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This post began to take shape after I read a couple of articles I found in my twitterfeed, SocialEdge"Right brain or left brain?“ http://htl.li/6UqPG and 'The value of water in Mali’  http://bit.ly/qgaTdF  by CharityWater. I have a personal connection to Mali, West Africa and am always watchful of new information on assistance for the country. I am also interested in the way people quantify the predicted results and reasons for what they do. These two articles stirred up a particular passion I have about how we create change in our world on a local and global level.

At the beginning of LYFE Empowered 2.0, February 2011 my objective was to live big to give big.  I am an advocate of volunteerism and have been a volunteer for many years. When I was raising my children I had the opportunity to be on several committees in my community.I was involved on a city, school, and neighborhood level engaged in various ways that brought value to my community.

Having my fingers in so many pies I found that I was also engaged in conversations with the curious and the furious everywhere I went. I indulged the curious and to the furious I would often ask."When can I pick you up on Tuesday for the next City Council meeting?” or, “I have several places I could use you, can I put you down as a volunteer?” These questions often closed the conversation quickly and rarely did I ever see anyone at a City Council meeting or recruit a new volunteer. 

It is always easier to complain than it is to dig in and possibly make a change….. or is it?

How do you begin to make the change that only you can make? It is simple. The biggest changes begin close to home. Schools, local organization, charities, and communities are always looking for people interested in trading a little time to make a small difference. Every bit counts.

1. What are you passionate about? 
2. Where are you already spending the most time? Work, School, Church, Government Offices, Parks or recreation outlets?
3. Where do you see opportunity for the most improvement?
4. What are three things you can do in the next seven days that will move you closer to having an impact on this environment? Consider your resources; who, what, and where. Who do you people you know? What do you have to give? What resources do you have in the area where you would like to see the change? 
5. On a scale of one to ten, rank these three things based upon how important they are for you to complete. If any of them fall below a five, re-evaluate your tactics. 
6. Take action on your plan. Make the time, the calls, and put the resources together that will move you closer to accomplishing your objective.

And so, with the season of giving in full swing and the time for a new year’s resolution right around the corner, I encourage and challenge you to consider these things and how you will make a the difference only you can make.

Live Big to Give Big,

Elle

Resources to get you started: (google is a beautiful thing)

www.handsonnetwork.org/

www.volunteerguide.org

www.volunteermatch.org/

www.crossculturalsolutions.org

www.serve.gov/

www.getinvolved.gov/

www.womenow.org