Category: "Gift Giving"
Satisfaction
December 30th, 2015A Massive Ceremony Coming to Philadelphia
September 25th, 2015Everybody's Talkin'
December 5th, 2014Tapped out or tuned in?
September 20th, 2013It couldn't happen without the committee any more than without the support from sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and most importantly, Pennsylvania Audubon and Montgomery County's parks department. For me, a communicator, the best part is and will be the spread of information and the conversations that get started. For instance, last year, representatives from three local municipalities (Marlborough, Lower Frederick, and Upper Salford Townships) were there to promote and explain their participation in PA Audubon's Bird Town program. (Related article). Better than any newsletter or blog post, residents and leaders were able to stand face-to-face and talk about why they believe a healthy, natural wildlife habitat is good for people, too. Lower Frederick Township's display included a place where kids could make a peanut-butter-pine-cone bird feeder. I created a video slideshow to give those who missed last year's event a glimpse of what went on. Looking back, I remember my initial, reluctant response. It's easy to feel maxed out and unable to take advantage of opportunities when they come around. It's wise to limit the number of volunteer activities when there are bills to be paid. Meanwhile, it's also important to engage in the things that energize you. It helps to ask yourself a few questions before responding to invitations such as John's: • Is this something I need to do? • Is this something I like to do? • Is this something I aught to do? When you can say yes to all three, you should say yes to the opportunity at hand. More often than not, the results will be positive ones. ---
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This Week's Small Step: Ask for Help
March 9th, 2012At some time over the course of the next seven days you're going to need some help. Maybe you'll need someone to lift something with you. Or you'll need an associate to give you some feedback before coming to a final decision. Whether it be physical or mental, large or small, we're all going to need assistance.
Yet, asking can be a sign of weakness. We don't want burden anybody. We don't always have something to give in return. We've been told to pull up our bootstraps and do what it takes to make stuff happen. These are the overused mantras that not only make life harder than it needs to be, they sever our connection to others around us.
A request for help draws people in. It makes them feel worthwhile. It lets them join in, even if in just a small way. It enriches the life of the one who answers, as well as the one who asks.
So this week, at some point, I encourage you to:
Ask for Help
If your hands are full, ask a stranger to open a door. If you are tired after a long day, ask your family to help with the chores. If you are unsure what the next step in your business should be, ask a mentor for advice.
My friend Jamie asked for help when she didn't understand what a women was doing at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science's butterfly exhibit. Everyone nearby benefited from the answers that followed.
Sometimes, a need is so great it requires hired help, and that's ok too. Hired help can be equally connective. In exchange for money, a person shares their talent. Relieved of your burden, you are free to better focus on those around you. Sufficiently sustained, the sharing and connecting cycle continues.
However, it's important to note, you do not pay the stranger to open the door for you. Doing so would nearly be insulting. Payment for help is only due when payment was in the arrangement from the start. Otherwise, it's just people helping people because that's what we do.
Yes, there is a measure of greatness in independence. The child who pours his first glass of milk is proud to declare, "I can do it myself." However, we cannot forget that conditions change constantly. Sometimes the glass is too tall or the milk carton too heavy. Most moms would be thrilled to know their kids still need them once in awhile. Should we grow too independent, we find ourselves nothing but alone in the kitchen.
Is there something you have been struggling with? Have you been reluctant to ask for assistance? Have you been thinking about a friend with a talent you could really use? Show them how strong you are, and ask for help.
The Write Beat's "One Small Step a Week" series offers suggestions for simplifying life in order to slow down, reconnect with Nature, and live in a way that is in better harmony with our surroundings.