Mexico and Panama, on their way to the final)...

They are now the proud holders of Pan-Am Games silver medals.

Hmmmmh!

There are, however, two lessons to be learned from the above turn-of-events and I hope Jamaica learns them well:

Lesson #1 - Nothing in life is just given to you, you have to take it - especially in the world of sports - you never underestimate your opponent; you strategize, uncover and exploit your opponent's weaknesses and play your best, to out-compete him/her/them.

You never slack off, even if you're ahead, as you can never know what bag of tricks your opponent(s) will pull on you at the last minute - a bag of tricks that will cost you the game (as Jamaica has now learned, the hard way.)

Lesson #2 - Not because people in Jamaica are cheering you on, means that you have won.

Everybody likes winners - only winners names' are put on trophies, only winners go down in history...and that's the sad fact in life and in sports. Nobody remembers second-best.

When I watched the first half of this Football Final, I saw a confident set of young men on the field - young men who were overconfident due to the accolades Jamaicans had thrown at them, for their great performance in these Games.

Young men who were so overconfident, that when they scored the first goal, they didn't look to finish off Ecuador, by scoring a second and a third goal in the first half of the game. This overconfidence cost them the game.

They didn't display the killer instinct that's so necessary to win at sports.

Added to this, Jamaican  coach Wendell Downswell, removed a key attacking player, early in the second half, that took the wind out of the Forward's sails - because Downswell too, lacked the killer instinct needed to win.

[He thought he had the match won with only 1-0 on the board - (Jamaica 1, Ecaudor 0). A very costly mistake for the Jamaican team.]

Hmmmmh!

Let me say the following, to all Jamaican teams and their coaches, whether you be involved in sports or other competitions: please note this Football Final, and note it well!

Lack of strategic thought and action, will cause you to lose games!

If you don't have a game plan and a plan B or plan C, you will lose.

We have to learn to play and have no mercy on our opponents...

We must instill and hone killer instincts in our coaches, athletes and team members...for until we learn to play like this, we will always lose...we will always be second-best!...

Enough said.

Gillian

Advertise Your Job Vacancies on GWAP Job Board!

Employers, Recruiters, do you have job vacancies in your organization (or in your client's organization) that you need filled?

Then why not advertise these on Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog's Job Board?

Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog empowers girls and young women (between ages 12-35) by enabling them to think creatively, and critically, thus enhancing their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

We attract both male and female readers and currently have 3,687 visitors to our site, 69% of which are new and 31% returning.

Our readers come from the following world regions, in the following percentages:

USA = 43%

Canada = 6%

Jamaica = 37%

Rest of the Caribbean = 1%

United Kingdom = 4%

Rest of Europe = 5%

Asia = 4%

We are actively seeking US and US-Territory-based employers/recruiters (including the Armed Forces) who are willing to place ads for jobs that will empower girls and young women (between ages 18-35), in the US and its territories (for now).

Meaning, your jobs should ensure these women's professional and personal development, during their tenure at your organization.

If your job meets this criteria, please don't hesitate to post it on our site.

Please go to the right-hand side of our posts and go to the 3rd section from the top, entitled, "Advertise Your Job Vacancies Here!".

Then click on the "Post a Job" link in the "Recent Jobs" green box and follow the instructions given there.

The special introductory price of $99 for 30 days for each job listing will only last for another 29 more days, so please hurry to get your listing in to take advantage of this special discount. (After this time, the cost will increase to $120 for 30 days.)

GWAP Job Board is powered by Simply Hired.

(Unfortunately, Simply Hired is only powering job searches for US and US-Territory-based employers and recruiters, at this time.)

Thanks in advance.

Gillian Campbell,

Owner, Girl With a Purpose Blog.

Moving On After a Break-Up

 

Breaking up with someone whom you love and care for deeply, is hard...

It hurts like crazy and can feel like your world is coming to an end....

No matter how hard your family and/or friends try to cheer you up, you can't get  this person out of your mind...how the relationship ended, why it ended and how you felt, in better times, when you were around this person - the intimate feelings you shared, the person's smell, their little habits,nuances, gestures, sayings, etc.

These feelings are quite normal when a break-up takes place and it takes time to get over these feelings and then move on with your life.

The grieving process (the time of prolonged sadness and in some cases, regret after a break-up) differs from person to person: for some people it takes weeks, others months and for others, years.

But no matter how long it takes, during the grieving process, you will feel crappy.

I have found, though, that if you allow yourself to grieve properly: to shed the tears, to get angry if you must, and do volunteer work (so as to take the focus off of you) and talk with someone else about how you're feeling, that this jump-starts the healing process.

(The healing process is characterized by less sadness, less concentration on the relationship that has ended and more concentration on developing yourself to be the best person you can be in your spiritual, personal and professional life.)

Here is where the investment in friends,mentors and advisors in whom you can respect and in whose judgement you can trust, pays dividend: For it is from these persons that should seek advice.

Why?

Because these people are more experienced than you are and as such, can guide you based on their own experience and the experience they have gathered from other persons, known to them, over the years.

The healing process doesn't just happen, however...you have to will it to.

You have to, during grieving, realize that life is moving forward around you and will do so, with or without your cooperation.

E.g. your work/schoolwork, will not wait until you have properly healed, to be finished. Your bills won't wait until you're feeling better, to be paid.

Life moves on.

The question you'll have to ask yourself, is, "Will I move on and try experience life to its fullest, or will I deprive myself of a full life by concentrating on the past?"

Furthering your education, or picking up a hobby or a sport you've always wanted to do, is also essential to healing.

It refocuses your mind and energies on mastering a new skill, thus helping you to forget the pain of the relationship that just ended.

After doing this, you will find that healing begins.

Then your prospects in life and your days will look brighter, and you will find that your attitude towards life is more positive.

During the healing process, you will also find that forgiveness of yourself or your former boyfriend, starts to take place, if you allow it to.

But this is not an open door to try to get back into the relationship. The two of you broke up for a reason (or a set of reasons). A reason (or reasons) that need(s) to be properly identified and dealt with.

You need to understand is that it is unwise to go back into a relationship that has ended.

Let me repeat - it is unwise to go back into a relationship that has ended.

Too many people break-up, make up, break-up again and then repeat the cycle. Frankly, this is a waste of your emotions, energy and time.

(The reasons the two of you broke up will still remain, unless the two of you sort your issues out separately and then together and then seek professional help, so that the cycle will not repeat itself.)

You need to make a clean break (leave the previous relationship behind) so that you can move on with your life.

Moving on means that you will be able to look to the future, where your personal development is concerned; to examine why things went wrong in the former relationship and to take corrective action, so that the previous mistakes won't be repeated in your new relationship.

It also allows you the time and presence-of-mind, to re-connect with yourself and rediscover who you are and be comfortable with who you are.

Then and only then,should you consider entering a new relationship.

(Entering a new relationship whilst still having strong feelings for your former boyfriend, is not just emotionally dishonest, it  means that you won't be fully committed to this new relationship and this new relationship will fail as a result. Causing even more heartbreak.)

Only enter a new relationship when the baggage from your former one, has been properly dealt with.

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Well, we've come  to the end of this post...hope it was helpful in providing insights that will enable you to move on after a break-up...

Please let me know if it was, ok?

Gillian