Budget for better lives

Today's challenge:
Make a budget. Pay-day will be coming around soon and that means we have to pay bills, buy gifts for loved ones and buy groceries, but what about helping someone who desperately needs it. Today, I would like to encourage you. As you sit down to figure out how to manage your money wisely, consider putting aside 5-15 dollars a month to pledge to a charity of your choice. Maybe there's a specific crisis that you're interested in ( e.g. the Darfur genocide, the Iraqi mothers and children, the aids epidemic in Africa, or a cause in your home town), help those affected by giving a minute percentage of your income to improve their lives. Today's challenge is different from Sunday's because it involves making a conscious choice to provide consistent support. I'm going to make my budget today...good luck with yours!

Ponder this...

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being. "

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

As an educator, nothing makes more sense to me or encourages me more than this quote. Let's face it, some people's personalities are just plain difficult to deal with. And we often don't feel like we have the patience to deal with it and it just becomes easier to write someone off and go about our business.

Today's challenge:
When someone upsets you and you're on the verge of telling them off, just think of this quote and pretend that the unpleasant encounter never happened and reply with something unexpectedly nice. You'll feel better that you didn't fly off the handle and that person will wonder what's wrong with you...and themselves.

Lean on Me

Oops, I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I had the sweetest encounter with an elderly lady. I was on my way home from my weekly shopping trip to the grocery store when I came across a bent over, 80-something old woman with a cane. Each step seemed like a great feat for her, but the effort obviously tired her. So, I stopped for a second to ask if she was okay and she immediately stretched out her hand. I reached out mine, surprised that she was so trusting of a complete stranger, and she gripped with all her might. She was going to the pharmacy around the corner (a 2 minute walk for me) to pick up her medication, but a combination of the slight incline of the sidewalk, the cold weather and the 20 mph winds aggravated her asthma. So, I walked her to the pharmacy. The trip took about 7-8 minutes because a half step for me was an arduous one for her and she needed to stop to catch her breath a few times. When we got to the pharmacy, the man behind the counter assured me that someone would help her home. I didn't find out her name, but I'll never forget her grip on my hand or the way her face lit up when I offered to help her. Plus, this encounter reminded me to cherish my youthful energy.

So, I suppose your challenge for today is:

Ask someone if they need help crossing the street, lifting groceries into the trunk, etc. They might politely decline your offer or they might really appreciate it. It sounds so simple and cliche, but we often just walk on by unaware that people really do need your help.

Start with "hello"

Almost everyone has had an unresolved falling out with someone that was close to them. Or maybe you just lost touch with an old friend and you often think, "I wonder how she / he is doing?" but you've been too busy to find out.


Monday's challenge:
Take the first step to reconnecting with persons that once meant so much to you. Call and tell them they've been on your mind and you just wanted to check in. They'll appreciate the gesture.

Splurge on Someone's Life: Help Jakarta's Flood Victims

Did you hear about the recent floods in Jakarta, Indonesia that killed more than 60 people and made hundreds of thousands people homeless? Jakarta residents are living in terrible conditions where slowly receding, contaminated water surrounds them and some have been infected by a disease spread by rats.

Sunday's challenge:
Read the following article, then see how you can help:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/09/world/asia/09cnd-indo.html


Make a donation here:
http://www.mercycorps.org/

At MercyCorps, you can make a donation for as large or small of an amount as you would like. Yes, even 5 dollars from your bank account, if that's all you have to spare, would be greatly appreciated. But if you can afford it, 15 dollars would provide an entire family with critical supplies. Splurge on someone's life today. (This is not an endorsement of any one charitable organization; you may support any relief effort of your choice.)

Smiles really are contagious

Ever come across someone who just looks like they're having a terrible day? Their facial muscles are screwed tight, they're slumped over with weariness, or they might even treat you unkindly (think: the teller at the bank, the person behind the counter at the convenience store). Have you ever wondered, "What's your problem?"

Saturday's challenge:
Make a complete stranger smile. Look them in the eyes, ask them how their day is going and actually listen to what they have to say. Then leave them with words of encouragement. They'll appreciate that someone - anyone - took the time to ask...and actually cared enough to stick around to listen. Then be sure to let me know how it went!

Be sure to check back for tomorrow's challenge...Peace!

The difference between thinking and being

When you have a thought, you invite the possibility for action into your life. But if that thought lies dormant in your mind, it soon withers away. On the other hand, when you act upon and bring to life your original thought, you enter into the world of being. And it is in the world of being that you effect change. Your thoughts are the most precious and powerful possession you own because no one else can claim it. You own the copyright. Therefore, the next time you think, "Why doesn't someone do A, B or C?" it's because no one's ever thought of it in exactly the same way you have. Therefore, it is your calling to take that thought and act on it. To think about it and be about it!

THINKing + BEing = CHANGE

simple huh?