A New Year’s Resolution Of Giving Back

A very popular New Year's resolution is to give back in 2010.  This is definitely a great way to spend your time and money.  There are a lot of different ways to give back.  And there are countless organizations out there that would love your help.  So how do you decide?

The first thing that you need to consider is what exactly do you want to give back?

 

Your Time. Volunteering your time and talents to organizations has long been a great tool to help those less fortunate.  You can find a variety of volunteer opportunities on sites like volunteermatch.com.  The easiest way to volunteer is think of an organization you are already familiar with.  Contact them and see if you can be of assistance.  Chances are you will be welcomed with opened arms.

Your Money.  Donating your hard earned cash is another great way to care for those in need.  The most important thing to keep in mind when donating is to make sure your money is actually going to those in need.  Any non profit should be able to tell you exactly how they disburse their donations.  Some have little to no overhead, many have a lot of overhead.  If you are concerned about how they might spend your money, ask.  It is a very common question. 

Your Resources.  Money is not your only resource.  What about networking?  You might just know the exact person an organization is looking for.  Are you a softball coach looking for a team building experience?  Why not have your team work at a soup kitchen for a day?  A lot of times it is not what you know, but who you know.  Use that networking for the common good.

Here are a few things that need to be considered whenever you are looking for a new way to give back:

Reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau or even do your own independent research on an organization before giving them your money.  Even well established non profits have had their share of scandals.  Don't let it deter you from donating, just be as thoughtful as you would expect them to be with your money.

Commitment.  If you begin volunteering with an organization, you might find the commitment a bit much to handle.  Make to be realistic of your time.  Be sure to let the volunteer coordinator know your limits.  The hardest word to use once you are in the volunteer mode is “no” but don't be afraid to use it.  Remember that volunteering is suppose to be fun for you as well.

Don't forget to be creative with your giving back.  If you are involved with any organization, think about the holes you might fill. Try to combine different areas of your life.  For example, a writer might enjoy doing a newsletter for the local neighborhood.  A painter could put together some greeting cards for a shelter.  Whatever your pool of talents, use them.  That's the real essence of volunteering.  Giving of your time and your treasures. 

A New Year’s Resolution For Giving Back

A very popular New Year's resolution is to give back in 2010.  This is definitely a great way to spend your time and money.  There are a lot of different ways to give back.  And there are countless organizations out there that would love your help.  So how do you decide?

The first thing that you need to consider is what exactly do you want to give back?

 

Your Time. Volunteering your time and talents to organizations has long been a great tool to help those less fortunate.  You can find a variety of volunteer opportunities on sites like volunteermatch.com.  The easiest way to volunteer is think of an organization you are already familiar with.  Contact them and see if you can be of assistance.  Chances are you will be welcomed with opened arms.

 

Your Money.  Donating your hard earned cash is another great way to care for those in need.  The most important thing to keep in mind whe donating is to make sure your money is actually going to those in need.  Any non profit should be able to tell you exactly how they disburse their donations.  Some have little to no overhead, many have a lot of overhead.  If you are concerned about how they might spend your money, ask.  It is a very common question. 

 

Your Resources.  Money is not your only resource.  What about networking?  You might just know the exact person an organization is looking for.  Are you a softball coach looking for a team building experience?  Why not have your team work at a soup kitchen for a day?  A lot of times it is not what you know, but who you know.  Use that networking for the common good.

 

Here are a few things that need to be considered whenever you are looking for a new way to give back:

 

Reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau or even do your own independent research on an organization before giving them your money.  Even well established non profits have had their share of scandals.  Don't let it deter you from donating, just be as thoughtful as you would expect them to be with your money.

 

Commitment.  If you begin volunteering with an organization, you might find the commitment a bit much to handle.  Make to be realistic of your time.  Be sure to let the volunteer coordinator know your limits.  The hardest word to use once you are in the volunteer mode is “no” but don't be afraid to use it.  Remember that volunteering is suppose to be fun for you as well.

 

Don't forget to be creative with your giving back.  If you are involved with any organization, think about the holes you might fill. Try to combine different areas of your life.  For example, a writer might enjoy doing a newsletter for the local neighborhood.  A painter could put together some greeting cards for a shelter.  Whatever your pool of talents, use them.  That's the real essence of volunteering.  Giving of your time and your treasures. 

Failure Is A Perception

Have you ever held back on doing something because you were afraid of failure?  Most people have!  I can count on my hands the number of times I took advantage of an opportunity and went for it, but I lost track of the number of times I held back.  Let’s face it; no one likes to fail.  You want to achieve your goals in life.  None of us likes to feel like we’re ineffective, weak or lacking in any way, and that’s exactly how failure makes us feel. However, you may be surprised to know that failure doesn’t exist – until YOU say it does.  In the dictionary, failure has several definitions: 

1)  a failing to do or perform 

2)  a state of inability to perform a normal function adequately 

3)  a fracturing or giving way under stress 

4)  a lack of success.

Look carefully at those definitions and you’ll probably realize they have one thing in common when it comes to goal achievement:  failure is a PERCEPTION. If you believe you have failed, then you have.  If you believe you don’t have the ability to succeed, then you don’t.  If you believe you can’t handle the pressure of achieving your goals, you can’t.  If you believe you’re not successful, you aren’t.  Failure only exists in your own mind!  The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, failure is born. But what if you never do that?  What if you continue working toward your goals, one step at a time for as long as it takes?  There’s no failure then, is there? Achieve Your Goals This insight should be very encouraging if you’ve been working toward goals and not yet seeing positive results.  Simply keep going and you cannot fail! Here are three tips to help you stay strong and focused on your goals:

1. Never give yourself an out.  Most people do this without even realizing it.  They are willing to work hard on achieving their goals, until the going gets too rough or their motivation dwindles.  Don’t do that!  Commit to making your goals happen, no matter what!  Never quit, never contemplate admitting failure, and never lose your inner determination.
2. Don’t get hooked on a specific timeframe for completion.  It’s okay to set a general timeline, but be aware that some circumstances will be beyond your control, so you can’t say for sure when your goal will be achieved.  If you do that, you’re just setting yourself up for failure!  Instead, get a general idea of when you’d like your goal to be completed, but then take it a day at a time and focus on making progress, not reaching the finish line in as little time as possible.
3. Finally, be sure that you don’t view obstacles and setbacks as failures.  The two are completely different.  An obstacle, setback or delay means only one thing:  it’s not time for your goal to be completed yet.  That’s it!  It doesn’t mean you failed; it doesn’t mean you’re weak; it doesn’t mean you’ll never achieve your goals .  It simply means you’re not done yet.  You’ve got to keep moving forward and find a way around or through the obstacle.

Now go out, achieve your goals, and Finish Strong.