How I Spent My Summer

What are you doing to help others?

Remember when on the first day of elementary and middle school your teacher would ask everyone to write about what they did over the summer? 

I always dreaded doing that assignment because we never went anywhere.  I did a lot of reading, playing with Barbies, organizing my closet, and getting my knees dirty in the garden.  I thought my essays always sounded so nerdy and lame when compared to classmates who traveled all over the country or went to camp. 

In hindsight, while our family couldn't afford to go away, the skills I gained learning how to keep busy and be productive are far more lasting than any boring trip or long-forgotten week at a camp.

Raise your hand...volunteer!

So how are you spending your summer or holiday break?  These times offer the perfect opportunity to get a job or volunteer for a company or organization that aligns with your program of study. 

Finding a job might be challenging in this economy.  However, volunteering offers innumerable opportunities to learn important transferable career skills, you'll meet other people who work in your field (great networking opp), looks great on a resume (shows you are interested in making your community a better place), and has been known to turn into an internship and/or full-time job.  Suh-weet!

Opportunities are everywhere!

Where do you find volunteer opps?  Every hospital and nursing home need volunteers to assist with patient- and non-patient care assignments.  Also, here are some volunteering links for the Capital District to get you started:







Volunteer Match:  http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/index.jsp?r=msa&l=13459

Albany.com:  http://www.albany.com/guide/community_volunteeropportunities.cfm

Simply Hired:  http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-volunteer/l-albany,+ny

Albany County:  http://www.albanycounty.com/employment.asp



So will your summer be nerdy, lazy and lame, or will you talk about your  amazing and memorable experiences, how many people you helped, and the many career-building skills you've gained?


(c) Robyn King.  All Rights Reserved.

Reputation Building 101: Volunteer

Volunteer your time...build your reputation.

 
Help those less fortunate than yourself, because the personal rewards are immeasurable.  A bonus of performing good deeds is that you can use these experiences to build your reputation.  Your reputation determines how people view you, and having a good one is worth more than any education, skills or talents. 

I have a colleague who volunteered A LOT of his free time to a particular local chapter of a non-profit organization.  It was through his network at this organization that he found an opening for a full-time, paid position with benefits.  

He applied, interviewed, and got the job.  The people who interviewed him already had heard great things about him from other volunteers, had seen him in action many times, knew about his work ethic, the kind of person he is, and his dedication to their cause.  

He later learned that his volunteer efforts and remarkable reputation are what put him head-and-shoulders above the other candidates.

Source

A great reputation can open many doors, but spending time helping others will make you feel fantastic about yourself and the positive impact you make on their lives.  

Giving to others is an awesome opportunity to recognize--and be grateful for--the abundance in your own life. 


(c) 2011-2016. Robyn King.  All Rights Reserved.

What are you giving up...and what are you giving?





Today is Ash Wednesday.  It marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period where Christian followers fast, abstain from eating meat, and repent of their sins.  During this time, they also give up something they value, such as coffee, TV, their iPod, etc, or decide to change a bad behavior or habit.  Then, on Easter Sunday (the last day of Lent), the person decides whether the sacrifice is continued or abandoned.

When you think of it, 40 days out of 365 isn't really a lot of time, but when you choose to turn your back on something you are accustomed to having or doing, it can seem like an eternity.  Many people report, however, that with each day that goes by, it gets a little bit easier to bear.  Sometimes, at the end of the forty days, they wonder why they bothered having or doing whatever it was they thought they couldn't live without.  Maybe it's not such a sacrifice after all.

Regardless of your spiritual path or religious beliefs, I propose we all give up something that needs to be gone from our lives.  Overeating, bad attitudes, toxic relationships, smoking, drinking, caffeine, arguing and/or fighting, putting down people for the sake of feeling superior ourselves, doing too much of anything...all are examples of healthy sacrifices.  Choose one that will make the biggest impact on your life right now.  

Start today...even if it isn't Ash Wednesday when you read this.  Choose only that one thing you're determined to get rid of, count out 40 days on your calendar, mark the 40th day, and put a red "X" on every day you succeed.  If you trip up, start again, and again, and again if you have to.  Making a change is no doubt difficult, but the control over your success lies within you and you only. 

During this period of sacrifice, why not use your time to help others?  Giving to someone else makes us feel good, keeps our minds off of what we're giving up, and puts our own struggles into perspective.  Offer to tutor a classmate.  Clean out your closet and donate your no longer needed clothing to a charity.  Become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a kid who needs your time and guidance. Volunteer at a local hospital or the Animal Protective Foundation.  You get the point. 

At the end of the 40 days, you have two decisions to make:  1)  Will you continue giving up?  and 2)  Will you continue giving?

To show that I practice what I preach (so to speak), I'm giving up snacking after 8:00pm.  That's when I'm usually sitting in front of the TV with some kind of salty or sweet carb to munch on...even though I'm trying to lose a few pounds.  So, I'm gonna bite the bullet.  If I need something to nibble on, it will be before 8, and will be something healthy for me.  If I trip up (hey, I'm human too), then I will start back at Day 1 again.  Who knows...in 40 days I might be able to live without snacking after 8 completely. 

To keep myself motivated (yet distracted), I plan to use my time to clean out and organize my attic, and will donate anything I haven't used in a year to Goodwill.  Trust me...it will take at least 40 days to complete this task, but getting this done will a huge improvement and I will feel great.

Today is Day One, and Day 40 is marked on my calendar.  It'll be hard, but I can do this.  So can you.  Are you with me?










<Note:  All images obtained through Google Images unless otherwise noted>
(c) 2012 Robyn M. Posson