Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Life Planning For Others

Life Planning for Others

When Life gets us going or down for that matter we sometimes find ourselves in a mental shift.  We set goals and plans into motion to help us move forward.  Then there are times when we need support of others to really get us moving.  In our communities there are many that need the support that each one of us can give.

In Life Planning for myself I use three basic categories:
1.  Self (personal learning, spiritual, health, personal care, reading, writing etc)
2.  Business (education, application, on line, off line, education, the rest that goes with it etc)
3.  Community (family, friends, home because most of us live with others and it changes the mind set and approach to it, Groups, volunteering etc)

I know it can be a lot to look at yet we all do these things every day!  It is easy in most cases.  With Life Planning for others I am not meaning for it to be created for them.  I mean it to be assisted.

On Facebook today my sister-in-law posted about Canada and all that was wrong with our country.  Heart breaking for sure when you realize how many people you know fit into the different categories.  Then a dear friend of mine posted about her religious community in India and how much they do for others around them.  That is one group of people and their statistics of humanitarianism and duty is outstanding.

I believe it is a time for change in our industrial or leading countries.  As with our Motto Of Change Yourself, Change Your Community, Change the World, Be the Revolution; I know that together we can make positive change for those who cannot change without support.

Under Volunteering how much can we do as an individual, community, or world to make a difference.

Some of things noted that are a travesty in our modern age within my own community, my country, and my world!

The Homeless go without eating.  In Lethbridge Alberta, Canada they have a small food bank program that assists the homeless in getting something to eat.  They give daily small packages that are easily opened, do not need refrigeration or cooking.  It is a start.

What if communities collaborated with shelters and soup kitchens more actively by handing the same.

Could You start donating and building such a program in your area with them?

The Elderly go without needed medicines.  Talk with your local clinic and discuss adopting a senior anonymously of course as privacy to paramount to both.  That the senior be in need and health distress.  The senior may have some coverage so have the clinic discuss it with the pharmacy and you go down and pay for it.  

Could You donate a medication?  Could you start a petition for better treatment and care of seniors and lay pressure on the government through your local area representatives?  Is there someone in your own family that needs the help when your time is already scarce?

The Mentally ill go without treatment.  To many times I have heard people state that the assistance is inadequate.  Useless.  Groups are difficult to find.  It may be another medication pay problem.

Could You start a petition to make programs available for the various types of conditions to be more accessible?  Lay pressure for the Government to pitch in for publication of groups in your area?  Lay pressure to have minimum a health nurse that is Government paid to be available at group meetings?  Have the Government pay for mental illness medications.

Disabilities going without equipment.  How is someone supposed to be able to get up and work with no prosthetic?  Or proper education and training in their daily lives to adapt in a quicker more capable manner?

Could You help a family by doing chores?  By running errands?  Laying pressure by petition for the Government to put in better education for those adapting to disability?  Lay pressure that the cost still needed for a limb be covered?

Dying children are alone in hospitals, while parents work.  There are volunteer programs at hospitals to play with children.  There are many things that can be done for these children and families.

Could you put pressure on the Government by petition to pay for a parent to be off work to attend their child?  In Canada lay pressure to make sure that hospitals let parents know that there are Employment Canada Options for such aspects of life?  Could you volunteer some time to sit with a child and make them feel safe and loved instead of abandoned and alone?  Attend a child's side while Mom or Dad take a much needed lunch break or coffee?

Children without food.  There are some schools that do a breakfast program.  Some food banks give lunch packages in their hampers for a children of families in need.  So much more needs to be done.

Could You start a school program that enlists parents of the school to donate a box of healthy granola bars, a Walmart family pudding pack for under 5$, packaged fruit snacks etc.  Have parents of need sign up for this program so their children won't go without all day!

Our Troops go without proper equipment.  Being a former Military person I know this to well and sit listening to those recently retired or still in.

Could you petition the Government for better training and military supports?

Our Veterans go without benefits they were promised.  Again this is known to me to well.  With cut backs again this year in Canada it is making the lives of Veterans more difficult especially when they are in need of supports.  They were all brave enough to sign up, do their duty...they shouldn't have to be humiliated by begging for help.

Could you put pressure locally?  Petition for positive change?  Help a family by chores or running errands?  Starting a food bank for Veterans through a local church or agency?  Applying pressure to the Government to register those in counties that are qualified to assist and make the information publicly available?  Pressure to streamline the Government process that will reduce stress on the Veteran who has to ask for help?

We as Canadians and our Government donate billions to other countries before helping our own first. We can still help others!!!  We need to start taking care of our own?  What are you going to do to help those around you to make their life plan easier and back on track?  Remove their stress so that can bounce back and get their life plan in order!!!

No Matter where you are in the world...What can You Do to Make Change that makes Our World a better Place!

Nadine Seely
DustBunnyHell

Monday, July 18, 2011

Contingency Plans through goal and life planning

The last while Life has jumped up and bit me!  It has taken a fair amount of work to bounce back and re-take control.  Every now and then this happens to all of us I am sure.  Well unless you happen to have someone control every second of your day and you are told what to do.  In that case I know the majority of us are not robots and have a degree of some level with managing our own lives!  :)

This last round for me took most of my time during the day and evening to deal with.  It was to state the least overwhelming.  I did not prepare for what it would take and I sure did not have a contingency plan for it either.  Mistake made.  Mistake learned!

On my journey back I have taken notes, made changes and new implementations on the topic added to my plans.

Step 1:  Decide how far in advance you can detail your goals and plans.  by the week, month, or year.  Maybe even combinational as I have!

Step 2: Grab your gear.  Poster boards, post-it notes, markers, pens, colors, pictures if you like, calendar and a weekly print sheet with time table, notes section and priority list spot.

Step 3.  Access your life areas and goals.  I broke my boards down to three: 1 Personal, 2 Business/work, and 3 Community.  Decide what you need in each one.

Personal: self, education, travel, journal, write, craft, spirituality, appearance, exercise, health, reading for pleasure or something new, creativity etc.

Business/work: Local, marketing, advertising, clients, customer service, hours, commute, sales, list building, need job change?, education, extra work, and change in career? etc.

Community: Home (we tend to live with others), family, friends, volunteer, entertainment, committees etc.

Step 4: Mark down all of the steps or things for each area with the post its.

Step 5: Prioritize which ones need to be done first.  If there are a few things then that is OK!  You can break the steps down as you go to work on throughout your week.  Some may only need a schedule for a particular time of day or time of month.  I also gave these three main categories a monthly focus on the smaller parts that I can do daily during their time frame to build positive habits. Like a 30 day challenge!

Step 6: Use your calendar and weekly sheet to establish time lines and the broken down steps into action.

With implementation and practice this will start to become easier and easier to do.   :)

Nadine Seely