Showing posts with label smile
This is my third year as an ambassador #GivingTuesday,  the global day of giving back to our community, or the world depending on which causes and organizations you choose to support. My family and I choose to support globally during most of the year, but during the holidays, we love to give our support locally. Read on for my three easy ways to give back starting today.


#GivingTuesday


1. Donate Funds:
The first way we give is by putting a donation in nearly every Salvation Army bell ringers collection. Sometimes it’s just the change in our hands from our recent shopping trip. Other times we give a more meaningful amount, it really depends on where we are in our lives. Every little bit helps!  We smile and thank  the volunteers who are out in all sorts of weather promoting the Salvation's Armies promise to America to “Do the most good”. Our daughters, now in their teens,  have watched us do this so often over the years, that now they reach in their purse or pockets to see what they can give as well. This makes us very proud parents because we never asked them to give, they want too.  If you would like to learn more about volunteering this holiday season as a bell ringer, please visit www.ringbells.org where you can do a search to find local volunteer opportunities. 


2. Donate Food:
Feeding America #GivingTuesday
source

The second way we give is by supporting local food banks. The need is greatest this time of year, second only to summer when kids are out of school. The idea of not having enough food is a scary and growing situation on our country.  It’s hard to fathom that 42 million people in America face hunger each day- that’s 1 in every 8 Americans!  Sadly, school age children are the most severely affected by hunger. 
One of the easiest ways to help is to look for a collection bin at your local grocery store and put one of your BOGO’s in it all year. If you have the resources, perhaps you can adopt a family in need off of the giving tree in your community.  My local stores have them up all season. If your grocery store doesn’t, just look up your local food bank at Feeding America  and ask what they need.  


3. Donate Time:

Volunteer #GivingTuesday
source

Last but certainly not least, we want to help seniors in our community this year. I’m contacting a local assisted living community today to see how we might help brighten residents days. Simple acts like visiting for 30 minutes, smiling and saying hello to each resident we see, writing greeting cards for a hallway of residents, giving out free hand massages since I’m an Avon lady.
If you don’t have an assisted living center in your community, contact your local senior center or visit the National Center on Aging  which has a wealth of resources to help you plug in and help.


More Ways to help:

find local events #GivingTuesday

My three ways of helping may not be the best fit for you, so I invite you to visit the #GivingTuesday website where you can find countless ways to get involved today, next month or next year.

 Freebie:

The one thing you can give freely, multiple times a day is your smile. It costs you nothing, but to the receiver it may mean everything, especially in our social media savvy world! Look up from those phones when you are in public and Smile! Speaking of smiling- are you following me a.k.a. ismilefirst on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest? I'd love for you to join me! 


Please share in comments: Which way do you and your family help give back to your community?

Walking has long been a part of my healthy living regimen, but last week I noticed that my once "easy" 1-mile power walk wasn't quite so easy.

If I was pushing myself to power it up in a brisk 15-minute mile on Monday, well being jazzed about a 2-mile power walk with weights on Tuesday seemed...torturous!


Sunday is all about family time here and this Sunday was no different, so as I'm picking out paint colors and listening to the happy chatter from my oldest daughter, it occurred to me the reason why I was pooped after one measly mile!

 My blog! Yikes! I LOVE my blog! But, is this love making my jeans a tidge tighter just like my hubby's eating habits did way back in our dating days?

Yep, sad I know but true. Blogging is a sedentary hobby or job ( depending on your blog) and I have fallen prey to the PC spread! I try to watch the clock and limit my time online, but still, I obviously need to do better.

 Maybe I will take my walking outside now that there is a hint of spring in the air. Maybe I will be joining the local walking club.

 I'll play with the kids after school for just a few more minutes. Maybe I'll just get out on my land and climb up our hill a couple times.

So that's my plan for the day ( and week, and Please!) the month: Move more, type less. Be a clock watcher (online and off), schedule
moving just like I schedule everything else.

Is your blog making your butt look big too? How about your mates? Are you leading a too sedentary lifestyle?

For once, we ladies aren't the only ones suffering, oh no, the guys with desk jobs have it even worse! Check out this great article I just read on how to avoid on the job weight gain
and then stand up, do a few quick squats, run to the kitchen and down a glass of water. Then come back here and let me know what you think! 

Remember to smile, treat yourself well and put the oxygen mask on yourself first!
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