Well, a whole week into the new year...you fall off the wagon yet? No judgment here, just the facts: it's reported that 22% of North Americans fail their resolutions after just one week! Sad, but probably very true (and probably a larger percentage than that, especially if some resolutions include "being honest" with one's self!).
I choose not to make "resolutions," so much as I do "agreements" with myself. I agree to try to make my life better by doing or not doing certain things. I agree to remember the agreements. And I agree to do my best to adhere to the agreements and not be too hard on myself if for some reason I fail. Agreements are much better than statements of resolve. Because, end the end, I can always agree to disagree with myself! Muuuuuaaaaahhh!
But seriously, one agreement I decided on this year was to spend less on material and more on experience. I came to this after seeing Jay-Z sit down with Charlie Rose at the Brooklyn Museum last fall. Hova mentioned that he strives to "make the ordinary extraordinary." That resonated with me; every moment is such a gift, and to take for granted that what we do every day is just routine, and not a monumental experience instead, well, that's just a shame. I need to change my outlook of how I approach my days, and if my days aren't marked with monumental experiences, then I need to do something about that.
So, one of the agreements made with myself this year, I will share here: spend time, like I spend money. This simply reminds me to seek out chances to experience things, people, situations with as much fervor as I seek out a sample sale or scoring a great bargain on yet more clothes, shoes, etc. I want to live my life doing things, not just dressed to do something. Now, this doesn't mean I immediately sat down and composed a "bucket list" of crazy activities -- your girl won't be bungee jumping, deep-sea diving, or skydiving anytime soon -- but I did record some thoughts about how I plan to expand not only my involvement in experiences for myself, but also how those activities can help others.
One of the best ways to collect memorable encounters is through volunteering. The rewards are countless: you feel great and you lend a supportive hand to those people, organizations, causes and institutions that need it the most. I've researched dozens of organizations and will share bit of information on each one here, every week. As I choose from this same list myself, I hope you too might see something that piques your interest, moves you in some way to think of life as not just something you live, but something you experience.
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START SLOW, HOMIE...
Ok, understandably, some of us just can't dive right in. But you know, you can help right from where you are now: in front of a computer. Here's a short list of great organizations that utilize public donations and funding to further dreams, facilitate rescue efforts, continue rebuilding after disasters, research cures and more. Take a moment to research them yourself and decide how you want to participate. Bookmark the sites or sign up for newsletters to keep abreast of their activities. Whatever you do, just start. Here's some theme music...
January 12 will mark the one year anniversary of the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti; this organization supported by numerous celebs and public figures works for causes around the world, but has been working on behalf of efforts in Haiti, providing clean, fresh water, hot meals, medical supplies and general support for areas hit hardest by the earthquake.
The mission of the St. Bernard Project is to create housing opportunities for Hurricane Katrina survivors, while focusing on the return of those citizens to their communities and a regular way of life.
Awesome online portal where teachers across the country post project needs that are not covered due to budget cuts in our educational systems. You scroll through projects, choose one you want to donate to, lick and give. Rewards come through the feeling you helped the educational process, and kids send thank you notes to class sponsors!
This one doesn't cost you a dime! Just answer a fun, sometimes current events-related question everyday on the website. Whether right or wrong, 10 pieces of kibble is donated to animal shelters to feed either hungry dogs (Bow Wow Trivia) or cats (Meow Trivia). Sign up for their daily email reminder and link to each day's question.
