A Fantastic Warm Up Act

Warm Up America (WUA) www.warmupAmerica,org. works with community service organizations and the American Red Cross to distribute warm, hand-made blankets to those who need them. Warm Up America volunteers are encouraged to donate their finished blankets to a local organization (or a local chapter of a national organization) near where they live or work. My family collects old blankets and my mom’s best friend is a master quilter who can make a gorgeous patchwork blanket that would keep anyone quite cozy for years to come.  Warm can be a beautiful thing!

Fighting Illiteracy One Book at a Time

I am hoping that Santa remembers from last year that I requested a “Little Free Library” kit and it did not arrive under my tree. I keep seeing these charming itty bitty libraries in my neighborhood where you can take a book or give one in return. Some are plain servicalbe boxes somewhat like a birdhouse for books and some are very ornate, not unlike something you might find in the upscale sections of The Shire. www.LittleFreeLibrary,org, has a mission:

It’s a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share. You can, too!

Thanksgiving: Count Your Blessings

Thanksgiving Day brings families and friends together in a celebration of gratitude and thanks. However, it is also a time for reflection and for giving back to your community and to those less fortunate. Millions of people across the America could use a little helping hand and especially now. The oldest and largest national origination dedicated to assisting local, community-based seniors, Meals On Wheels has made delivering daily meals directly to Golden Ager’s its mission – deliveries that wouldn’t be made without strong network of 5,000-plus community programs and countless, countless volunteers. www.mowaa.org is in many communities so find the one near you and get involved. I drove for a hospice food delivery service and the people are so appreciative that I always felt I got more out of that they did. One other good group to go more global in your giving is Convoy Of Hope:  Go to http://www.convoyofhope.org/ and find out what you can do to help end world hunger. We are here to help others and this one of the best-ever ways. 

How to Have an Attitude Of Gratitude

1. Be grateful and recognize the things others have done to help you.

2. When you say, “Thank you,” to someone, it signals what you appreciate and why you appreciate it.

3. Post a “Thank you to all” on your Facebook page or your blog, or send individual e-mails to friends, family, and colleagues.

4. Send a handwritten thank-you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.

5. Think thoughts of gratitude—two or three good things that happened today—and notice calm settle through your head, at least for a moment. It activates a part of the brain that floods the body with endorphins, or feel-good hormones.

6. Remember the ways your life has been made easier or better because of others’ efforts. Be aware of and acknowledge the good things, large and small, going on around you.

7. Keep a gratitude journal or set aside time each day or evening to list the people or things you’re grateful for today. The list may start out short, but it will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.

8. Being grateful shakes you out of self-absorption and helps you recognize those who’ve done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude continues to draw those people into your sphere.

9. Remember this thought from Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach; when you get, give.”

10. Join forces to do good. If you have survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.

Practice Kindness on World Kindness Day!

The Hebrew word mitzvah means a good deed or an act of kindness. Judaism teaches that the world is built on kindness. I recall what my Bubbe, a dear friend in Salt Lake City who was my son’s first caregiver, used to tell me about the importance of doing mitzvah s. She believes in the power of doing something good for another person but not telling them about it. She is a perfect example of someone who practices random acts of kindness, and also one who sees and acknowledges the beauty in everyone she meets. I always feel better just by being in her presence. Entire campaigns focused on practicing random acts of kindness have sprouted up. This, along with “having an attitude of gratitude,” enriches my days in many ways. There are myriad ways you can practice random acts of kindness. Don’t forget to include yourself when you are doing them!

• Pick up trash you see on the street and make the world a better place.

 • Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line.

• Buy a cookie for a coworker and leave it on their desk.

 • Hold the door open for someone.

• Smile at a stranger.

• Send a thank-you note through the mail.

An Extra Hour to Do Lots of Good- Daylight Savings.

Turn your clocks back one hour and make sure to spend that extra hour doing something productive. This is like a second chance at tackling the day. What did you need to get done yesterday that didn’t?  Here is one great way to spend that hour, cruise over to www.my philanthropedia.org to find your perfect match of an organization to donate to or volunteer with. I learned about this from a TED Talk and discovered this vital service:

Philanthropedia rate verified, financially responsible charities according to how much great work they're doing. Donate to top nonprofits in a cause you care about. 
Smart, easy, legitimate. 

Today, 3121 experts have participated in our research, providing reviews on 767 top nonprofits across 36 causes. I bookmarked this on my desktop and check in often

I am a proud "Office Composter!"

Skip the Packaging

 First, try to recycle all the product packaging that the item comes in, from the cardboard box to the plastic sleeve. And finally, check out companies like Terracycle that offer recycling programs for things like mascara tubes and lotion bottles.  I am very proud that, on my business card, alongside my title of “Publisher.” It also says “Office Composter and I set up a full- scale recycling and zero waste program. Visitors dig it!