volunteerism Archives - Motivational Speeches and books by Snowden McFall

Dignity and Respect- For Yourself and Others

Helping Others Needs to Be a Two Way Street

Most of us have been raised thinking it’s appropriate to be generous, kind, loving and helpful to others. In in today’s world with so much suffering, we are increasingly asked to reach out and help. And if we can and are willing to do so, without strings attached, we should. Sharing the wealth of heart and wallet is a good thing.

But the key here is to do so while allowing the other person to have dignity. Every human being has a sense of pride and self-worth, and truly no one wants to beg for assistance if they can help it. When giving aid in any form, whether it’s advice, money, clothing or food, be sure to allow the recipient to have dignity.

Kevin Hall, in his wonderful book Aspire, explains it eloquently when he tells the story of Pravin and “genshai.” Genshai means never treating another person in a way that would make them feel small. So if you are giving money to a beggar, you don’t toss a coin to them, you get down to their level, look them in the eye and smile. Then you give them the money and say “bless you.” You are treating them with respect.

An interesting twist on this is to practice genshai with yourself. Never treat yourself in a way that would make you feel small. And most of us do this regularly. We criticize ourselves mercilessly, judging our actions and finding fault. All that does is lower our self-esteem and create guilt and resentment patterns against ourselves. If you feel you did something in a less than perfect way, forgive yourself and move on. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.

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Turn Your Anger into Action!

Don’t Let Anger Make You Bitter- DO SOMETHING POSITIVE

There are a number of disturbing things going on in the world. The Ferguson case continues to sadden us. Legislation blocking voter rights is very upsetting, and on and on. And yet you CAN do something about it.

• Take action. Channel your anger and frustration into working for a cause you support. Volunteer for children’s safety. Help out at a shelter. Write letters, grants, sign petitions, contact Congress. Do something positive with that energy. Join me on Oct 25 Make a Difference Day and clean up a park.

• Be FOR something, not against. Be FOR the safety of our children, for justice, for integrity and ethical behavior rather than against others. Take the higher road and model it for others. Complaining and raging all day does nothing. Taking action and being a force for good does make a difference. Speak
up for those who need you.

• Look for the good. There are many great inspirational stories happening all the time, but they get very little play in the media. Here’s a wonderful story about two black teenagers who rescued a 5 year old white kidnap victim. They didn’t let race or hate stop them from being heroes. Here’s the link to watch the story.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/15/justice/pennsylvania-teen-heroes/index.html

Focus on the positive happening in your world. Avoid the news, because it is mostly bad. Get inspired by beauty, by kindness, by small acts that make a huge difference.

And remember this statement by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Remember that YOU DO make a difference.

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International Fired Up Month

October is International Fired Up Month!

“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.” – Walter Chrysler

Celebrated from Oct.1-31, this month focuses on motivation and enthusiasm in the workforce, where people learn what gets them Fired Up! and incorporate that into their lives. The power of enthusiasm is critical to success and this month celebrates enthusiasm. It is incredibly rare in the world. I created this month many years ago to focus on the good in our lives.

International Fired Up! month culminates with the 4th Sat. in October, International Make a Difference Day, Oct. 22, 2016, created by USA Weekend. Annually, several million people participate. The power of volunteerism has long been proven to reduce stress and increase longevity. It also improves communication, gratitude and empathy.

Here’s how to to host a Fired Up! week at work or at school or in your community. Employees, students or community members can:

• share inspirational quotes, stories and videos

• maintain a daily success list of all you accomplish- every action you take, every call you make, every thought you follow through on is a success

• share inspirational music, movies, books or stories (like Dolphin Tale, the Butler, the Blind Side)

• share about their dreams and goals and ask for help and support

• form Fired Up! Inspiration Circles™ where they support each other’s dreams and goals

• track group and individual successes on a giant Fired Up! bulletin board/ victory wall.

Give special attention to it and make it a sincere effort. Let others know you value them and encourage their positive attitude. This works especially well with salespeople- they love to see their great results posted. Employees and students who know they are valued as human beings are more loyal and productive.

For a free report on how to get and stay Fired Up!, go here https://firedupnow.com/top20tips/

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Can You Really Feel Better By Helping Someone?

Relieve Your Stress and Depression through Volunteering

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia

One of the last things you might think of doing when you are very stressed is to take the time to help someone else, volunteering. But it can truly be the best thing you can do. I know this from my own personal experience.

Not too long ago, I was tired, frustrated and upset over a business issue, not sure what to do about it. I was very stressed. Heading home with my husband that night, we turned down our street. He said, “There’s a girl sitting on the corner crying.” We immediately stopped the car and I got out to talk to her. Turns out, she was working for one of those magazine sales companies where they drop off youths and pick them up at the end of the day. She had no phone and no money; her ride was two hours late. So we called her manager and he said a ride was on its way. She waited in the car with us, shared her tragic life story, and when no ride arrived after 45 minutes, we turned around and drove her the half hour distance to her motel. When we arrived, I spoke to the manager about taking better care of this young woman (she was 20,) gave her some money and hugged her goodbye with some encouraging words. As we drove home again, all thoughts about my problems had completely vanished. My concerns were for her and how I could help others like her in the future. I realized my problems were far less pressing. There are those who are struggling to get by every day on the streets. It gave me a whole new appreciation of how fortunate I am.

A new study by Dr. Suzanne Richards and the University of Exeter Medical School, UK, confirms what other studies have said in the past: volunteering is associated with lower depression, increased well-being, and a 22 % reduction in dying.

There are infinite ways to volunteer:
• mentor a child • help a neighbor repair their home
• organize a fundraiser for the arts
• work at a soup kitchen
• help at a homeless shelter
• participate in a “clean up your park” project
• volunteer at an animal shelter
• read to seniors at a senior center or hospital
• collect diapers for newborn centers
• help out at elementary schools
• collect books for literacy programs and then read for them

Try it. No matter how upset you are about your life, you will experience an instant turn-around. Always come from your heart and volunteer for something that matters to you. And just like that, your problems will seem insignificant.

For a free report on how to get and stay Fired Up!, go here https://firedupnow.com/top20tips/ This will also subscribe you to Kindlings, my weekly email newsletter.

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Inspiration from a 12 Year Old

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech for Community Connections Volunteer Appreciation Event. This non-profit organization in Jacksonville, FL does an amazing job of fighting homelessness, poverty and hunger, helping families, and homeless women and children. The luncheon saluted all the wonderful 1100 volunteers who do so much. They are all so impressive and give so generously of their time and money. But every once in a while, there is a volunteer who truly stands out.

One such volunteer is Osjah Castro. How many 12 year olds do you know that have 1000 volunteer hours for each year of their lives? (Yes- that’s over 12,000 hours, folks) That’s Osjah’s story, and she is amazing. Poised, confident and enthusiastic, Osjah is bumble about what she has done and enthusiastic about the future. Now organizing a concert fundraiser with national teen stars, Osjah is passionate, positive and committed. When I asked what she likes best about volunteering, she said “The way it makes you feel.” I couldn’t agree more. Giving back touches your heart, lifts your stress and inspires your soul. Osjah has inspired me; I can’t wait to see what she does next.

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You Do Make A Difference When You Volunteer

Plus It’s a Great Stress Reliever

One of the last things you might think of doing when you are very stressed is to take the time to help someone else. But it can truly be the best thing you can do. The value of volunteerism is that it gives you perspective, awareness of how blessed your life really is, and away from the anxiety of stress.

Volunteering:
• promotes connection and sharing
• decreases stress and depression
• improves interpersonal skills
• increases gratitude and empathy
• improves understanding of community issues
• strengthens your ability to cope
• makes you feel good about yourself and your gifts and talents

Cornell University studied the impact of environmental volunteerism on seniors, and discovered those who volunteer outside became more physically active and benefitted from being in nature. They had more energy, a greater ability to cope, and stronger emotional well-being. Younger nature volunteers had increased concentration, reduced aggression, decreased stress and improved self-esteem.

If you have not volunteered lately, there are so many groups who need your talents and ideas. Check your local listings for area non-profits and get started. You DO make a difference.

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To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: https://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

Manage Your Stress through Volunteering

Different hands placed on construction beam

One of the last things you might think of doing when you are very stressed is to take the time to help someone else. But it can truly be the best thing you can do. I know this from my own personal experience.

Not too long ago, I was tired, frustrated and upset over a business issue. Heading home with my husband that night, we turned down our street. My husband said, “There’s a girl sitting on the corner crying.” We immediately stopped the car and I got out to talk to her. Turns out, she was working for one of those magazine sales companies where they drop off youths and pick them up at the end of the day. She had no phone and no money. Her ride was two hours late. So we called her manager from my cell phone and he said a ride was on its way. She waited in the car with us, shared her tragic life story, and when no ride arrived after 45 minutes, we turned around and drove her the half hour distance to her motel. When we arrived, I spoke to the manager about taking better care of this young woman (she was 20,) gave her some money and hugged her goodbye with some encouraging words. As we drove home again, all thoughts about my problems had completely vanished. My concerns were for her and how I could help others like her in the future. I realized my problems were far less pressing and there are those who are struggling to get by every day on the streets. It gave me a whole new appreciation of how fortunate I am.

That’s the value of volunteerism. It gives you instant perspective, awareness of how blessed your life really is, and it gets you out of the worry and anxiety of stress.

The Benefits of Volunteerism

There are several benefits of community service. It:

• promotes connection and sharing

• decreases stress and depression

• improves interpersonal skills

• enhances communication skills

• increases gratitude and empathy

• improves understanding of community issues¹

• strengthens your ability to cope

• makes you feel good about yourself and your gifts

• increases how long you live²

• provides a sense of fulfillment and purpose

• strengthens the community

Next time you are stressed, think about all those less fortunate and instead of giving into depression, worry or fear, take some action. There are infinite ways to volunteer. Here are a few:

• mentor a child

• help a neighbor repair their home

• work at a soup kitchen

• walk a friend’s dog

• make a meal for someone in crisis

• be kind to a complete stranger

• help at a homeless shelter

• participate in a “clean up your park” project

• volunteer at an animal shelter

• read to seniors at a senior center or hospital

• collect diapers for newborn centers

• help out at an elementary school

• collect books for literacy programs and then read for them

• run a food drive for local food banks

• teach some craft or art skill to children or seniors

Volunteering has a huge impact on your health, longevity and stress levels. For me, it is absolutely one of the best instant stress relievers around, and you can do it at any time, any place, anywhere.

1. “National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating: The Benefits of Volunteering,” Canadian Centre for Philanthropy research Program, 2000 http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/volunteering/benefits.asp

2. “The Health Benefits of Volunteering,” Corporation for National & Community Service, from the Office of Research and Policy Development April 19, 2006

http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/fileadmin/docdb/pdf/2007/07_0506_USAbenefits_health.pdf