'5 Things I Love About Volunteering' - Roger Carr's Article - March 26, 2007

Roger Carr's article is reprinted here.

5 Things I Love About Volunteering

Why do people volunteer their time?

As a volunteer, you don't get paid for donating your time. However, there are benefits in it for you and me when we're unselfish in giving our time to benefit others.

The following are five major reasons why I choose to volunteer. Although I don't receive a check in the mail for my help, these reasons are more motivating than money.

1. I Love Supporting a Cause I Care About

We see and experience things everyday that scream for our help.

God has given me a passion regarding some of them. This passion continues to motivate me to take action and make a difference.

Committing my time and energy to a cause that I am passionate about is energizing.

2. I Love Learning and Demonstrating New Skills

Two things that are important to me are:

• Continuously learning to improve myself
• Mentoring others by sharing my knowledge, skills and experiences to help others improve

Volunteering has allowed me many opportunities to do both.

Every volunteer experience has required me to learn and experience new things. I have discovered more about the causes I support. I have also learned and practiced new skills as I have participated in new ways.

Donating my time has also provided me many opportunities to mentor. Being a mentor to kids and to other volunteers continues to be very rewarding.

3. I Love Making New Friends

I've made a significant number of new friends through my volunteering efforts.

Some of the kindest people that I have met were employees and volunteers of nonprofit organizations.

This is not a coincidence. These are people who are willing to dedicate some of their time or even their career to making the world a better place.

These are the kind of friends that are worth meeting and keeping.

4. I Love the Great Feeling It Brings

Have you ever taken a meal to someone who was sick or paid for stranger's cup of coffee for no reason at all? If you haven't, give it a try. If you have, then you already know the great feeling you receive when doing something unselfish for someone else.

The feeling you get is no different when volunteering your time to a cause you are passionate about.

I feel great when I have the opportunity to help someone. In fact, I have found the feeling can be addictive. As I support an important cause with my time, I want to do even more to make a difference.

5. I Love Making a Difference

I want the way I live my life to make a difference. I know that you want that for yourself as well. Volunteering has provided me a significant way to do just that.

By donating just a portion of our time, we can:

• Make a difference in a person's life
• Make the world a better place to live
• Have a long-lasting impact

You can find volunteer opportunities everywhere. Look for opportunities at schools, churches, parks, community organizations, political organizations and charities.

Get involved in something that you care about and start making a difference. You will be glad you did.

Roger Carr is the founder and owner of Everyday Giving. Go to http://www.EverydayGiving.com to receive our informative article "9 Questions to Consider Before Volunteering" for free. *SINewswatch would like to thank Roger Carr for granting permission to reprint this article.

'Persuasive Speech Topics How to Guide' - Speech Topics Help, Advice and Ideas - March 26, 2007

Summary

Speech Topics Help, Advice and Ideas blog post is entitled, "Persuasive Speech Topics How to Guide." [blog]

Details

The blog post shows how to write persuasive speech topics. Read Complete Post

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Speech Topics Help, Advice and Ideas

'Seth Godin: Ideas that Spread Win' - Garr Reynolds Blog Post - March 26, 2007

Summary

Garr Reynolds blog post is entitled, "Seth Godin: Ideas that Spread Win." [blog]

Details

Reynolds talks about a clip of a message by Seth Godin. Read Complete Post

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Presentation Zen Blog

'The Law of Attraction: The Unanswerable Question Answered?' - Beyond Positive Thinking Blog Post - March 27, 2007

Summary

Beyond Positive Thinking blog post is entitled, "The Law of Attraction: The Unanswerable Question Answered?" [blog]

Details

The blog post says, "I think it is important to remember that the ‘Law of Attraction’ is not just a force that works on an individual one-to-one basis.

It is at work with the entire universe." Read Complete Post

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Beyond Positive Thinking

'The Danger of Triangulation in Workplace Conflict' - Tammy Lenski's Blog Post - March 26, 2007

Summary

Tammy Lenski's blog post is entitled, "The Danger of Triangulation in Workplace Conflict." [blog]

Details

Lenski says, "It’s better to find out for yourself.

The more players, the more confusion, the more complexity, and maybe the more negativity.

If those other players don’t have 20/20, you’ll be led astray." Read Complete Post

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I Can't Say That! Blog

'Daily Affirmation - Give/Receive' - Think Positive Blog Post - March 26, 2007

Summary

Think Positive blog post is entitled, "Daily Affirmation - Give/Receive." [blog]

Details

The blog post says to repeat this affirmation - I freely give to others - throughout the whole day. Read Complete Post

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Think Positive! Blog

'The Mechanic' - Edwin Harkness Spina's Article - March 25, 2007

Edwin Harkness Spina's article is reprinted here.

The Mechanic

What can a "less-than-honest" car mechanic teach us about spiritual evolution and improving our lives?

A few months ago, my Honda Accord developed an oil leak. My long-time, trusted mechanic had recently retired so I was forced to find a new one.

A business associate, Ken, recommended Dan and led me to his garage so I could drop off my car. There was very little activity at the garage and my intuition told me something was wrong. Dan explained that he had just come back from a long vacation and he hadn't yet notified his "regular" customers. This meant he'd be able to fix my car promptly. I disregarded my intuition and left my car with him.

After keeping my car for an extra day "to make absolutely sure he repaired the leak," Dan presented me with an astronomical bill. In addition to replacing the normal seals and gaskets prescribed by standard maintenance, Dan explained that my leak required replacing an $8 seal, but since it was buried in the heart of my car's engine, it required 8 hours of additional labor. Because he "liked me," he was only going to charge me for 6 hours, which at $75 per hour meant an additional $450 dollars on top of the $300 normal maintenance bill.

I doubted his truthfulness but since I had not asked for an estimate and had no way of checking his story, I paid the bill. When I started my car, the engine warning light came on. Dan plugged his portable computer into my car and announced I needed a new sensor. He told me to bring it back tomorrow and he'd repair it.

As someone once said, "I was born, but it wasn't yesterday."

The next day I brought my car to the Honda dealership. The mechanic showed me where a circuit had been unplugged. His puzzled look spoke volumes as he tried to figure out how it could have happened. He plugged it back in and the problem disappeared.

Again, there was no proof that Dan had intentionally disconnected the circuit, but I vowed never to go back to him. I relayed my experience to Ken, advising him to find a new mechanic.

Last week, Ken told me his BMW had an oil leak and asked me to give him a ride to his mechanic - Dan.

I reminded him of my experience and pointed out alternatives: there were 10 other garages, as well as the local BMW dealership, all within two miles of Dan's garage.

Still he wanted to return to Dan's.

I warned him to get an estimate and be especially leery if Dan tells you "he needs your car an extra day to track down the leak."

Ken requested an estimate. Dan told him it would cost at most $300, which would be the cost of standard maintenance. He left his car.

I repeated, "Do not leave your car overnight with Dan and do not let him take your car apart or he will, very likely, find a leak in the middle of your car's engine."

Despite my warnings, Ken left his car overnight and Dan found a leak in the middle of his car's engine. It was only an $8 part that needed to be replaced, but it took 8 hours of additional labor to repair. Because Dan "liked him," he only charged him for 6 hours or another $450.

Ken announced that he had "learned his lesson." I was dumbfounded.

The ability to learn from our own mistakes or experiences is a fundamental skill that enables us to continuously improve ourselves.

In Japan, home of some of the most proficient manufacturing companies in the world, the principle of continuous improvement is called Kaizen. Problems or defects are identified at the earliest possible stage and corrective actions are taken immediately. These improvements became a formal part of the new system. Toyota used this principle as the core of its production system to become a global powerhouse.

Similarly, we can use this principle to improve our own lives and ensure that every setback or mistake can be used for learning.

From my experience with Dan, I learned not to trust him and to require a written estimate before allowing anyone to fix my car.

More importantly, I was reminded to follow my intuition. As I reflected on this point, I realized that my greatest mistakes in life have all come from failing to follow my intuition. The ability to think logically is one of mankind's greatest gifts, but if it ever contradicts your intuition, learn from my mistake, and FIND OUT WHY. When logic and intuition mesh, then you can be reasonably assured you're on the right track. If not, then gather more information.

If you pay attention, you can also learn from other people's experiences. Ken, obviously, did not learn from my misfortune. He chose to disregard what happened and suffered for it. It can be very painful to watch people, especially those close to you, sabotage themselves. Even so, it is critical to remain detached and let them make their own mistakes (and hopefully learn from them). This is another lesson Ken taught me.

When your mind is open and you approach every experience as an opportunity to learn, even a "less-than-honest" car mechanic can teach you valuable lessons.

Best wishes,

Ed

Get a FREE copy of Mystic Secrets Revealed when you sign up for the Mystic Warrior Newsletter, which contains even more mystical techniques to improve your life and expand your mind – FREE ONLINE – A $47 VALUE!

*SINewswatch would like to thank Edwin Harkness Spina for granting permission to reprint this article.

'The Best Way to Deal with Tight Timelines and Big Challenge' - Kevin Eikenberry's Article - March 25, 2007

Kevin Eikenberry's article is reprinted here.

The Best Way to Deal with Tight Timelines and Big Challenge
by Kevin Eikenberry

When you watch the end of close sporting events you will eventually see two types of teams or players. One type, when behind, will start to press a little bit. They know they have a limited amount of time to reach their goal and they get stressed and their sense of urgency drives them to accelerate their efforts, scurry, and eventually rush. This hurried approach can sometimes lead to the desired results but more often creates errors and costly mistakes. Often these are errors and mistakes that wouldn’t occur under normal situations.

The other group, facing the same urgency and pressure, seems to look and act differently. They know the urgency, but they act as if this additional pressure actually makes them better – more confident and efficient. This second group typically performs better in this pressure packed situation and makes fewer errors in actions or judgment, and more often than not, wins the game.

The difference between these two groups isn’t their skills or abilities. The difference between these groups is best described by the legendary basketball coach John Wooden. He encouraged his teams to “be quick but don’t hurry.” The first group is hurrying – the second, more successful, group is quick – but facing the same situations they seem more calm and not hurrying at all.

This difference is as apparent in work groups as it is in sports teams once you take the time to consider these differences. Some people or teams are always rushing from meeting to meeting, task to task. These people are constantly reacting to situations and “putting out fires.” Many of these people will say that they like the adrenalin rush they get from this high pace high stress environment – which is good because in their haste they continue to create more fires, more reaction, and more reason to hurry.

Contrast those with people who always seem to have their wits about them. They are able to make decisions and take action quickly, but they never seem to get rattled or seem rushed. This second group seems to operate with a quiet, confident calm, even when timelines are tight and stakes are high. These people are nimble and quick, but they aren’t hurried or rushed.

As you read these descriptions I’m sure you are thinking that the later group is the more productive and effective, and you are right. The logical question then is, what can I do (or what can I do in leading others) to be quick, but not to hurry? Read on – the rest of this article gives you suggestions for making that shift.

The Suggestions

Be prepared. Teams that are most effective in “crunch time” have practiced every situation long before the game. Similarly when you are better prepared you will be ready for whatever situation you are presented with, and therefore will be able to manage it more effectively.

Have a plan. People who don’t plan argue that things never work out according to the plan – which is partly true. The value of the plan is that when things are going according to the plan, you can be proactive and stay ahead of the challenges and avoid many of the pitfalls. That planning then saves your heightened attention and effort for the parts of the plan that do change.

Focus – stop multi-tasking. Have you been daunted by the enormity of a project or task? When we think about everything we have to do, we often begin to hurry, rush or try to multitask. You will be more productive when you focus on one task at a time. A basketball team down by 20 points can only come back 2 or 3 points at a time. A soccer or hockey team can only score one goal at a time. As you complete one task and then move to the next, and you will be making more progress faster.

Think confidently. Be confident in your abilities! Remind yourself of past successes! (Here’s a hint - when you have a plan and are well prepared it is easier to be confident.) Confidence is an under-valued skill off the court and playing field. When you think confidently you are taking the necessary first step towards acting with confidence.

Stay inside your sphere of influence. Remember that you can’t change the world (or the other members of the project team for that matter). Focus on what you can impact. Stay inside yourself and proactively work on things that you have the ability to impact or change.

Remain positive. A positive attitude, approach and demeanor can make a big difference. When you really feel rushed, you probably aren’t your most positive self. But when you feel on top of things, even if you are busy, you are more likely to be positive. Knowing this is true, you can create more positive actions by starting with more positive thoughts.

Take a deep breath. This piece of advice, given to me often by my grandfather and father is some of the best advice I’ve ever received, and it certainly applies in this case. Take a deep breath, refocus and move forward positively, confidently and quickly - without hurrying.

All of the suggestions above are powerful ways to improve your performance. Now that you have read the list, identify the one or two that seem most valuable or applicable to you or your team. Apply those suggestions and your performance will improve immediately and significantly.

---

Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry and The Kevin Eikenberry Group.

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

*SINewswatch would like to thank Kevin Eikenberry for granting permission to reprint this article.

'Work Life Balance' - Tom Ziglar's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Tom Ziglar's blog pos is entitled, "Work Life Balance." [blog]

Details

Ziglar says, "But, what is a balanced life, exactly?

In an age of iPods, MP3s, and nanotechnology, how do you unplug from all things gadgetry and plug into what matters?" Read Complete Post

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Ziglar Blog

'Is Your Life Working For You?' - Success Nala's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Success Nala's blog post is entitled, "Is Your Life Working For You?" [blog]

Details

Nala says, "In fact, I think for most people life is not working.

And that’s O.K.

The problem is that they don’t do anything about it." Read Complete Post

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The Abundant Life Blog

'The Chattering Mind And Inner Peace' - Remez Sasson's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Remez Sasson's blog Post is entitled, "The Chattering Mind and Inner Peace." [blog]

Details

Sasson says, "The ability to calm down the restlessness of the mind can be developed through special training.

Concentration and meditation are two of the main ways to do so." Read Complete Post

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Success Consciousness.com's Blog

'Communicating Persuasively: Email or Face-to-Face?' - PsyBlog's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

PsyBlog's blog post is entitled, "Communicating Persuasively: Email or Face-to-Face?" [blog]

Details

The blog post says, "Our intuitive understanding is that face-to-face communication is the most persuasive.

In reality, of course, it's not always possible to meet in person, so email wins out.

How, then, do people react to persuasion attempts over email?" Read Complete Post

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PsyBlog

'What we Have Here is a Failure to Power Point' - Jonathan Steele's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Jonathan Steele's blog post is entitled, "What we Have Here is a Failure to Power Point." [blog]

Details

Steele says, "You need to be prepared to give your presentation regardless of what ever technical glitches that may arise." Read Complete Post

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Speech Mastery.com

'8 Rules for Writing Well' - Syd's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Syd's blog post is entitled, "8 Rules for Writing Well." [blog]

Details

Syd says, "The above rules can apply to writing a letter, memo, report or even an article. Before we even begin writing, we need to do these two important things:" Read Complete Post

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'Self Improvement of Your Relationships' - Self Help Zone Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Self Help Zone blog post is entitled, "Self Improvement of Your Relationships." [blog]

Details

The blog post says, "Therefore, people’s self improvement goals should include the relationships they have within their lives and make a concerted effort for mending any strained or broken relationships." Read Complete Post

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Self Help Zone

'Self Improvement Tip of the Day: Ignore The Armchair Critics' - Self Improvement Directory Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Self Improvement Directory blog post is entitled, "Self Improvement Tip of the Day: Ignore The Armchair Critics." [blog]

Details

The blog post says, "It takes courage and guts to try new things and take risks, and to be prepared to stand up and be counted, but this is how we grow and develop as individuals, and how we progress to bigger and better things." Read Complete Post

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'Do You Have Low Self Esteem? Part 2' - Emmanuel Segui's Blog Article - March 25, 2007

Emmanuel Segui's blog article is reprinted here.

DO YOU HAVE LOW SELF ESTEEM? PART 2

Remember to rank your own needs up there with the needs of others. Quite often, individuals with low self esteem strive to please everyone but themselves in order to make themselves feel more adequate.

This act usually backfires since your focus is on those surrounding you instead of yourself. Dig deep and figure out your own needs.

Focusing on yourself for a while will allow you to identify to root cause of your self esteem issues so that you can go about conquering them.

Do you worry or obsess about your physical appearance? Are you constantly trying to change your appearance for what you think is the better? These feelings of inadequacy are quite common, especially among children and women. Often, individuals notice certain qualities about themselves as children due to comments by a friend, family member, or school mate.

These feelings harbor themselves inside, making them stronger and deeper-rooted. Some individuals obsess about their weight, height, statue, bone structure, facial features, hair, and any thing else under the sun.

These issues can become the root of serious problems, including eating disorders. Even the most beautiful people in the world have some feelings of inadequacy about their outward appearance. The people society deems beautiful or perfect have secret issues about their own appearance or body, so you are definitely not alone.

Instead of constantly worrying about those aspects you deem as negative, focus on the positive. If you find yourself slipping into a dangerous or deadly habit, seek professional help as soon as possible. The world has learned to live with you, now you must make the decision to live with yourself. Once you are comfortable in your own skin, your self confidence will soar sky-high.

Do you publicly berate yourself for fun? Is your idea of a good conversation tearing yourself down at the expense of others? Would you rather talk about your failures and weaknesses over your successes and strengths?

This is often the case with individuals with low self esteem.

Instead of accentuating the positive, they verbalize that constantly criticizing voice they hear in their own heads.

Whatever the case, if you find yourself to be suffering from low self esteem, there are ways to rebuild from within. Seek help from friends, family members, colleagues, self-help books, or professionals if necessary. Low self esteem is a problem that should not be ignored.

About the Author

Emmanuel SEGUI is a NLP Meta-master practitioner and the author of an amazing new ebook, "Moving From Vision To Action" that will teach how to easily empower yourself and other people to bring true power, focus, health and energy into their life.
Click now => http://www.vision-to-action.com

*SINewswatch would like to thank Emmanuel Segui for granting permission to reprint this article.

'The Power of Focus' - Lea Belair's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Lea Belair's blog pos is entitled, "The Power of Focus." [blog]

Details

Belair says, "My point is that we have lots of training in focusing on what we don’t want vs. what we do want.

That’s where really good coaching can help." Read Complete Post

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Leading from the Future Blog

'The Well-Differentiated Leader' - Michael McKinney's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Michael McKinney's blog post is entitled, "The Well-Differentiated Leader." [blog]

Details

McKinney says, "Two key concepts here are self-knowledge and self-control.

What Friedman spurns is a highly anxious risk-avoided, someone who is more concerned with good feelings than with progress, someone whose life revolves around the axis of consensus." Read Complete Post

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Leading Blog

'Daily Affirmation - Creativity' - Think Positive Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Think Positive blog post is entitled, "Daily Affirmation - Creativity." [blog]

Details

The blog post says to repeat this affirmation - I honor my creative abilities - throughout the whole day. Read Complete Post

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'Wired to Connect' - Susan Dunn's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Susan Dunn's blog post is entitled, "Wired to Connect." [blog]

Details

Dunn says, "Connections, of the good sort, help eliminate or alleviate stress, help us cope better, emotional intelligence is built on a good support system and network, and we are wired to connect with other humans and also mammals." Read Complete Post

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'Public Speaking: Give Me a Brake' - Tom Antion's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Tom Antion's blog post is entitled, "Public Speaking: Give Me a Brake." [blog]

Details

Antion says, "... a mental brake that is. Here are some mind tricks when you speak too fast." Read Complete Post

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'Dream Your Way to Success' - Eli Davidson's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Eli Davidson's blog post is entitled, "Dream Your Way to Success." [blog]

Details

Davidson says, "Good sleep habits on a constant basis will help you function better and prevent premature aging." Read Complete Post

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'Why You Will Never See A Rant Category At Evolving Times' - Edward Mills Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Edward Mills' blog post is entitled, "'Why You Will Never See A Rant Category At Evolving Times." [blog]

Details

Mills says, "I recognize the power of thoughts and especially words.

Because I accept the basic premise of the Law of Attraction – that what you focus on expands in your life – I am, understandably very careful about what I focus on, and even more selective about which topics I choose to address here." Read Complete Post

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Evolving Times Blog

'5 Things I Love About Volunteering' - Roger Carr's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Roger Carr's blog post is entitled, "5 Things I Love About Volunteering." [blog]

Details

Carr says, "As a volunteer, you don't get paid for donating your time.

However, there are benefits in it for you and me when we're unselfish in giving our time to benefit others." Read Complete Post

Post Related Link

Everyday Giving Blog

'A Reminder and a Recommendation' - Blair Warren's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Blair Warren's blog post is entitled, "A Reminder and a Recommendation." [blog]

Details

Warren says, "Given how much we’re being told lately that the key to success is to “focus on what we want, not on what we don’t want,” I thought you might find Dr. Sutton’s words quite interesting." Read Complete Post

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'Time to Automate' - Donna Karlin's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Donna Karlin's blog post is entitled, "Time to Automate." [blog]

Details

Karlin says, "Oh I’ll control the chunks of time and what will be available and what won’t be.

But the systems in place will do all the work for me and I can now ‘play’." Read Complete Post

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'Let as much light into your life as you can!' - Arvind Devalia's Blog Post - March 25, 2007

Summary

Arvind Devalia's blog post is entitled, "'Let as much light into your life as you can!" [blog]

Details

Devalia says, "So the lesson for us is this - let as much light into your life as you can.

You just don’t know when you don’t have that ability anymore." Read Complete Post

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