Favorite Things: Books

When I'm not writing I can usually be found with my nose in a book.  I love to read, and winter is the time of year when I am able to catch up on my book addiction since the weather here in New York isn't always the most favorable.  What better way to spend a snow day or a frigid night than curled up with a mug of hot cocoa and a compelling page-turner?

I'm currently reading "The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.  The authors describe the book as follows:  "we explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate us and change us—and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work."

I'm really enjoying this book because it's chock full of practical advice and examples of how we can create amazing moments which benefit others (and ourselves in the process).   When I stop and think on it, serving others creates many such experiences.  The act of helping another person, showing compassion and caring, making someone feel that they are important, that they are not alone, is life changing.  Community service and giving create many moments just like these for the beneficiaries and the volunteers.  I highly recommend reading "The Power of Moments" and I will definitely incorporate some of these ideas in my day to day work.

What are some of your favorite books? Share below in comments!

PS - Have some old books around the house that are gently used?  Consider donating them to this awesome nonprofit:  www.thebookfairies.org

STARS

The holiday season is upon us. It’s a time of giving, and so naturally our awareness of non-profits and those in need is heightened during this time of the year. Holidays help shine a light on the many people who are in need of assistance, but it’s important to remember that our non-profits work tirelessly throughout the year to enrich the quality of life for so many in the communities where we live and work.   They accomplish amazing things but are very humble about it.  These organizations “fly under the radar” most of the time with virtually no recognition for their effort. 

Today’s blog post is dedicated to honoring all of the men and women (past and present) who work and volunteer as staff in the non-profit world.   These unsung heroes are champions for the greater good.   Or perhaps it’s more fitting to call them stars.  I say that not for the obvious reason, which is that they are top-notch at what they do; but because the star has a deeper symbolism for me.    

I think of a star as a symbol of hope.  When we see a bright star twinkling in the night sky our first thought is to make a wish.  We wish for something that is important to us, and we hope that our wish comes true.  I also associate stars with guidance.  For centuries, captains of vessels looked to the stars to help navigate their ships through uncharted waters.  They used the North Star to guide them safely to their destination.  Finally, I think of stars in terms of stability.  When we see that a business or establishment receives a five star rating we feel confident doing business with them because those stars indicate that they are dependable.  We know that we will be treated well and we’ll receive excellent service.

Hope.  Guidance.  Stability.  Excellent service.  All of these things are what our non-profits provide to the people and communities they serve every day.  So while they are champions, it is fitting that they should also be called stars. 

A heartfelt “thank you” to all of the non-profit organizations helping to make our communities a better place to live.  We are grateful for your commitment to creating impactful and lasting change in the global community. 

SHINE ON!

Moments

Moments define our lives.  Special moments.  Unforgettable moments.  They can change us, move us, inspire us.  Volunteering provides us with many of these.   Serving others has the power to transform our lives, and the world.  Volunteer today.  Follow the link below to find an opportunity in your area.

www.volunteermatch.org

A Happy Little Secret

You know that old saying, “happiness comes from within”? The topic of self-love and its connection to a fulfilling life has been the subject of many a self-help book and countless articles over the years.  Being happy with ourselves promotes happy and healthy relationships with others.  It also contributes to our self-confidence, which in turn contributes to success in our personal and professional lives.  

Now I know what you’re thinking – “easier said than done”.   Sure, it sounds great in theory but it’s a lot harder in practice.  I get it.  We’re human after all, and life isn’t perfect.  Far from it.  It can be tough to love yourself sometimes.  Maybe it’s a battle with low self-esteem.  It's hard to feel good about ourselves if we don’t have confidence in our abilities.  Or maybe it’s feelings of inferiority: “I wish I was as popular as her”, “why can’t I be as confident as that guy?”, “I’ll never amount to anything”.  And then there’s that little (big) thing that we’ve all pondered at some point -- our life's purpose. “Why am I here?”, “am I important?”, “do I matter to anyone?”

Indeed, loving yourself is very important in building healthy relationships.  But what if I told you that the key to a truly fulfilling and joyful life is NOT inside of you?   You read that right.  The key to happiness is not inside of you.  If it is happiness that you seek, you need to look outside of yourself.  There is mounting evidence that the secret to a truly joyful and purpose-driven life is found in service to others.

The great news is that there are many ways to serve in your community.  You can volunteer with any of the hundreds of organizations right in your city or neighborhood.   They can sure use the help.  But before you sign up, take a moment to think about the following things:

1.     What skills or talent do you possess that can help others? 

In other words, what are you really, really good at and how can you put that skill to use in making someone’s life better?  (More on skills-based volunteering in my next blog post)

2.     What are you passionate about?

Every act of service is important and will leave you feeling great afterwards; but volunteering for a cause that really speaks to you kicks that feeling up a few notches from happiness to bliss.

Serving others creates a sense of purpose in our lives; and a purpose-driven life is a happy life.  We see the world differently when we feel good about the direction our life is headed in.  Our perspective changes for the better.  The way we view ourselves changes, too.  We're more confident and we just feel good about ourselves. 

TIME.com published an article in August of this year that delves deeper into the connection between volunteerism and a life of happiness.  The article is entitled "The Secret to Happiness is Helping Others".  Spread the word!

Happy Sunday.

United in Service

Volunteering unites us in a way that few other activities can.  Joining together to assist others who are in need reminds us of our humanity.  When we volunteer, we set aside our differences and focus on a greater purpose – to come to the aid of our fellow brothers and sisters.  Volunteering reminds us that we are one human family.  

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities for the upcoming National Day of Service in commemoration of the September 11 anniversary, or to assist with relief efforts in areas affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, go to the following website:

www.volunteermatch.org

Search by city or by cause to find opportunities near you.

Finding Our Purpose (and Happiness) Through Giving

"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give." – Eleanor Roosevelt

I’ve written before about the many benefits of giving, both for the beneficiaries and the giver.  The feeling of happiness we experience when we volunteer.  The sense of purpose and a connection to "something bigger" than ourselves when we contribute to a cause or help others in need.  There is medical evidence that giving creates chemical changes in the brain which activate the brain's reward center, resulting in higher levels of energy and overall feeling of happiness.  

I want to share another article written by Alice Walton, Forbes contributor and Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience PhD, that supports these findings.  The article talks about recent studies which provide more evidence that giving has real, tangible benefits to our overall health.   It also contains links to other studies that have shown that living a life of purpose promotes overall well-being and happiness.  The data suggests that purpose in life is associated with better memory and overall cognition as we get older.  Here’s the link to the article, entitled "The Science of Giving Back".  Enjoy!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/07/10/the-science-of-giving-back-how-having-a-purpose-is-good-for-body-and-brain/#4683974a6146

In The Beginning....

I guess you could say that I was always drawn to charitable causes and helping others. I credit my mother and grandmother with my passion for community service, as they were always putting the needs of others before their own. My mother, Jane, has always been a very giving person. I remember many times as a child hearing her say that you should perform random acts of kindness and lend a hand to those who need it most. My grandmother, Angelina, was a very religious woman. A Roman Catholic by birth, she attended Sunday mass every week and would spend most of her days reciting the rosary.

One of the fondest memories I have of my “Nonna” was when I found her reciting her prayers one day in her apartment. I asked her why she was always praying, because it seemed to me that she was never without her rosary beads. I remember joking with her that if she couldn’t get into Heaven with all the praying she’d done over the years, then surely there was no hope for the rest of us. She replied, “I’m not praying for myself, I’m praying for our family.” When I asked why, she said, “I know how busy everyone is with work and life, and that you may not have the time to pray. So I am doing it for you.” My grandmother passed away in 1993, and those words still resonate with me today. To me, it’s the perfect example of selflessness. That she would spend her entire day praying for the benefit of others and not herself amazed me.

Fast forward to 2004. I had been at my company for eight years. While we had always been a giving organization, our philanthropy was focused mainly on making charitable donations to a number of local nonprofits. Most of our donations were made out of our corporate headquarters. The leadership in our other locations oversaw charity donations to their local nonprofits, but no one owned the overall effort, and there wasn’t a strategy or plan around it.

In the midst of this donation program, a small group of employees at our headquarters was taking it upon themselves to coordinate events aimed at boosting employee morale. One day, the Senior VP of Human Resources, who was my manager at the time, asked us in a staff meeting if anyone would be interested in representing HR on this volunteer team. I raised my hand and with that became the HR representative.  

It was the beginning of an amazing and rewarding journey  -- from "A Million Dollars In Change:  How to Engage Your Employees, Attract Top Talent, and Make the World a Better Place" (January 2018 release)

Myth Busting

Myth: You need to invest a lot of money in a workplace giving program to do it right.

This is the biggest myth I’ve heard about starting a workplace giving program, and it's at the heart of why I wrote A Million Dollars In Change.   The perception that you need to make a significant dollar investment to launch a program that will make a difference is simply false. You can actually launch your program with little to no investment and still make an impact in your community. How do I know? Because that’s exactly what I did.  And now I want to pay it forward by showing you how you can do it, too.

Fundraisers and events like clothing and food drives cost your company nothing, and still benefit nonprofits and the people they serve.  Not to mention the good will it fosters among your employees.  Organizing a volunteer effort is also a no- or low-cost activity that drives engagement, generates happiness, and helps to make the world a better place.   Everyone wins! 

Repeat after me:  There is no such thing as “not good enough” when it comes to giving. 

So now that I've dispelled that myth, it’s time to start planning your reality: how you’ll help your company create a million dollars’ worth of change (without spending a million)!  Are you ready to engage your employees, attract top talent to your company, and make the world a better place?  Great!

Sign up today to receive email alerts and information on special offers so that you can be among the first to order a copy of A Million Dollars In Change when it's released in January 2018!