IDK W IDK - Choices 2026

 

It's been well over a year since my last post about my health. And, to borrow from social media, IDK W IDK.

As many of you know, each year I pick a word to concentrate on and this year, that word is, "CHOICES." And you are reading this, thinking, what is the IDK W IDK?"

So, if You Don't Know, "I Don't Know What I Don't Know." Okay, it is not a term that everyone is using. You can always get caught up with all the current social media acronyms, but even that list is a bit dated. I do like to say that "all the kids are using it." I know that is not true, however if I say it enough perhaps it will catch on and others will begin to say it all the time as a social media phenomenon.

I have come to the realization, that  I have absolutely no control over my life. I believe in a higher power and I believe that as I look back over my life, my decisions have always been thwarted beyond my control. 

All I have is my daily choices and how I wish to spend my time.

I had no idea that when I got my Hairy Cell Leukemia (or as I like to call it "Harry Styles Leukemia) diagnosis that it would be complicated by Leukemia Fatigue. 

My choice of CHOICES is all about how do I navigate life when so many things require energy that I do not have.

CHOICES:

One year ago, at the beginning of LENT, (if you don't know, Catholics give things up for LENT - read more about LENT here) I gave up watching the news. I 

do not watch the news and have stayed away from the negativity of the world. Does that mean I am not aware o what is happening? My answer is, "No." I just choose not to watch any news from what one would consider regular news outlets. 

I have also chosen to do things that make me feel joy and fulfillment. I spend over an hour early each morning with my coffee, thoughtful prayer, and contemplation of things that are positive and reaffirming.

Family has become a source of constant focus for myself. I find joy and heartfelt moments in spending time with my family. Yes, we have challenges and things do not go as planned. (Remember when I said I have no control.) Last February, while shaving (I shave in the shower and use touch a great deal to determine what I missed) I was noticing I had a lump in my neck and began to ask my doctors about that. Several months and a biopsy later, they shared I had a slow growth B cell lymphoma. The term "slow growth" means that there is not much to do at this point in time and they will monitor it for development when they can and should do something about it.

Work has become scarce and I do what I can when I can. I adopted the word SHARE, (Not the singer)  this year. I choose a word each year and I wanted to be intentional about sharing my work with others. As a servant leader, "I choose to serve those who lead and serve others." I have been doing that for quite some time and have increased my service this year knowing that it may help others in their work.

I am working on several things from the comfort of my desk and sometimes on my bed with the laptop. There are days where taking a shower is about all I can muster. 

Character at Camp Initiative: I have been working with several camp programs to help them put character and values into their program activities. Take a look at page one for Archery activity program. 

SKOOL: Have you seen this platform? It took me a while to find the right platform to post my courses. My SKOOL community is Servant Leadership At Camp. It is Free to join and I have 11 free courses plus several fee based courses with more on the way. I have been writing for years and with SHARE (not the singer) being my word this year, SKOOL is a great place to SHARE (not the singer) those courses. I have adapted my John Maxwell Leadership training with my work from camp, to offer several fee based courses to help serve the next generation of camp leadership.

I do not have a timeline for all of it since fatigue steps in. I do it because someone (several folks really) instilled in me that "I am here just to serve."

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Happy Anniversary - Serving From The Heart

 1 Year of Serving From The Heart!
Faith-Driven Stories and Transformative Strategies
for Servant Leadership and Lasting Impact

One year ago we launched a book that inspires leaders to serve with courage, resilience, and love. Thank you for being part of this journey!

365 days fly by and what has moved me most isn’t the rankings or recognition, it’s the conversations.

The emails, the stories, the quiet moments when someone tells me they tried leading differently because of something they read. I had some of the best conversations at the book signing events. 

This book was never about being a bestseller; it was about being a better servant.

After decades of working alongside young leaders, volunteers, and professionals, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about authority, it’s about responsibility. It’s about showing up, listening well, and helping others grow. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has read, shared, and lived this message. 

The journey continues, and my commitment remains the same: to serve first, to lead with heart, and to help develop Leaders for Life.

Grab your copy and continue leading with heart.

This book exists because of readers, leaders, mentors, and servants who believe leadership is a calling, not a title.

Thank you for reading, listening, sharing, and living this message.

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Serving From The Heart - One Message

 

One message. Many ways to experience it.

Serving From The Heart continues to reach leaders who want to make a lasting impact by serving others well.

“Simply put, culture is how we work together every day. What has been great about this project is that we approach the book from 8 different backgrounds and fields to provide servant leadership no matter where you find yourself.”

I loved the process from my co-authors and how we all come from different backgrounds (medical, military, family business, education, etc.) and how we all found our way to servant leadership.

I would love to hear from you. Let’s talk about service.

What’s one way servant leadership has shaped your life, work, or faith?

(Comment below)

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Here is a synopsis of the book: Serving From The Heart

Faith-Driven Stories and Transformative Strategies for Servant Leadership and Lasting Impact

Co-Authors: Tricia Andreassen, Coni Myers, Al Ferreira, Wendy Gunn, Natalie Martin, Jacklyn Nagle, Cindy Craig Hall, Garret Milby, and Karen Storey

Transform Your Leadership. Inspire Change. Leave a Legacy.

Unlock the power of servant leadership to create lasting impact in your life, business, and community.

What if this book could be the key to making significant shifts in how you lead and live, changing lives forever?

By embracing a leadership style rooted in empathy, humility, and the empowerment of others, you can inspire trust, build meaningful connections, and lead with purpose.

Serving From The Heart: Faith-Driven Stories and Transformative Strategies for Servant Leadership and Lasting Impact is a transformative collection of insights from diverse leaders who have reshaped their organizations and communities. This book combines candid storytelling with actionable strategies, showing you how to lead authentically and intentionally.

Discover how to:

• Transform your leadership by leading with empathy and purpose.

• Empower others to thrive and achieve their full potential.

• Overcome setbacks through faith, resilience, and courage.

• Inspire trust and connection through authentic, impactful leadership.

• Build a legacy that reflects your values and uplifts others.

Whether you’re an experienced leader, an aspiring change-maker, or someone passionate about serving others, this book will equip you with the tools to lead with clarity, confidence, and heart.

Step into the stories, embrace the strategies, and become the leader you were meant to be.

Serving From The Heart - "Me a Bestseller?"

I never set out to write a bestseller. I set out to write something useful. Something leaders could live, not just read.

I’m deeply grateful to every reader who helped this message travel farther than I ever imagined.

Honored to join Live Life Unstoppable and FOX59 (as well as a few dozen more) to talk about youth development, servant leadership, and why leading from the heart matters now more than ever.

This message isn’t just for leaders — it’s for anyone who influences others.

Explore the book & audiobook:

#MediaFeature #LeadershipConversations #YouthDevelopment #ServeFirst

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

 

Serving From The Heart - Now on Audible (And Kindle)

 

Prefer to listen while you lead?

Serving From The Heart is now available as an audiobook on Audible — perfect for commutes, walks, or quiet reflection time.

Same heart. Same stories. Same leadership lessons — just spoken.

▶️ Listen here:

#AudiobookLife #LeadershipOnTheGo #ServantLeadership #FaithAndLeadership

Leadership lessons don’t always happen at a desk.

Serving From The Heart is now reaching leaders through audio — during commutes, walks, and moments of reflection.

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Serving from The Heart - The Why

              

                       

Why this book?

Because after 45 summers working with young leaders, I’ve seen one truth repeat itself:
Leadership grows fastest when it starts with service.

This book was written for those who lead quietly, faithfully, and with heart.

Serving From The Heart reached #1 Best Seller status, not because of hype, but because the message resonated with leaders who believe serving others is the highest form of leadership.

Thank you to every reader who shared, gifted, and lived out these principles.

Haven’t read it yet? Start here:

https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

#GratefulLeader #BestsellingAuthor #ServantLeader #LeadershipWithPurpose

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Serving From The Heart - The Book That Started It All

 

One year ago, this message was released into the world.

Serving From The Heart was written to remind leaders that impact doesn’t come from position — it comes from purpose, humility, and service.

From camps and classrooms to churches and boardrooms, this book continues to spark meaningful conversations about faith-driven servant leadership.

Learn more or grab a copy here:

#ServingFromTheHeart #ServantLeadership #LeadWithHeart #FaithDrivenLeadership

It has all been surreal.

I paused before turning the page, not expecting to see my own face looking back at me. There I was (standing outside with autumn leaves behind me) under a headline about servant leadership and a new local author. So very surreal, seeing decades of experiences reduced to neat columns of print.

My eyes skimmed the rankings and accolades, but my mind wandered somewhere else entirely. I wasn’t thinking about bestseller lists. I was thinking about a fifteen-year-old camper who finally found his voice. A camp leader who stayed late to listen when no one else would. The quiet moments when leadership wasn’t announced, it was practiced.

One quote caught my attention, pulled into bold italics. It talked about remembering how people feel. I nodded without realizing it. That had always been the lesson. Long before this book existed, before the rankings and recognition, leadership had been about presence, care, and responsibility for others.

I imagined someone else folding the paper, maybe on their way to work, maybe over breakfast. I wondered if they’d see the heart on the book cover, made up of so many small figures and recognize themselves in it. Not as someone in charge, but as someone who influences others every day.

I set the paper down carefully. This wasn’t a finish line. It was a marker along the path.

The real story continues wherever people choose to serve first. And tomorrow, like every day before it, I’ll keep showing up, ready to listen, ready to learn, and ready to lead from the heart.

Click here to enroll in Servant Leadership SKOOL:

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira