Episode 56: You Matter with Angela Maiers

No one can be empowered and motivated by being seen by another person as needy, they are only empowered when you see them as needed. That changed Angela Maeirs’ whole life. The concept of mattering isn’t about saying you matter to make someone feel good, it is you have something that someone in the world needs and a moral obligation to fulfill that destiny.

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About Angela

Angela founded the global movement, Choose2Matter in 2014, with a singular mission to help

individuals recognize their value and potential contribution to change both their own lives and

the world. The non-profit organization grew out of the impassioned response to a TEDxTalk she

gave on the power of two simple words that went viral. YOU MATTER! An educator for 30

years, Angela has shared her message of Mattering not only with students and teachers, but

with businesses large and small and organizations of all kinds. Her work has been shared in

78,000 classrooms across 100 countries that has rallied more than a million children. Angela Maiers is considered one of today’s most influential thought leaders in education and transformative thinking.

Courage Up Moment

Angela went to the local university when she was a senior in high school. She loved all of the sciences, she thought she wanted to be a doctor. In order to put herself through college, she worked four jobs. All four jobs had to do with children and families. Every time she would come back and tell her advisor/professor about the great experiences she had working with kids and families and he asked Angela what she was doing. What was her life going to look like as a doctor? She knew. She quit her med school journey and started taking classes to to be a teacher.

Impact of the Courage Up Momemt

She had to go to more school because she was supposed to go to medical school. She didn’t know that your passion, energy, and purpose intersect. After making the choice to be a teacher, she has taught Kindergarten and taught every grade from preschool through grad school, and in almost every role. Every role as an educator, it lit her heart on fire. She never envisioned herself being a speaker, but when she's passionate and convicted of what those core values are, it doesn’t seem like speaking is a job for her.

You Matter

It was such a part of her vocabulary for every year she taught. What she realized was when she worked with families and children, she had this complex “I’m going to save you” She thought she was going to be that savior, and she soon found out, no one can be empowered and motivated by being seen by another person as needy, they are only empowered when you see them as needed. That changed her whole life. The concept of mattering isn’t about saying you matter to make someone feel good, it is you have something that someone in the world needs and a moral obligation to fulfill that destiny.

To see someone change in the moment they realize they matter, they really get to a moment to say I am worthy, I have something, I have value. It’s a miracle moment.

Building You Matter

Don’t underestimate these two words. They trigger something at the DNA and soul level.

Close your eyes. Hear these words.

I couldn’t have done it without you ___.
___ I so appreciate your presence in my life.
Our community is so grateful to have you.
___ you matter.

Conditions of Being Human

Desire to be seen by another person
Deserve to be heard as human beings
Valued and know that value.
To know that you are needed by another person.
To know that you are essential.

We have the power to change the environment and relationships through these conditions of being human.

Mattering- Internal vs. External

It’s an inside out job. I can’t make you matter. Matter is a choice. We carefully create the conditions for mattering. The ultimate desire for a human being is significance.