Tag: charity

THERE ARE ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

One slightly redeeming quality about tragedy is that it provides us an opportunity to make a difference. A chance to step up and help our fellow human beings. Not only fellow humans, but animals, plants and the earth at large.

Recently, most of us know Jamaica was hit by a devastating hurricane. As I see stories of the aftermath, I am reminded how many different areas can be impacted. It saddens me to think many of these people who do not have much to begin with, have lost even that. At the same time, there are great stories of people and companies stepping up to offer free meals and assistance of all kinds!

This certainly isn’t the only place where people are suffering. The war continues in the Ukraine, there are many countries with human rights and starvation issues. Each one of these present a unique opportunity to help. Make sure you are using a trusted platform to do so. Even if you are unable to do so with your time or money, offering focused thoughts and prayers for people in these affected situations can make a big difference.

Everyday the world presents problems. That means every day we have the opportunity to make a positive difference.

WE CAN ALL DO GOOD. 😇

Here is a point worth pondering. Many of us who are in survival mode fail to recognize, or take advantage of, the opportunities to do good. If your focus is to just wake up, go to work and pay the bills, you are missing out on a large portion of life. My fourth book, which will be released late 2023/early 2024, will be focusing on switching our life from surviving to thriving. One of the best ways to do that is by acting and not reacting to life. If you assume that if you are not doing harm, you are therefore doing good, that is only half of the story.

It was this very thought that gave me a brilliant idea. I was searching for how to put my gift to the best use. As an author and writer, the ways in which I can do good seemed somewhat limited. As quickly as that thought came, it was replaced by one that removed those limits. My good did not have to be limited to donating books to local cancer centers. Although that was one of the more rewarding aspects of my writing career. No, by using the products I had created, I was able to raise money for two wonderful causes.

I hosted a book signing. 100% of the profits from the sale of my books was given as a donation to two wonderful local charities. This, along with money from donation buckets we had set up and a generous donation from the establishment hosting the event, allowed us to really make a difference. When all was said and done, we were able to donate $250 to W.I.S.H. (Women Initiate self-healing and hope) Which is a group that supports victims of domestic violence by hosting support meetings as well as providing them some essentials needed for these ladies who were forced to start their lives over.

In addition, we were able to donate another $250 to Rescue Gang. This is a group that not only rescues animals, provides them the medical attention they need, but also has a network of foster families that care for these animals until a forever home can be found for them. It is sad that animals cannot raise their voices for help, and that we must serve as that voice.

Handing over checks to these two amazing and hard-working ladies (Thank you Holly and Jennifer) was a very rewarding experience. It did open my eyes to the many possibilities still out there. Not only for me, but for you as well. What is your gift? Have you discovered all of the ways in which you can use it? If you are a person that does siding, you could not only assist on helping to provide siding to a local church, but could donate a portion of your sales to help other causes near and dear to your heart. You could reserve a spot of your delivery truck or website to a deserving local charity. Again, the possibilities are endless. Not only are the ways to help countless, so are the groups that need our help. My challenge for you today is to find one of the groups you passionately believe in and then brainstorm on ways you can use your gifts and talents to help them. Working together, we can make a big difference in supporting those who make our world a better place.

MEET ME! GRAB A LIFE-CHANGING BOOK AND HELP 2 GREAT CAUSES!😀

Last post, we talked about the importance of sharing your gift. I had mentioned that I had come up with a way to help two wonderful charities. One is called W.I.S.H. (Women Initiate Self-healing and Hope) Which is a support group that provides emotional support for women as they work through the effects of abuse and encourages personal growth in all areas of life. The second group is Rescue Gang. They are an animal rescue group that focuses on the use of foster homes instead of keeping animals in kennels. I consider these two very worthwhile groups to support. I realize that I could not support them as much as I would like on my own, but I can do it with your help.

On July 27th, you can join me at the Peanut Butter and Jelly Deli in West Allis. I will have all three of my books for sale. I will be personally signing them for you. (They make great gifts as well) There will be free gifts for those of you who purchase multiple books. Here is the best part, I will be donating 100% of the profits to both of these charities. If you have all of my books and cannot think of another person’s life that you would love to positively transform, that is fine too. The wonderful establishment that is hosting this event, has committed to donating a portion of their sales for the evening as well.

I would love to see all of you stop down and support two groups that really deserve it. You can do so by purchasing one of my books that will allow you to go from the life you are living, to the life you love. You can purchase one of the many amazing products at the Peanut Butter and Jelly Deli. You can have a meal and a drink. It, as the owner Mike notes, is the only place in town that you can enjoy a PBJ and a PBR at the same time. They have many amazing products you can take with you to enjoy at home, or give as gifts to friends. There will be a link at the end of this post for the event on Facebook. There you will find more details and can ask any questions you may have. From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the two organizations, thank you so much for your support.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE EVENT ON FACEBOOK 😀

SHARE YOUR GIFT 🎁

The above picture is of the Reiman Cancer Center where I live. Sadly, I have had 3 people I know go through procedures there. It is a very tough thing to have to go through. I would imagine it is very tough on those who work there as well as the loved ones who accompany the patients as they undergo their procedure. Every time that I have been to this place, the people there could not have been any nicer. As you watch many other families struggling through illness, you wish there was something you could do. I think in many ways this is true of all of us at one point in time. I am here to tell you there is something you can do, and should do.

I wanted so much to help all of the families that were hurting as they were doing their best to navigate the journey cancer had taken them on. I wanted so much to repay all of the kindness the nurses and workers there showed. What could I do? I wasn’t rich. I wasn’t a doctor. I was simply an author. That is when it occurred to me. Share your gift. That is all we are supposed to do. Find that thing that is you and share it with everyone in a beneficial and loving manner. I noticed there were books at the stations for the patients, and those who were with them, to read as the chemotherapy took place. How about a nice book about reducing stress and finding joy? I inquired with one of the nurses if I could donate copies of my book. There were happy to accept. I gave them one to put at each station.

Sometimes sharing your gift is easy. Like the example above. They had books there, and I wrote a book. Sometimes you have to be more creative as to how you can use your gift. With money being tight all over, charities are feeling the pinch more than ever before. I wanted to do something to benefit my community, but I did not know how. Two of the causes that are near and dear to my heart are helping the victims of domestic violence and animals. I knew two local groups who did just that. I decided that I was going to hold a book signing event and donate 100% of the profits to these two charities. This is set to happen next month. Not only will it benefit the charities themselves, but I hope it will bring people together and galvanize them towards a greater cause. There will be more details coming soon on the event.

The point is, we are all given a gift. It is said with great reward come great responsibility. I believe that the reward of the gift we are given is the responsibility to use it is such a way that we can help others. Some are straight forward, like the book donation example. Some take a little more creativity, like the book signing idea. We all have a gift and we all have a responsibility to use that gift to help others. I would love to hear your inspiring story about yourself, or someone else, using their gift to help others.

DAY 8 IN OUR HAPPINESS CHALLENGE. ALMOST TO THE TOP

Day 8, you can almost see the top of the staircase now! If this is your first day joining us, a quick reminder we are starting from the bottom and climbing up the stairs. That would mean that today’s step to happiness is Take less, Give more. It is ironic that today’s lesson revolves around the effect that giving has on happiness. As happens every so often, this idea was actually in my head today before I knew I was going to write about it. It was a sunny and 90 degree day. If you know anything about me, this is just my kind of weather. I was riding around on the lawnmower and pondering material for my next book. It was then I began to muse on the thought of the power of altruism. Let us look a little deeper at that subject.


Altruism is loosely defined as doing something for others with no return for you. I do not believe such a situation exists. Here is why. Doing something kind for someone else has within it a reciprocal aspect. When you so something kind for another soul it makes both of you feel good. When I was at some of the lowest points in my life it was this very skill that brought me back up. Being able to give to others. If we spent an entire day doing nothing but trying to do nice and helpful things for others, there would be two guaranteed outcomes. First, we would feel great. Seeing the smiles on the faces, hearing the thank you and just knowing in our hearts that we did something good for someone else will have our vibrations high. Second, that good will come back to you. It may not come back in the same manner or even from the same people, but it will come back to you. It is the law of reciprocation. You put good out and good will return. It will do so at its own pace, but it will do so.

The next question that people often ask me is, “What can I give?” They may worry that they don’t have enough time, or as so often happens in the crazy world, enough time. There is one single thing that is not only one of the easiest to give, but also has the greatest impact – giving of yourself. I spoke of this is a not so distant post. What the world needs is people who are in living their passion. This can be difficult to do in the job market. I am still searching for that elusive talk show host job. Where it can be easy to do is in giving. Everyone is good at something. When you use the skills that come naturally to you, that is when you give the greatest. Some people are great listeners. That is something everyone needs these days. With everyone trying to be heard, having a friend to really listen is rare and a great gift. I happen to be on the opposite end of the spectrum. I am a good talker. When I give, I tend to do so by talking to the lonely and those left out. When I helped at the homeless shelter I was told my greatest gift was taking time to relate and talk with the people there.

What is your skill? How have you used it in the past? How can you use it more in the future? I can promise you from my own experience, the more that you give in life, the more that you will gain. Not only in a material sense, but your inner peace and joy will explode. I would love to hear your stories of when you gave and the effect it had on your life.

WHO IS YOUR HERO? WHAT IS A HERO?

I was watching an interview with Sammy Hagar, I’ll share the link at the end of this blog, and these two questions came to mind when it was over. Think what you will of his music. ( I am personally a fan) or which version of Van Halen you like better (I am a fan of both) but after listening to this interview you can’t help but love the guy. Small bits of information I picked up are how he donates to food banks in every town he plays in and often goes down in person to help. Why? As he says, “There is much more to charity than just writing a check.” Not to mention he set up an entire business (Sammy Hagar’s Beach Bar and Grill) where the entire profits go to help children with terminal illnesses and their family. That, to me, is a stand up guy.

As I drove home I thought about the word ‘Hero’. Lately, a lot of attention has been given to that word. For once I am happy to say I think we have our head on straight as to how we are thinking about it. Perhaps because a lot of the folks we usually give those titles to, such as professional sports players and reality show actors are out of the picture and deemed ‘Not essential’ that we are able to focus on those who really make a difference. A lot of those in the medical profession, lower paid employees who show up daily just to make our lives easier, and anyone who puts themselves in danger so that our lives may be easier. Are these people your heroes? What makes them a hero? These are the questions that popped in my head as I drove home.

I thought about those whom I consider a hero. A name that comes to mind is Fred Rogers. Host of the television show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I admire him for his deep-rooted care and concern for youth. How he worked so hard to use the medium of television for something good. His ability to find the positive in even the darkest situation. One of my favorite things about both the man and the show was the importance he placed on what I refer to human fundamentals. I am pretty sure that is a term I just created, so allow me to expand on it. Human fundamentals are basic skills we all should learn to be a good…you guessed it, human! Many think of Fred Rogers as someone who just spoke to children, but I think his messages resonate just as much, if not more, with adults today. How many of us know someone who might benefit from the episode “What to do when you are mad”? There are many adults who are afraid to talk about their feelings and even if they could wouldn’t know the first thing about how to do it. He used to end each show by saying “You’ve made this day a special day, by just your being you. There’s no person in the world like you, and I like you just the way you are.” How many people, ourselves included, could stand to hear that message?

Another name that comes to mind when I think of heroes is Mother Teresa. She was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. I always admire those who dedicate their lives to a spiritual pursuit even if I do not necessarily agree 100% with the dogma that comes with such things. What makes Mother Teresa special in my eyes is her social work that was done with a spiritual motivation. In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity. It was a group of nuns that were active in over 133 countries as of 2012. They did far more than just preach and share their religious beliefs. They managed homes for those unfortunate souls dying of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, leprosy, tuberculosis and many others. They also ran schools, medical clinics, soup kitchens and a host of other useful services. What really impresses me about her is that she encouraged and let everyone know we are all capable of doing great things. We do them by doing even the small things with great love.

These people did not do any of what they did for fame and fortune. Although they did realize that the fame allowed them to do even more good. I am just a humble author and blog writer, but I do must best to use my gift with words to help as many people as I can and to make the world a better place the best I can. Those mentioned above, along with a host of others, inspire to do so. To me, what makes a hero is genuine integrity. Fred Rogers was the same person off camera as he was on camera. His concern for youth and for the world in general was genuine. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping the souls that many looked down upon. Sammy Hagar used his fame and fortune to help those less fortunate. I am sure all of these people have flaws, as we all do, but to me they are heroes for their integrity. Their desire to do the right thing. More importantly, wanting to it not for fame or fortune, but simply because it is the right thing to do. To me that is a hero and all of you out there doing what is right, simply because it is right, you are a hero in my book.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SAMMY HAGAR INTERVIEW THAT INSPIRED THIS BLOG

ALTRUISTIC IS SELFISH… AND THAT’S OK


The definition of the word altruistic is as follows – showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish
How then, can I claim that being altruistic is selfish? For one simple reason. When you are down, when life seems to kick you as you are down, nothing can lift your feelings as much as helping someone else. Certainly, that is not the only time you should limit your acts of helping others, but it still holds true. Most of you know my story about how my life was turned around by helping at a meal program feeding the homeless. It not only gave me a new and refreshing perspective, but the act of being able to do something for someone else feels good.
That should not be your only motivation to do good, but keep that in mind. The more you do for others, the better you will feel. Thus, being altruistic is both unselfish and selfish at the same time. Why do I think that is ok? If, in an attempt to help yourself feel a little happier you go around doing random acts of kindness for others, the world would be a significantly better place.
As with anything we share here, do not take my word on this. Feel free to test the theory yourself. For 21 days, do one act of kindness with no expectation in return. Not financial compensation, not a promotion, do not even worry about getting a simply ‘thank you’. You may even want to record your acts to make sure you do not miss a day. After 3 weeks notice if your own happiness has improved.

FLIP THE SCRIPT

Bad days, we all have them. One day both the air conditioning and driver’s side window in your car decide to both stop working. You have just worked some overtime and are thinking how best to enjoy the extra cash you worked so hard for when your license plate renewal notice comes in the mail. You are at the gym training for a 5k charity race you have coming up and next thing you know you are laying in the hospital on the brink of open heart surgery. It is highly unlikely all of this would happen to one person in a single week, but it happened to me… last week.

It would have been easy to think of throwing in the towel at some point and feeling depressed. To be honest for a second I did. That all changed on a rainy day hot day after I was discharged from the hospital. Wanting to take a break from the fabulous cardiac diet I was enjoying at the hospital, my mother, lovely lady and I all went for a taco pizza at a local establishment. On the way there I say a man dressed for a warm sunny day standing in the rain at the bus stop. There was no shelter and he had no choice. Hopefully after being drenched and having to get on a cold bus, he was on his way home to change into something dry, but I cannot be sure of that. Suddenly, my car troubles did not seem that bad.

The more I thought about that the same applied to all of the other challenges my week had thrown at me. I had a job to pay the extra bill that came in, I was still around after my heart scare. It is more than just finding the light in the dark though. How often have we all sat and thought extensively on what it is that is wrong or lacking in our life? I am know I have and I am guessing you may have too. I always use the analogy at my seminars if you are on a all expense paid vacation with the one you love and then you get a toothache things can go from great to bad in a blink of an eye.

Here is what I am going to ask you to do this weekend. It is a challenge for you and for me. This weekend let us pick two areas of our life and focus on everything we love and are grateful for. Let us do this for 24 hours for each one. To make it even more powerful you might even want to write them down. At the very least, write down what particular area of your life you are focusing on that day. Is it your relationship? Sure, it might not be perfect, but there are reasons you love it or you wouldn’t still be there. Maybe your job? It would be easy to complain about how we wish we were paid more, had more time off, better hours or even a better boss. How often do we do that? For at least 24 hours, let us solely focus on the good about that. Keep it in the back of your mind for the entire day. Ask yourself at various times throughout the day, “What do I love or am grateful for about this area of my life?” Maybe carry a small notebook around and write down your answers? Feel free to come back to this post on Monday and share how you felt and what, if any, results came of doing this.

GREAT PEOPLE DOING GREAT THINGS

We interrupt our usual material to bring to your attention a great opportunity to help impoverished children in both India and the U.S.

My amazing friends Sonny and his wife Ami are taking part in an event to raise money for children needing help in both Atlanta, where they live as well as India. I encourage you to click the link below to help them out as well as sharing this article to reach more people who can help. My heartfelt thanks in advance.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND TO DONATE

CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE!

Working in the tavern industry becomes less and less of an appeal to me with what at sometimes seems to be a daily pace. One of the great things about working in this industry though is on occasion you meet really amazing people. Some of them have been featured in my past blogs. Yesterday’s in fact! If you wish to read that one you can check it out here IT WORKS! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Today I wish to discuss another amazing individual my lovely lady and I have the pleasure of seeing as we do our shows. His name is Jerry Musolf, but he goes by Sonny. He is a really great friend by all standards. Friendly, helpful, always willing to lend a hand or a smile whichever is needed. Sonny also rides a motorcycle when the weather in this state allows. As such, you will often see him wearing a vest with patches of different sorts on it. One such patch on his vest looks like the one above. During one show Sonny had asked me to read a fundraiser announcement for a charity he belongs to. Always happy to help people doing good I did. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and another friend of ours was wearing a sweatshirt from the same organization. That prompted me to inquire as to the what the group was all about. I was told to ask Sonny for all the details. What he shared with me is what I am about to share with you.

What influence I have in the world as an author, speaker and the use of this website I try to use for good. One of the causes that always is near and dear to my heart is children. They are innocent victims and often there is not enough support when they need it. If you read my post earlier this month about doing the Warrior Dash to help St. Jude children’s hospital that offers care to sick children and their families.

Another area where children suffer, and often alone is child abuse. Especially if the person doing the abusing is a family member or an adult the child trusts. In addition to the terrible physical aspects of child abuse the emotional and psychological effects can be just as or even worse and last a lifetime. What children need is a sense to feel safe. They need a group of adults they can trust.

This is where Guardians of the Children come in. Let me begin by sharing their mission statement with you. “The mission of Guardians of the Children (GOC) is to recognize and react to child abuse and educate the public to do the same; to serve as advocates to provide strength and stability to families in crisis; and be the answer to the prayer of an abused child or teen for courage, support and protection.” That all sounds good, but what does it actually translate to?

I am going to share both items available in the group’s literature as well as personal stories Sonny has told me. The group partners with other child abuse agencies to raise awareness of the prevalence of child abuse. The use donations they receive for birthdays, basic needs such as clothing and hygiene supplies, literature to promote child abuse awareness as well as activities for the kids. The strive to give these children the same opportunities that your own children have, a normal life and a family that loves and cares for their needs.

The last line is what really impresses me. This group often becomes the family these children so desperately need. The go to court with the children so they are less afraid. They often supply the children with a teddy bear (one that has been hugged by all the members of the group) to hold when they are alone and feeling scared. Each child also receives their own little vest with a patch that says “Little guardian”. The group also provides safe and fun activities for these children such as Easter egg hunts, fishing trips, roller skating and so much more.

In a world where there are far too many innocent child victims it does my soul good to know that such a group exists. On a personal note, I am proud to be the friend of a gentleman who is part of such a community. Below I will share both the national 24-hour child abuse hotline as well as links to both the national and local chapters of this amazing group. It is my sincere desire and hope that many of you will not only share this post, but chose to become a part of this group either through joining or donating. Together we can make this a better world for all of the children

24-hour child abuse hotline 1-800-252-5400

local chapter of Guardians of the Children

Guardians of the children Hawg city chapter

National website for Guardians of the Children