Birthday Tweet-a-thon a Success

I just turned another year older and spent the day raising over $500 in support of Eye Care 4 Kids in partnership with http://www.12for12k.org/. It warmed my heart to see the community support as 25 people donated between $5 and $50 each to arrive at the daily total. All of this money was raised through communication using Twitter. If you’ve had any questions about the power of social media, think again. It is truly a powerful communication tool which gives you the ability to send short messages to a global audience in seconds.

As announced throughout the Tweet-a-thon, each person who donated money to the cause received one raffle ticket for every $12 donated. Then, numbers were assigned to each person based on the number of tickets received and winners were chosen by random selection using http://www.random.org/.

The winners of the raffle were:
Pink Biwa Pearl Earrings (provided by Phyllis Mufson)

Michael Anne Gomez

EZ EZines newletter template (provided by Tracey Del Camp)

H. Arora

One Page Blogsite (provided by Aletha McManama)

Linda Freedland

1 hour editing services (provided by Gina LaGuardia)

Susan Poirier

1000 Full Color Business Cards (provided by iGoByDoc)

Stephen Moline

Men Who Make a Difference Telesummit VIP Pkg (provided by Suzanne Evans)

Jon Aston

Webinar Speakers Coaching Pkg (provided by Roger Courville)

Susan Poirier

The Virtual Presenter’s Handbook (provided by Roger Courville)
Alicia J. Moore, Michael Anne Gomez and Tim Walker

$100 Website credit (provided by Katie M Designs)
Felicia Slattery and Mark Lovett

25% off Coaching Services at Noomi (provided by Stephen Wiedner)
Linda Freedland, Susan Poirier, HN Reisinger

All winners will be contacted shortly. Contact information for the winners is being given to the people who provided prizes who will contact the winners directly. Thanks again!

Tweet-a-thon today July 31 to raise money for Eye Care 4 Kids - Come Join Me

Earlier this month, Seth Godin pointed out that not everyone wants presents, cake and ice cream for their birthday. This got me to thinking...since my birthday was coming up how would I want people to celebrate. Immediately I thought of helping the community. Every month it seems I am raising funds or collecting donations for one organization or other and I have been doing this since I was a child. So, for this birthday I am including my entire community and hopefully more, to raise funds for http://www.eyecare4kids.org/ which is the chosen charity for July by http://www.12for12k.org/. Because Eye Care 4 Kids provides professional eye care to visually-impaired children in need and several people in my family have required medical intervention to see normally, I thought this was the perfect cause and timing.

Here’s my story:
Eye sight care is important to me because I have had to wear glasses for as long as I can remember. As a young girl I couldn’t even catch a ball because my vision was so bad yet after receiving the proper eye care, I was able to become an all-star junior athlete in several sports. I know that eye exams and eyeglasses can easily cost hundreds of dollars per year. My son had strabismus (cross-eyes) so severely that he required months of doctor care, specialized glasses, eye patches and surgery to improve his vision. While the surgery, which would have cost tens of thousands of dollars without insurance, didn’t totally correct his vision, he now looks normal but will still have to wear glasses for the rest of his life. Both of our cases were probably genetically linked because my father required surgery as a young boy to improve his vision as well. Because of my personal experience I believe everyone should be able to have good vision so that they may find success in their own lives.

How you can help:

It's very simple - Between the hours of 11:00am and 9:00pm Eastern today, make a donation using the ChipIn widget below. You'll get a tax receipt from Eye Care 4 Kids as well as an automatic entry into the drawing. We'll do the rest for you.

For every $12 you donate you get one entry into the drawing for the prizes on this page. All you need to do is follow the #12for12k hashtag on Twitter to keep up with what’s happening

Thanks for your support, and let’s help children get the eye care they need.

Prizes
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Donated by Tweep: Katiemdesigns
$100 Gift certificate ($100 value)
http://www.katiemdesigns.com/

* 2 will be raffled off separately

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Donated by Tweep: suzanneevans
Men Who Make A Difference Telesummit VIP package - PDF transcripts plus CDs of all 5 calls shipped to your door. Listen, or read along, as these five superstar marketers teach you how to make money and make a difference. ($99 value)
http://www.helpmorepeople.com/

—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: 1080group (Roger Courville)
Webinar Speaker’s Coaching & Moderating package: one hour of coaching for a speaker and/or team to help them optimize their presentation and skills for delivering an interactive and engaging web seminar, includes live moderation of the event ($750 value)
http://www.thevirtualpresenter.com/

—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: 1080group (Roger Courville)
The Virtual Presenter’s Handbook ($25 value)
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/773580

—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: Gina LaGuardia
One hour’s worth of editorial services ($100 value)
http://www.ginalaguardia.com/

—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: Aletha McManama
One page blogsite design ($200 value)
http://www.wordpresstowebsite.com/

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Donated by Tweep: traceydelcamp
EZ EZines Template ($149 value)
http://www.ezezines.com/


—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: noomii (Stephan Wiedner)
25% off 1 year of coaching services ($57-$177 value depending on package chosen)
http://www.noomii.com/
This will be given to any coach who donates $50 or more during the Tweet-a-thon.

—————————————-
Donated by Tweep: phyllismufson
Luminous Pink Biwa Pearl Earrings ($25 value)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9871362

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Donated by Tweep: iGoByDoc (Darin Berntson)
1000 Full Color Business Cards ($99 value)
http://www.igobydoc.com/

—————————————-

Donated by Tweep: dannybrown
Full premium WordPress Package Setup ($800 value)
http://dannybrown.me/twitter

This will be given to anyone who donates $100+ provided domain and host is also purchased through Danny Brown.

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Adaptability – Ideas on Managing Life’s Unexpected Events

Chances are you won’t get what you want or where you want to go without changing course at least once. Let’s face it, life throws us “curve balls”. Some examples of life’s “curve balls” include job loss, chronic illness, unexpected pregnancies, relocation, major injury, traumatic events and unplanned financial burdens. It’s not a good idea to think these things won’t happen to you because at least one of them to some degree likely will. So how do you prepare for it? If it happens, how do you cope? The key lies in how adaptable are you.

Successful people will tell you they have not been immune to life’s “curve balls”. They have learned how to deal with them and in many cases use such unexpected events to create the life they want. Remember the phrase “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade?”

Here are a few ideas on ways to handle life’s “curve balls”:

Losing your job
- Re-examine what really matters to you and find ways to create new income in a job or business that you are passionate about
- Travel to places you have always yearned to go
- Spend time volunteering in your community for causes you believe in

Chronic Illness or Sudden Injury
- Identify your strengths
- Determine how you can use your strengths to bring personal fulfillment
- Be realistic about your limitations
- Believe you are not defined by your illness
- Ask for help and support from those around you
- Be grateful for what you do have

Relocation
- Be prepared. Create lists of things that need to be done and take notes of conversations.
- If possible, visit the new location to get a feel for the types of housing available, associated costs, schooling available, etc.
- Moving is a great time to purge unwanted items that you have accumulated. Take time to go through things as you pack. Donate, sell or give away your unwanted items.

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list but it should serve as a reminder that with any change in life, there are options. The options may not appear immediately but they do exist. There is no right way to do anything. Find a way that works for you to handle life’s “curve balls” without losing your spirit or personality. Once you have some success and feel more confident in your ability to adapt to change, it becomes easier to take on bigger changes in life.

I have faced more rough patches in life than I ever dreamed of including chronic illness, my father’s cancers, childrens’ surgeries, an ADHD child, caring for a grandparent with dementia, single parenthood, medical issues with my mother and moving more than 12 times and several job changes. Through it all, others have admired my courage and tenacity. I now use the skills learned and the knowledge gained from my own personal skills to help others who are experiencing difficulties living the life they want. So, know that you are not alone and there is always support. I truly believe that there has been a purpose in everything I have been through. Everything brings with it an opportunity to learn, you just need to be open to the learning.

What have you been through? What did you learn that could be useful to others? Feel free to share through the comments on this blog. If you would like to talk with me about possible support in your journey, feel free to contact me.

7 Ideas for Building a Stronger Community

If you haven’t figured it out by now, building strong communities through involvement by all is a big deal for me. I was fortunate to grow up in a city at a time when everyone knew each other and helped each other out. It was a great place to grow up. Unfortunately, such a small-town feel seems to be a rarity these days. Can you imagine how much better daily life would be if positive news was spread more rapidly than negative or depressing stories and people were happy to congregate in their front yards and porches again? It is certainly something I would like my children to experience in their life times. This goal may seem to be a long way off, but taking small steps consistently toward the environment you want can make a big difference.

Here are some suggestions for making a positive difference in the lives around you:
1) Take a few minutes to talk to a neighbor you have seen and maybe smiled at but never shared a conversation.
2) Walk around the block or through a nearby park. You may meet people you would never have met otherwise.
3) Research local organizations looking for volunteers. Volunteer Match can be a good resource for finding local opportunities.
4) Subscribe to a local newspaper. You will learn of upcoming local events you could attend and businesses looking for customers.
5) Check out reviews on Yelp to find local businesses recommended by others. I have found a great massage therapist, many delicious restaurants and a place for alterations through this site.
6) Start a neighborhood watch program. Contact your local police department to find out how. Officers are usually available to come out and speak to your neighborhood group on a variety of topics.
7) Hold a community garage sale. Pass flyers out before the planned day, ask everyone in the neighborhood to participate and coordinate advertising on Craigslist as well as local papers.

Connections are vitally important. Everyone wants to feel they belong somewhere. Go out of your way to build at least one connection today and everyday. You will be so glad that you did.

If you have other ideas for building stronger communities, please share them. Thanks!

My New Year's Resolutions - A three month review

In January I blogged about some creative intentions I was incorporating into my list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2009. These creative intentions were set with the idea of taking care of myself so that I would have enough energy to enjoy time spent with my friends and family. Since we are now 25% of the way through the year I thought it would be a good idea to revisit my list. These first three months have seemingly gone by very quickly so I am interested to see if I did better than I think.

Here is a recap with a progress report on each:

1) Download one new song to my iPOD weekly, preferably something not played on the radio every day.
I identified 6 songs I wanted to download but haven’t gone so far as to add them to my iPOD yet. Not quite what I was going for, but I did make some progress.

2) Try out one new recipe per month.
Woops, I forgot about this one! I did flag several recipes in a cookbook to try. You may see the picture as proof. I just didn’t actually cook any of them.

3) Spend time in nature once per month.
I am on track here. In January, I ate lunch by the lake at a park. In February, we took a family trip to the beach. A trip to the Oakland Zoo was the choice for March.

4) Play soccer once per week.
This has also been accomplished, except for one week I sat out due to a sprained ankle. Several times I played two games in the same week.

5) Volunteer with three or more organizations.
Currently, I am spreading the word about 12for$12K. Until March I was a tutor with Reading Partners but had to end the weekly commitment when the hours at my job changed. Later in the year I will support The Family Giving Tree as I do every year.

6) Smile and laugh as much as possible.
Being around my children and following some very humorous people on Twitter have made this an easy accomplishment. Laughter has been a daily event for weeks now and I am so much better for it.

How are you doing on your list of goals or resolutions for 2009? If you didn’t create a list previously, spend 30 minutes of your time creating a list of things you would like to accomplish and places you would like to visit this year. Then spend some time figuring out how to fit the things you want to do and places you want to visit into your calendar.

In the next few weeks, I will be posting some thoughts on calendaring for families so be sure to check back for additional ideas.

4 Steps to Living Within Your Limits

You may have noticed I haven’t posted in the past few weeks. While my goal is to post once per week at a minimum, life has gotten in the way recently. Looking back over last week I cannot believe how much I accomplished given some real time constraints but I am not so sure it was a good thing. My body is revolting against me and now when I really want to sleep, I cannot because I have to be at work. So, I ask myself Did everything need to happen last week? What could I have done differently?

No, everything did not have to happen last week but I chose what I thought was important at the time. Yes, I could have done some things differently. Should I have? That’s unclear. What I did realize is that my normal practice for how I balance my time and schedule went out the window for a few days and I am now paying the price in muscle aches, a chest cold and a general lack of clarity. It has served as a reminder that my “usual” schedule was created after testing the limits and deciding how much time I need to allocate to certain areas of my life in order to feel balanced. Ignore the schedule, even a little bit, and I am likely to suffer in some way. The penalty for such changes may be illness, an unhappy spouse or children who will no longer obey the family rules.

Each of us has our limits. Here are some ideas for determining what your limits are and how to still make progress toward your goals on a consistent basis:

1. Recognize your limits.
Unfortunately, often the only way to determine a limit comes after we have crossed it and realize such activity needs to be scaled back. Are you feeling more tired than usual? Do you not have enough time in the day? Increasing awareness may be needed to start to recognize where you expect or do too much within a given timeframe.

2. Identify how you have been spending your time.
Is the bulk of your time being spent on things that matter to you or in support of your goals? If not, how can things be shifted to better support your priorities? Sometimes you realize something is missing, such as a hobby, physical activity or quality time with friends and time needs to be created for it.

3. Devise a formula for planning your time.
Spend some time thinking about what you need in your life. For those things that you need, how much time do you need to spend in each area to feel fulfilled?

For example, your formula might look like:
Work - 6 hours per day/5 days per week
Family time – 3 hours per week
Eating – 3 hours per day/7 days per week
Physical activity – 1 hour per day/5 days per week

A work/life balance calculator you may find useful in determining your formula can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/04/balance.calculator/.

4. Create a framework that supports the formula.
Simply planning activities and times on a calendar is not enough. A framework includes setting a schedule and putting in place strategies so you can reach your goals, honor your friendships, manage responsibilities, take care of yourself and have quality time with your family members and friends. If you are married or have children, creating this framework so that it is viable will require some collaboration with your partner and others who play a part in childcare. In such cases, everyone’s needs should be considered in creating the family schedule.

For every person the formula and framework will look different. As life circumstances change, this process should be revisited to see if the existing structure continues to work or if additional changes need to be made.

What strategies have you used to identify your limits and work within them to continue to make progress toward your goals?

Random Acts of Kindness - 20 Simple Things to Do to Brighten Someone Else's Day

Did you know this week has been dubbed Random Acts of Kindness Week? Being kind to others is always a good idea and is beneficial for both the person showing kindness as well as the recipient of a kind word, gesture or act. I always feel better about life the more I help others.

To make it easier for you to participate, here is a list of 20 things you could do. See how many acts of kindness you do throughout the week.

1. Open a door for someone else
2. Give a waiter, pizza delivery person, bell person or barber/stylist a more generous tip than usual.
3. Say “please” and “thank you”
4. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time whose friendship you would like to renew
5. Wash your spouse’s car
6. Give your spouse or partner a back rub, foot rub or massage
7. Put a special treat or note in your children’s lunch box/bag
8. Have a friendly conversation with a neighbor you don’t know well
9. Return to you neighbor any stray balls the children might have thrown or kicked into your yard
10. Read a magazine article or pages of a book to an elderly family member who may not see so well any more.
11. Recognize a coworker, family member, student, teacher or employee for a job well done
12. Read your children an extra bedtime story
13. Take your spouse to the movies and let him/her pick which movie to see
14. Surprise your secretary/assistant with a gift card
15. Mail pictures of your family to your parents and other extended family members
16. Share a humorous story with others
17. Donate time, money, food, clothing or toys to a non-profit organization (see http://www.volunteermatch.org/ for ideas of opportunities in your area)
18. Forgive another person for something
19. Offer a helping hand if given an opportunity to do so
20. Refrain from saying hurtful words to someone else. As Benjamin Franklin said “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

Of course, there are many more things that could be done. This list is meant simply to get others started in thinking of ways to be kind to others.

If you are so inclined, you may also become a member at http://www.actsofkindness.org/. Membership is free and once registered, you can send e-cards, download free stuff and even create a website to show acts of kindness you have done. The site also lists a number of health benefits from being kind.

Feel free to comment on ways you show kindness to others. I look forward to hearing from you. Have fun and remember to spread kindness now and throughout the year.

Stop, pause, let go, reset

Yesterday I really needed to slow way down and calm the anxiety that had built over several days of not accomplishing as much as I would have liked. Normally, I like to have a plan for the most part to stay on track but due to an office move at work, any plans made were complicated by a number of factors and more stress than normal ensued. It all needed to be dealt with yesterday.

I woke up with a migraine headache that affected my vision somewhat as well as my mood. I recognized that I had a headache so I didn’t jump to any other conclusions but my patience and tolerance was much less than normal. I went about my morning routine but with some confusion and frustration. After letting tears flow for a few minutes while I stood in my driveway, I dropped my toddler off at daycare and proceeded to drive to work. Only a few minutes into my drive, after being in direct sunlight did I realize my headache was worse than I thought, so I called work saying I would be late, drove to a nearby café and bought juice and a cookie. Then I sat in my car and tried to relax making sure to take some deep breaths as I ate. I turned off the car radio and closed my eyes.

The image that almost immediately came in view was of a tree without any leaves, maybe four feet tall, surrounded by a patch of white snow on the ground in the middle of an expanse of dirt ground. As stark as the tree was, I was captivated by it. Its small trunk and bare branches showed resilience in the face of harsh winter weather as illustrated by the rest of the scene. I knew that when the sun appeared again and the temperatures became warmer, it would grow new leaves and project beauty to all around. I opened my eyes and my thoughts were no longer scattered. It had taken only a matter of minutes for me to restore a competent and calm state of being once I took it upon myself to let go of the reins, even if only for a few minutes. It didn’t matter that I was sitting in a car in the middle of a shopping center parking lot with sounds of traffic and shopping carts being pushed in the periphery. I was able to focus, regain control of my thoughts, recognize my slower breathing and be thankful for having the rest of my day before me. Had I plowed ahead with my daily list of things to be done with little regard for my own health, I probably would have wound up doing myself more harm than good.

Today take at least five minutes for yourself to reset. Perhaps you can walk instead of driving to pickup lunch or sit in your car for a few minutes before going into an appointment. How do you slow down to reset? Do you have a favorite place to meditate or unwind?

I look forward to reading your comments.

What’s the Rush? The Importance of Stillness in Fostering Creativity

Last night I was feeling quite tired and went to bed after a day well spent. I thought after a few minutes of listening to music I would drift off to sleep but another unexpected thing happened. I was laying flat on my back with my eyes shut, feeling quite comfortable and enjoying my personal concert through my headphones when I could feel the music pulsing through me. I started thinking of all sorts of visuals to go with the music and then the flood gates of creativity opened. All of a sudden I felt fully awake again. I remembered things I had wanted to research earlier in the day. It was an amazing feeling! No longer was I tired. Energy flowed through me. Of course I had to get up to act on my ideas.

On a daily basis it is so easy to get caught up in routines and schedules and all of the things that need to be done. We focus so much on accomplishment and staying on top of everything. Just thinking about how we will do everything is tiring and the inflow of information is unrelenting. Modes of communication have been shrunken to conversations of 140 characters or less occurring at any time during the day and from virtually anywhere. Lunch and dinner have become a meal eaten in 10 minutes or less, often while doing something else. The value of stillness and solitude to bring in creativity and rejuvenation is lost. Yet, in all the rush our productivity and well-being is actually compromised. If all we did was take a few minutes in pause each day to allow our minds to truly wander, without outside influence, we could find solutions to problems we have been pondering for days. Sometimes taking a step backward to look at things a different way can have huge benefits.

So, today take time to be alone with your thoughts, even if only for a few minutes. See where your thoughts lead you and what feelings you experience throughout the process. Did the process improve your results and attitude?

New Year's Resolutions to Re-energize the Human Spirit

With all that is going on in the world today it is really easy to lose sight of what’s really important, ourselves. Especially during times of stress it is vitally important to take care of ourselves so that we have enough energy to enjoy time with our friends and family and be fully present with them. No one wants to miss out on life because they are sick. Engaging in physical activity and eating a healthy variety of foods on a regular basis are only two parts of the puzzle. Being creative and stimulating our brain is also necessary to feel truly alive. Just a small amount of effort on a consistent basis can have a big effect towards improving our state of being.

For 2009 I am incorporating some creative intentions into my list of New Year’s Resolutions. As inspiration for others, here is my list:

1) Download one new song to my iPOD weekly, preferably something not played on the radio every day.
This will give me at least 52 new songs for me to listen to and introduce me to great artists that don’t get enough media attention.

2) Try out one new recipe per month.
It’s not difficult to find 12 new recipes. The hard part is planning for it during your week to make sure the needed ingredients are bought and on hand. Enough new ideas for almost two weeks of dinners by the end of the year, a great start to a collection of family favorites!

3) Spend time in nature once per month.
I would love this to be a weekly event, if not more often, but considering my schedule it’s just not likely unfortunately. However, this is important to me to feel grounded so I am starting my goal-setting small in this area with plans to increase the frequency when possible. This includes visits to the mountains, trails, and beaches during the year.

4) Play soccer once per week.
Since I play in two adult leagues with overlapping schedules this shouldn’t be difficult. I love soccer and have been playing for twenty years. Besides the physical benefits, I enjoy the camaraderie with my teammates and forget all of my worries while playing because my mind is so much focused on the game.

5) Volunteer with three or more organizations.
Performing community service always gives me a good, warm feeling to know that I am helping others who need it. Depending on the project, I sometimes learn new skills too as another added benefit.

6) Smile and laugh as much as possible.
After all, laugher is the best medicine. My children are big supporters in this area.

I hope this list has stirred your imagination and you are already creating your own mental list of things to prioritize for a healthier you in the coming months ahead. If you are interested in learning more about some physical activities you may not be aware of be sure to see my previous post Have You Played Today? for some additional suggestions.

I would love to receive comments on your ideas for incorporating more creativity into your life.

Bright Blue Skies and a Positive Attitude

Yesterday was an absolutely glorious day! The sky was a gorgeous blue with no smog in sight. The rolling hillsides were lush and green. It was a bit windy which made the air feel crisp and cool. I was so thankful to not be stuck in my cubicle at work with only the khaki fabric panels of my cubicle and a 15 inch computer monitor (not even flat screen) in sight. TGIF!

Due to the economy my regular work hours as well as my usual paycheck were cut 30% in November. Although this has resulted in a financial strain for my household it has also given me 3 day weekends. I love Fridays because after I drop off my son at daycare I get to spend the day how I want. Sometimes I bask in the joy of shopping without two toddlers in tow. Other days I work at a client's site doing freelance bookkeeping gigs. It's my choice and that is a great feeling! By giving myself one day weekly that is not programmed for the most part (except for my league soccer matches) I am allowing myself to breathe. This practice has allowed my creative thoughts to flow. When I get good ideas, which is often these days, such an excitement wells up inside me and I am eager to start right away. Then, I find myself having to scale my excitement, and efforts, since there are only so many hours available in any given day and sleep is rather important. Yet, this is a good problem to have!

I cannot say everything always works out as planned. Once in a while I have to switch my day off at work to cover for a coworker who is on vacation. It might work out the my husband is called into work an extra shift so I need to watch my 2 year old. Mother Nature may even intervene and damper if not completely rain out planned outdoor activities. Yet the intention is there and about 75% of the time I get to reconnect with the true me who loves to spend time outdoors, listen to the rain, write, read and spend quality time with my children.

What does your true self like to do? Have you built time into your schedule to reconnect with your true self on a regular basis?