A PHOTO CONTEST TO CAPTURE EVERYDAY GOODNESS

I recently discovered and joined Squidoo a very cool place I might add. Squidoo gives people a way to raise awareness and money for their favorite causes, painlessly and for free, just by building a web page or "lense" about any topic.

Millions of people volunteer in our communities every day. We adopt abandoned animals. We check in on elderly neighbors. We spend a few hours laying down carpet for a homeless shelter. We read to kids down at the school. We hold the door...

These moments of human kindness and generosity happen countless times a day. And when we notice them, and especially when we play a part, the good feeling that's generated isn't just powerful. It's down-right contagious.

Which is why VolunteerMatch and Squidoo.com are inviting you to share your favorite photos showing the impact of giving back. This is your chance to inspire others with images of every kindness and the spirit of volunteerism and community. And we want to hear the story that lies behind these images, too.

For two special photos, an image won't just be worth a thousand words, either. They'll be worth $1,000, for charity. That's right. If our online community here votes your photo into one of the top two slots, we'll give $1,000 to the nonprofit organization of your choice.

Learn more about Kindness in Focus

What Everyone Should Know About The Power of Thought.

Do you believe that your thoughts have power? Be it meditation, prayer, or simply focused intention, the power of thought can change your attitude, emotions, your physical body, and even the physical world around us.

Wouldn't it be nice to have 10,000 people helping you?

I found this new website that is designed to help you focus your thoughts on what is important while maintaining a positive attitude through gratitude, inspiration, and helping others. 10,000 Thoughts is an online community of people helping each other get what they want most.

It doesn’t matter if you believe in the power of thought, the power of positive thinking, power of prayer, or simply the power of the internet to connect people – 10,000 Thoughts might be the place to help you fulfill your dreams and wishes.

Here is how it works; you write down what you want as an intention. Other members view and read your intention, then send their focused thoughts, positive energy, prayers, comments, and e-mails or take other actions to help your intention come to be.

When you submit an intention to 10,000 Thoughts, there is the opportunity for tens of thousands of people to read your intention and help you get what you want. Plus, the more you help others with their intentions, the greater number of people will read and help you with your intentions. Then all you need to do is enjoy the fact that all these people want to help you with your dreams!

Since it's free to join it might just be worth checking out 10,000 Thoughts and see if it makes a difference in your life.

Wordless Wednesday - Are You Bored?

What do you do to prevent boredom? You could take a nap... or do a good deed.

This cute photo courtesy of i Stock Photo

Are You Flexible?

Strength and determination are good things to have but flexibility is important too. You can't always have your own way, this humorous video clip shows why it's important to be flexible and when to recognise the opportune times.

A Complaint Free World

Imagine a world where no one complains! Are we in the habit of complaining too much? Think of all the ways people express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness. They complain, kick, plain, sound off, quetch, or kvetch, and show unhappiness or critical attitude; they grouch, grumble, scold, gripe, b1tch, grouse, crab, beef, squawk, bellyache, and holler. Oh, my! There is a time and place when it's appropriate to complain but it can almost always be done in a pleasant way!

What if we looked at everything with a more positive attitude, would it make a difference? Would we be happier, and would the people around us be happier?

A Complaint Free World has started a complaint-free movement and they are giving away bracelets to help people learn new habit by reminding them not to complain. It takes 21 days to create new neuro-pathways in our brain and new habits. So perhaps by stopping ourselves from complaining, gossiping and criticizing it is possible to shift our outlook onto only the positive.

Here are the suggested rules for using the bracelet:

1. Begin to wear the bracelet, on either wrist

2. When you catch yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing (it’s ok, everyone does) move the bracelet to the other arm and begin again.

3. If you hear someone else who is wearing a bracelet complain, you may point out their need to switch the bracelet to the other arm; BUT if you’re going to do this, you must move your bracelet first!

4. Stay with it. It may take many months but when you reach 21 days you will find that your entire life is happier, more loving, more positive and more abundant.

It doesn't matter what your religion or personal beliefs are you have the power to create your life with positive intention. Could you go 21 days without complaining? I believe you can!

Pay It Forward

Pay it forward or paying it forward refers to repaying the good deeds one has received by doing good things for other unrelated people.

I did a bit of research and according to Wikipedia the idea of "paying it forward" appeared in a letter from Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Webb, dated April 22, 1784. The phrase "pay it forward" as a moral philosophy appeared in Catherine Ryan Hyde's novel "Pay It Forward", which was also adapted into a movie of the same name. Science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein, used the phrase in "Between Planets," a book published in 1951, some 50 years before Ryan Hyde's novel.

I haven't read Ryan Hyde's book but I loved the movie. "Pay it Forward" is described as an obligation to do three good deeds for others in repayment of a good deed that one receives, and that such good deeds should be things that the person cannot accomplish on their own. The recipient of such acts of kindness is then expected to do three good deeds for others in repayment for the help they have received. In this way, the need to help each other can spread exponentially through society creating a social movement with the hopes of making the world a better place. In practice the philosophy of pay it forward has broadened relative to its literary roots, and now it incorporates a more general flavor of social responsibility and desire to help others in recognition of the help one has received for one's self. It is also sometimes described as being "good for a favor", meaning a willingness to help others, even strangers, on the expectation that it will all come back around in the end.

The idea of the book has been championed in real life by the Pay It Forward Foundation . The Foundation focuses on bringing the idea of paying it forward to school age children, parents, and educators. The simple idea of doing good works for others to repay the good that has happened to you is one that can easily be conveyed to children and encourages them to be socially aware and take a role in making the world a better place. The main character of the book was a 12-year-old child, thus giving other children someone they can relate to.

Why should kids have all the fun? Shouldn't paying it forward be part of our everyday lives? If you think so then add your link below!

Everyday Heroes

Don't you just love lazy Sundays? I was relaxing on the couch yesterday reading the latest copy of Reader's Digest when I came across the section titled "Everyday Heroes" and it struck me that this would be another good topic for this blog. Thanks, RD for sparking the idea. So I thought I'd share few interesting sites I found with you.

My Hero invites your family, school, or organization to take part in this not-for profit educational project. Add your vision by sharing your words, images and short films celebrating all types of heroes; angels, animals, artists, business, child, community, earth keepers, explorers, faith, family, freedom, hero's hero, lifesavers, literary, musician, peacemakers, poets, scientists, sports, teachers, women, and writers from around the world on this ever-growing internet archive.


The ThinkQuest team ran a school essay contest and here are some of the winning essays Everyday Heroes ThinkQuest inspires students to think, connect, create, and share. Students work in teams to build innovative and educational websites to share with the world. Along the way, they learn research, writing, teamwork, and technology skills and compete for exciting prizes.

The American Red Cross has a number of stories about everyday heroes as well.

And last but not least I love the conclusion on Mrs. Lowe's Home Page which is another classroom project.

Conclusion

The goal of this WebQuest was to help you realize that we all are heroes when we do the right thing and treat people as they should be treated. I hope that you have learned a little more about yourself and the people around you. If you have, pass on that knowledge to someone else and try to make this world a better place.

It's not always easy doing the right thing and sometimes you're the only one who knows if you've done right or wrong...but then you are the one person who really counts because YOU will know.

Well, I'm off to look for some heroes of my own!