There are currently more than 2 million Americans who are incarcerated in our country’s prison system. Of that, about 650,000 are released annually. This population will be faced with the challenges involved in reintegrating themselves back into society. The task is daunting and can be filled with disappointments, confusion, and a host of other emotions. Unfortunately, many who are released are unable to successfully make the transition to freedom and find themselves back behind bars; hence the high recidivism rate.
Based on both extensive professional and personal experience, I have identified several things that newly released prisoners need to know to increase the likelihood that they will stay free and succeed in life. This advice is designed to help not only ex-prisoners, but their families and the support programs that work with them.
1. Anything is possible, but a common sense time-table and plan are vital.
Ex-prisoners come home and have a number of lofty aspirations. Whether it’s starting their own business, graduating from school, reconnecting with family, traveling, or becoming a millionaire, a realistic timetable and plan are vital. The prison experience often generates a sense of urgency in those who go through it. While understandable, the mindset that accompanies the newly released prisoner is often counterproductive to achieving his or her goals and objectives.
Ex-prisoners need to have short-, medium-, and long-term objectives that contribute to the realization of their goals. Small steps that generated results, as opposed to big ones that may end in frustration, are preferable. Help is available in developing timetables and plans through local mentoring programs, colleges, business development programs and other non-profit organizations.
2. The doorway back into prison is controlled by the prisoner. The probation and parole officers are not you enemy.
An ex-prisoner’s freedom is completely determined by what he or she does. No one else is responsible for what happens to them. In this way, power is in the hands of the ex-prisoner. Parole and probation officers are bound by rules and regulations. The only way that the ex-prisoner is returned to prison is if he or she violates any of the terms and conditions of his/her release. Whether or not “the rules” seem small or not, they must be scrupulously obeyed.
Those who are newly released from incarceration often view their parole and probation officers as their enemies whose sole purpose is to send them back to prison. This is not the case. These officers are not responsible for the actions taken by ex-prisoners; rather, they respond. In many instances, ex-prisoners do not take advantage of the assistance and services available through their probation and parole officers. Of course, there are differences between and among these officers; not all may offer the same level of support. However, the ex-prisoner will never know if there is help available unless he or she asks.
3. It takes a number of adjustments over time for ex-prisoners to re-establish themselves. Setbacks are a natural part of this process.
Ex-prisoners existed in prison, while life on the outside continued to go on without them. When they return to society, they often feel out of step. Their families, friends, and neighborhoods have changed. Technology is different, old and familiar stores have gone out of business, replaced by new and unfamiliar chains. Nothing is as it was before the prison experience. Whether it’s boarding the bus with bus fare that was valid several years ago, or discovering that an old girlfriend is involved with his friend, frustration and a sense of disorientation are inevitable. They are part of the adjustment process that every ex-prisoner must go through on the way to transitioning to free society.
Ex-prisoners need to take their time and get used to being free. This may take a few weeks, if not months. This time of adjustment is needed before they make any new and serious commitments. The first few weeks and months outside of prison are not the time to become involved in business ventures with old friends, get married, assume major financial obligations (such as buying a new car or house), or undertake other major life decisions. Rather, this is the time to reflect, focus on making a successful transition, and close the gap between prison and where he/she is currently.
4. Being grounded spiritually is a good thing.
It is my personal opinion that being spiritually grounded is helpful, especially for those coming out of prison. For one, it allows the ex-prisoner to become a part of a supportive community. Moreover, it can plug the ex-prisoner into a set of regular, stable, and positive events and activities that can help promote accountability. Most faith traditions encourage their adherents to be better people who are considerate, thoughtful, reflective, and law-abiding. In times of challenge or trouble, the ex-prisoner has a source of strength, guidance and refuge to which to turn. This can make a positive development in the ex-prisoner’s life.
5. Set up an accountability plan and stick with it.
If ex-prisoners do not set up markers to gauge process, slippage is possible, if not inevitable. Even those with the best of intentions can end up back in prison in the absence of a concrete plan that will put checks and balances in place. In contrast, accountability can and should prevent recidivism and other undesirable outcomes.
There are several ways to establish accountability. First, internal accountability involves selecting two meetings/events that the ex-prisoner attends weekly. These could be Bible studies, reading a book in the library, etc. that are done consistently. They are time alone for the ex-prisoner. Second, external accountability involves time commitments to others. These could be regular meetings/events with one or two people. Meeting for coffee, prayer, movies, and other positive activities with stable people is beneficial. When the ex-prisoner finds himself or herself missing these weekly appointments, then it is a good indication that he or she is off-track and needs to re-focus. When a person is first released from prison, it seems like he or she has unlimited time. Once jobs, families, and other commitments are added, free time available time diminishes, and can crowd out scheduled accountability time.
Making the transition from inmate to free citizen is challenging but not impossible. Taking these five points into consideration will smooth the process.
By: Andre Norman
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Nov 20th, 2010. 
I’m including a bit of a conversation in here because I feel that it’s extremely difficult to give a person a proper view of what is actually going on without it…
Daily people lie and think nothing of it convincing themselves that it is actually better to lie than it is to hurt someone else’s feelings. Excuses won’t work. Honestly hurting someone’s feelings, isn’t exactly a cardinal sin and since no one really knows for certain how someone is going to react to a statement until after it’s said leads me to believe that the individual lying isn’t giving anyone an honest chance. Interesting concept that some people actually believe ” I lie so that I won’t hurt someone’s feelings” What I hear being said is that ” I lie and I blame it on other’s because they might get hurt feelings over something I said”. I may or may not be quite right in this opinion but for what it is worth I think it’s just plain controlling to not open up and be oneself. If a person sincerely doesn’t wish to hurt anothers feelings then just chose to say nothing and that solves the entire “lying” issue. Excuses don’t work.
Here is a small part of a short story which I think helps give young adults the idea of the feelings that lying can bring about. Negativity results in lying for whatever reason and distrust can come about for obvious reasons. This story in particular makes the person reading it think about reasons to tell the truth and to think twice about the reasons to avoid lying.
HONESTY
“I approached the driveway slowly thinking the entire time that my folks might have worried for no reason had I mentioned I was going to Jayden’s house. Instead I had told them I was walking the dog over to the park across the road from Grandma’s house. Nervously now I increased my pace my heart started to pound with exhilaration and a bit of anxiety as I realized we were going to really do it. Jayden and I had made plans to investigate the supposedly haunted building that loomed ominously at the end of the cul-de-sac. The house had been abandoned for years and lately there had been rumours of lights flickering inside the unoccupied home. Whatever the case, Jayden was as determined as I to get inside somehow and have a look see for ourselves. Nothing had excited us more than reading Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon and the Hardy Boys. Together we had discussed the events in those novels and realized that the novels intrigued us beyond just reading them. One day I was certain we’d open up our very own private investigation service for the normal and the paranormal.
For now though it seemed light years away as we were merely 13 years old and five years was to long to wait. Tonight we were going to start our very first investigation and I was scared. So scared in fact that I was dishonest with where I’d be heading with my own Mother. My Mom a bit of an eccentric person was not one to mess around lying with and for the first time since I’d been a little child I had broken a trust that had been long standing. This trust breaking was nothing I took light hearted even now I regretted telling the fib. I might not be able to get back the honesty in our relationship because of it and was not so sure that anything was worth destroying that relationship with my mother. While she had many quirks and seemed more than a little weird her heart held me and my brothers together through many a tough time. When our alcoholic father left our spirits were crushed, but somehow Mom managed to keep a twinkle in her eye and a smile in her heart which only served to let us all know that things were still going to be alright. Not once did she complain or seem discontent even though it was her lot in life to go through the cold Minnesota winters with blue toes, a cold nose and barely enough food on the table to get by. I suddenly felt like crying and choked back a sob as I rounded up the walkway to my best friend Jayden’s front doorstep. To my surprise, she was already dressed to go and had a flashlight in tow along with a backpack with what looked like a water bottle on the side. I didn’t have to say a word and we turned and walked back down the path I just had walked up. The sun now was settling into the earth…..(to be continued)”
I know someone who used to lie out of fear which stemmed WAY back into thier childhood..as they grew older and realized that they had created a habit in which not only caused more problems for themselves but others as well a change occurred.. But the more they tried to change, the more FEAR got in the way.. ONE day this individual got particularily mad about the whole situation and asked God to help them stop lying NO matter what…and the amazing part of this story is that they still were not able to stop the “little” lies. Then all of a sudden the things that were being lied about started to become true…In essence a not so minor miracle happened.
It happened, and each time it happened this individual thanked God with tears in their eyes..Then afterwards it became easier and easier to tell the truth. Now, to this day this person hasn’t completely been able to be honest yet telling three lies in one year is better than telling three lies in one week. It’s a considerable improvement and with God’s help success is on the way. This individual has come a long way in three years after a lifetime of fear based dishonesty.
While change is inevitable let’s attempt to make it a change for the positive! A little faith and desire can overcome a lot of life’s challenges. Honestly I think our world will be a better place if we place more stock in telling the truth.
By: Sherri Beliveau
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Nov 17th, 2010.
Do you ever wonder why although so much of our tax dollars go to government programs to resolve society’s problems, things seem to be getting worse? Are you appalled while reading the papers or listening to the news because you do not understand why so many adults and children are hurting themselves and others?
Possibly the main reason why many of our programs have failed, why abuse is so widespread, is because society has been focusing on the symptoms and not the causes. As a former high school teacher and psychotherapist, I am convinced that the causes of most of our problems are the inability to constructively deal with our emotions.
Our schools focus mainly on the mind and somewhat on the physical body. But no experts teach how to constructively deal with feelings. The effect on the individual and society has been painful, sad and destructive. As a practicing psychotherapist, I discovered that many people stuff their feelings with food and struggle with the “Battle of the Bulge”. Others numb their emotions with drugs, or “drown” them with alcohol. Many clients were able to overcome their addictions, only after they learned how to deal with their feelings.
One can add the suffix “aholic” to any activity we overdo in order to avoid feelings. Some examples are: workaholic, sportsaholic, “runaholic”, “televisionaholic”, “readaholic”, “parentaholic”, and “sexaholic”. Once clients faced their feelings, they were able to have a more balanced life and no longer felt driven.
Other serious symptoms of the inability to constructively deal with feelings include the high incidence of depression, disease, accidents, suicide, homicide, child abuse, rape, and divorce. Focusing on the cause, their unexpressed feelings, I was able to help people live healthier and safer lives, and prevent some of the more serious symptoms, such as ******* or the violation of others.
Constructively dealing with our feelings, self-esteem, and communication needs to be a Number One priority in our society. When we can help people raise their self-esteem, take responsibility for all their emotions, and communicate in a positive way, we will be resolving society’s many problems. Think of all the money we can save when we focus on the causes of the problems instead of the symptoms. Think of all the pain we can avoid.
Prevention programs are much more effective. For example, we can provide required classes in dealing with feelings, self-esteem, and communication from kindergarten up, and relationship and parenting classes in high school and college. Another suggestion is to require a minimum of ten hours of premarital counseling, which includes parenting skills, before people can obtain a marriage certificate. These classes can also be available for single and married adults.
We can include in teacher training programs required classes in how to help students communicate, raise their self-esteem, and deal with their feelings. Testing teachers on their level of communication skills and self-esteem would help us be confident that the students will have a healthy model, which is one way they learn.
Medical schools can offer required classes on how to recognize and to address patients’ emotional issues (besides mental illness), and to know when to refer them to the appropriate mental health professional. Doctors can also be informed about the emotional causes of diseases, and how to treat the whole person.
Psychotherapists’ training programs can offer required classes on how to help their clients constructively release their emotions, resolve their problems, communicate and raise their self-esteem.
If you like any of the above suggestions or have some of your own, talk to others, write to the appropriate people. What you do or say does make a difference! Focus on raising your self-esteem, improving your communication, and dealing constructively with your feelings. Be the person you would like others to be.
It is time to solve our problems. It is time for you, your children, your loved ones, and everyone to live in a healthy, happy, safe society.
By: Helene Rothschild
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Nov 15th, 2010.
Persuasion in society has been existent since the very first relationships were built. Persuasion has had a huge role in forming groups and developing collective ideas and attitudes. Its role will continue to influence future societies, as well, based on the united understanding of individuals. Persuasion in society can make or break a group, so you need to know what people want.
Social Influence
Persuasion in society is a vital part of human life. People have been guided by others throughout centuries through persuasive attitudes, actions, signs, and thoughts. Basically, individuals in a given group will be persuaded if they feel change will be for the entire group’s advantage. You may be familiar with utilitarianism and how the advantages and disadvantages of one person can significantly affect the entire group as a whole.
The same goes with persuasion, in the sense that if you are able to show inequity, people will mostly adhere to a problem-solving means, instead of being forced into deciding.
Weapons of Influence in Society
All weapons of influence can be applied to modern society. Persuasion in society still requires a variety of strategies, techniques, and approaches, especially since you are dealing with several people at a time. This may make it harder for you because it is very likely for different individuals in a society to have varying perceptions and views.
The most common is authority, wherein people are influenced by those they look up to, like leaders, heroes, and government figures. Social proof is another, where people follow what others in the same group are doing or thinking. Liking is when people easily get persuaded if they see things attractive to them or are to their advantage.
Scarcity is when people adhere to influence if it seems rare or unique. There is also reciprocation, in which individuals will allow themselves to be persuaded to return a favor or end suffering. Commitment and consistency is an honored agreement that may initially come with a motivator.
Persuasion in society acts in a way that lets individuals comply with the so-called standards of the group they belong to. They are more likely to be persuaded if they find benefits and improvement in their environment, which makes them feel useful and vital to their community. This greatly gives them a sense of security, decisiveness, and belongingness.
By: Michael Lee
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Read more on Persuasion in Society – Giving What People Want…
Filed under Self Improvement by on Nov 14th, 2010.
Leaders must have a belief that they have everything that they need. Need is a quality that competes with leadership. A person who feels like they lack in some departments in life; start to focus inwardly. They start trying to get what they need at the expense of everyone else. Who can blame them? There is a huge hole in their spirit in which they are trying to fill with everything that they can, the value and time of others, money, sex, food, and anything else. Desperately, they try to bring value to themselves because to them, they need it more than anyone. The only time someone who “needs” is happy is when someone more dominant allows the “needer” temporarily into their reality. This is dangerous for someone who thinks they lack, because this allows for manipulation and ridicule. It isn’t common for this to happen, because anyone’s reality will out match someone who thinks their own reality is lacking something. But all to often real needers are rejected beforehand, because leaders like to remain unaffected so they cast out the needer and the needy in order to preserve their own value and emotions.
Quick Fix:
Believe that you have everything that you need! Why? Because you do, you have every single that you will ever need for success. Quit looking for things to fill the imaginary hole in your spirit, you have everything. Your slate is wiped clean, everything in the past doesn’t matter. You have just as much as everything that everyone else has.
By: Brandon Swain
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Sep 14th, 2010.
In this day and age, anger is a major player in every society. People are driven by anger, meaning that they do not have any self control and the decisions made by them are actually decisions made by anger. We could even go so far as to call society an ‘Anger Driven Society’, where everyone is prone to anger outbursts.
If we observe our society for a while, we may be astonished to see that even children and teenagers are prone to anger outbursts as well. They are turning their negative energy into negative ways by attempting suicide, substance abuse, getting involved in violent activities, drinking alcohol, and so forth. Anger management is an issue that faces people of all ages and backgrounds. This is evident by the number of adolescent and teen anger management programs that are becoming commonplace. There are even free anger management advice lines for parents with troublesome pre-school kids.
Stress is playing a greater role in life nowadays and the stressors are so many that one may almost feel incapable of coping with them. The result is that each and every person is in a potentially hostile mood and if their trigger point is just slightly pressed, they will go out of control. This is not an example of a healthy society, and we should seek ways and means of anger management to turn all our negative energies collectively into positive energies and protect the foundations of a peaceful society.
On a governmental level, every country’s officials are angry amongst themselves and everybody wants things to go their way. Religious leaders throughout the world can be as angry as anyone and they want to impose religion on everyone. But let’s also remember that no religion teaches it is correct to impose things on anyone or talk rudely to anyone, or deceive someone, or to steal from someone, or to cheat someone, or to hurt someone. I can go on and on with the list and it will never end.
Every one of us is subjected, I guess almost daily, to some situations in which we just get mad and express ourselves in a negative way and think that our anger will resolve the issue. We expect someone will be intimidated by our anger and will do what we want them to, but it does not happen like this, it is not normal and the general point of view is that such people are in need of strong anger management therapy.
Honesty and decency is the best policy, but today, it is very difficult for an honest and decent person to survive in such society, because an honest person cannot hurt or cheat anyone. They expect honesty from everybody else that they are dealing with and they reserve the right of getting angry and reacting to the situation, in which they are being deceived, but they do not lose their control and never forget their principles of anger management.
They will often use diplomacy and negotiation as their main anger management techniques and call upon other anger management skills to enable them to ensure that their will does prevail, but without resorting to violence or dishonest means. If more people were to adopt this way of thinking then the world would be a better place to live in and honesty would be seen as the decent quality that it is, and not as some form of weakness as is often the case.
So, here’s a suggestion for everyone – let’s fight the negative energy, with all our might, and let’s be the first ones to take the steps towards positive thoughts and deeds in our anger ridden society, to make it a better place for the generations to come.
By: Norman Holden
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Sep 7th, 2010.
Drug abuse affects not only the addict but also his family, friends, the neighborhood, and society at large. It also affects businesses and government resources, which can well be borne out by the fact that the United States had to bear the brunt of an economic cost of $180.9 billion for drug abuse.
Drug abuse affects the health of the user, bringing about sickness and even death. Moreover, needle-borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis are most likely to afflict the drug user. Widespread devastating effects of these diseases can be expected because nearly 3.5 million people over the age of 18 have confirmed that they had injected illicit drugs in their lifetime.
People who are drug abusers would go to any length in order to get the drugs and in this process they neglect the welfare and health of their children. These children are put to greater risk when illicit drugs like methamphetamine are produced in their homes by their parents because of the hazardous chemicals that are used in the process. Inhaling fumes and gases from these chemicals can put their health to great risk.
The cost on society due to drug abuse is colossal because the likelihood of employment-related accidents is very high when there are drug abusers among the employees of a business. Moreover, such employees who are drug abusers tend to pilfer materials, cash, and products in order to generate money to buy drugs. The cost on society goes up further because of low productivity, absenteeism, and higher insurance and medical payouts by the employers of such drug abusers.
The cost on society also escalates when the clandestine methamphetamine laboratories are cleaned up by the authorities and this cost has been estimated to be over $18.6 million in a year. There are many other costs on society that cannot be quantified.
By: John Gutenburg
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Sep 6th, 2010.
The Social Discrimination Fat People Endure.
Being overweight, even if it is just by a few pounds which make you a little more round than others, sets you up as a target for weight loss industries, and suddenly it feels as if all the advertisements regarding weight loss in the media are targeted at you; even though it is not really the case. Being self conscious because you are fat is or even a little overweight really what makes you more aware of them than anything else. Society has made it clear that being fat is not normal and is also very undesirable, and even young children are ridiculed and teased in school from early days. Some people are built bigger than others, and no matter what methods are pursued to lose weight nothing is successful. You may initially lose a few pounds in the beginning, but your body will add them again afterwards because this is your natural balance and nature does everything to keep it that way.
The Stress and Pressure to Conform in Society
Different groups of the population are heavily discriminated against. Some examples have been black people, *** and ******* communities, and even people that follow different religions. Fat people are discriminated against even more so, but in a lot more subtle ways than the groups mentioned above. It has been proven that people that are more attractive and slim than others will get employment, even if a fat person is more qualified for the job. At social events people will avoid overweight people. Perhaps you remember the school prom where fat people never had a chance on the dance floor because no one bothered asking them to be a partner. It can even be difficult to find the right sized clothing in some stores to fit your frame. Many fashion clothing designers will not give a second thought to making something special for people with bigger frames either. Remember the fiasco about airline seats not being able to cater for people a little rounder than others??
It’s Time to Stand Up and Be Counted.
Everyone has a place in society fat, short, tall, black, ugly, those with different sexual needs, and even the aged. Certain organizations lobby for the rights of specific groups but there are few that cater for fat people. The only one that tries is already discriminatory because it tells you to lose weight in order to be accepted.
That is the weight loss industry and the medical fraternity that tell you the horrors of being fat. There are millions of overweight people that are as healthy as can be. They will probably live long fulfilled lives if they choose to accept who they are and not bow down to the pressures that society puts on them. There are few social communities specially designed for different groups but who has bothered to cater for happy people with sturdy frames?
You are My Best Friend
There is a movie that was made years ago that highlighted the discrimination fat people face called ‘Shallow Hal’. True to its word; it shows that people a little more round the middle are people with the greatest personalities of all. The most steadfast friends that have the biggest hearts are people that can be described as being cuddly, plump, round or portly. Make friends with the most honest, open and friendly people on the planet and you will discover what true friends really are.
By: Richie C
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Read more on The Pressures Fat People Experience in Today’s Society…
Filed under Self Improvement by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
Learning how to control reactions to negative situations, emotions and people, eliminating stress and worry factors, making positive change a constant are all parts of building a strong sense of self-identity that can be achieved through various proven techniques, reveal experts.
Sociologist to psychologists studying the phenomenon of self in society have come up with various tips for improving self-identity in society for individuals that find it hard to manage their reactions to situations and people and are continually bemused about their state in the society. They advise learning skills that can positive influence their decision making, including life-style choices that make or break them, by learning to detect bad choices early in life and avoid these consciously.
This is only possible through a series of proven techniques, such as self-talk, insightful contemplation, practiced meditation (Reiki, yoga, etc.) that help the individual achieve a level of higher consciousness that reveals to them how to make good decisions to perform their daily tasks.
As a thinking member of a developing and living society, you first need to understand why you will need to exercise these new skills before you learn ways to pick them up or incorporate them into your daily routine: it is because you need to modify the way you think, feel and act and bring to life the best in you.
In order to realize what you aspire to be i.e. the real and best you, you need to find options and right guidance to motivate and support you in your search to your true, highest self that will also benefit the society you live in. For example, one method of self-development and improving self-identity is by working on the factor of isolation of problems. This does not mean to suppress problems, but to pinpoint issues or causes for the problem and work to find the answers to addressing the specific issues. This helps bring about right solutions through correct concentration through the powers of positive thinking and accurate judgment.
Thinking positive and learning new management skills can be achieved through the above mentioned ways besides also reading up on the other available natural resources that can help us to take charge of our lives again; in this way, we can find the true, inner self again and control negative thinking to ensure positive change. We need to remember that life is too short for too many recriminations and we need to be our own best friend in order to develop the good in us, so pick and apply the power of positive thinking through self-management techniques – and we can surely have a better quality of life, today and always! Start today – for a happier tomorrow!
By: Abhishek Agarwal
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Read more on Managing Self-Identity In Society – Tips To Improving It…
Filed under Self Improvement by on Sep 1st, 2010.
“Giving Back to Society” is becoming more recognized as a meaningful and powerful ingredient in the recipe for healthy lifestyle and sound wellbeing.
Addressing the World Economic Forum meeting in New York, February 11, 2002, Microsoft founder Bill Gates said, “I think it’s a healthy sign that there are demonstrators in the streets. They are raising the question of ‘is the rich world giving back enough?’ “
Many people want to ‘give back’ as a way to live meaningful lives in which they play a contribution and make a difference. Without the ingredient of ‘giving back,’ people tend to search for the less-satisfying aspects, such as the acquisition of more material goods, to find meaning and powerfulness–albeit short lived.
True satisfaction and meaning in life comes from being able to effect a positive change in a state of affairs that you feel passionately about, be it the welfare of a group of people, animals, nature, the countryside, forests, seas or this planet overall–global warming, education, laws on domestic violence.
The dilemma is that many people do not know how they want to make a difference–nor do they stop to think about it or check out several options. Thinking things through is a vital first step; you need to know what it is that you want to achieve and contribute to this world to start doing it.
Set aside two hours to accomplish the following:
o Identify a cause you feel really passionate about.
Think about your local community, child protective services, the elderly who feel afraid to go out at night or are lonely, homeless animals, the planet–anything which stirs your passions and emotions.
o Imagine you had all the time, money and skills you needed to do something about that cause.
What would you do to change things and make it better? Let your imagination flow freely. Brainstorm all the things you would do on this issue if time, money and resources were not an issue. What would you feel like when you achieved the change? How much more energy and impetus and meaning would you have in your life if you were to sit down and focus on just one thing you truly cared about?
o What are you willing to do to start the process?
Write down everything you could do–both realistic and practical and which you could fit into your lifestyle. Break actions down into chunks of actions which need to be taken. Who could you involve to help you? Go to sources of help you would not normally consider and be amazed by what generosity, skills and knowledge they can offer. Who is already working on the areas you want to get involved in? Can you join them and provide a much needed skill, talent or expertise?
o Do something about it!
Take one step to move closer to making that difference every day. Trade watching rubbish on TV or idly surfing the Internet to have a meaningful and powerful lifestyle and sound wellbeing. Get others involved.
What would you be willing to ‘give up,’ to make your contribution and make a difference? On your deathbed, which would be the more meaningful to you: a range of material goods that you can not take with you, or a difference you made, to the wellbeing and happiness of others? Which legacy would you honestly rather leave behind? What are you willing to do to make that a reality?
The deeper you delve into your being to give, the more rewarding and meaningful your act will be.
By: Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
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Filed under Self Improvement by on Aug 26th, 2010.