Unemployed and feeling useless?

There are a lot of people who are going thru challenges right now. Some have lost their jobs, some have had hours reduced. Others have the same income, but with prices rising they are trying to figure out how to feed the kids, or get Halloween costumes, or Christmas gifts. Or just get by.

For those that are feeling unwanted due to a lay off, downsizing, realignment, deselection (or whatever word they use where you work), it may be a good thing to remember that one of the best ways to combate depression is to do something for someone else.

There are only two ways we can help anyone, with our time and with our money. So take some of your time and find a way to give. Volunteer with an organization like the Second Harvest Foodbank, or with the local school, or a youth organization. Or go to a neighbor and volunteer to sit with their kids while they go out to cheap movie, or just to watch the sunset and breathe!

The benefits to volunteering are many, and include the fact that you are sowing good seeds (which will come back to you multiplied!), and that you are getting to know others. And getting to know other people is also known as - tada - networking! And since most jobs are found through networking, you are benefiting yourself.

So go give to others and give to your self esteem at the same time.

God bless!
Robin

The strength of personal determination (aka Donna's my hero!)

I have a dear friend in St. Louis (one of my bestest) who has been through an interesting time these past few weeks. She had pain in her right thigh for several weeks, which the medical community was treating as bursitis. Well, on a Saturday about noon, she turned in her kitchen, heard a 'pop' in that thigh, and fell on the floor in extreme pain. The medics take her to the hospital where she waits for literally hours, because she went to one of the ERs that was shut down in that hazmat scare they had. Once the docs are able to treat her, they find she had broken the thigh bone! So, she goes in for surgery to put a rod in the thigh and spends almost a week at the hospital learning to walk again. Then she goes to a rehab center for another week. Last Friday she was released and has gone home.
The success part of this story is that she took it all with incredible courage and fortitude, and truly made lemonade from it. She took the opportunity of these two weeks and decided to use the time to improve her health by incorporating better eating and exercise habits. She is determined to take control of her life and she is making huge strides! As well, she put in so much effort on her rehab that she improved twice as fast as they thought she would!
My plan is to remember her courage and determination when the little things go sour in my life, and then take those opportunities to make life better for myself, and for others.
How about you? Who's your hero and why?