I vividly remember the first time I saw Star Wars in 1977. My older brother had already seen the film, so my mom took me for a mother-daughter outing. When we arrived at the theater, the line stretched around the block.  At that point in my young life, (I was six) the only other time I had seen such a line was at the entrance to Disneyland. So I knew it was going to be good.

I was mesmerized from the start – family loyalty, alien beings, beloved robots, light sabers, the powerful and brilliant Princess Leia, good vs evil, the will to never give up.

All these years later, Star Wars continues to captivate people of all ages. Beyond the creative characters, groundbreaking special effects and incessant marketing, Star Wars inspires us because, at its core, it is about everyday leadership. It is about a group of everyday people who become heroes by standing up for what they believe in, even when it seems impossible to make change. Star Wars reminds us that we can each make a difference by believing in our inner power and by holding on to what is best in us. 

In other words, you don’t have to be a Jedi Master to be an everyday leader. Each of us has our own way of leading and making the world a better place. Everyday leadership is in the way we interact with each other and the way we see the potential in ourselves and others. 

Here are some of my inner powers:

• My inner power is respecting others and seeing the best in them
• My inner power is connecting and communicating with empathy
• My inner power is clarity of thought, purpose and action
• My inner power is joy and laughter.

What are your inner powers?