Monday, November 12, 2012

Spewing Poison


I have always loved the simple way Dr. Seuss packs a punch with very few words. If could, for this post,  I would change the word STEP in the above quote to SPEAK.

 I have been thinking a lot about the power of spoken words.  Recently, as I read my Facebook wall I was  embarrassed by many of the comments my friends had written.  It started to really bother me as I am a big fan of people speaking their peace and getting things out of their heads and hearts--so I was wondering why it was bothering me so much...

I was talking to my roommate one night and I sharing with her my thought on the subject  and I said, "It's like people are just spewing their poison all over everyone."  THAT WAS IT!  It wasn't that people were feeling or even wanting to share their feelings it was they way in which they were doing it. 

It's okay to have poison inside you.  It's okay to want to share it, get rid of it, or even to spew it. What is not okay is just spewing your poison on anyone that will listen.  Not everyone is ready to handle your poison.  And not everyone realizes that might just be your feelings IN THAT MOMENT.


As a therapist I encourage my clients to let everything out, let go of anger, hurt, pain, betrayal, regret--their poisons.  I hope to create a safe place for them to do this, however, so they don't have to vent out all their negative feelings to their family, friends, coworkers etc.

Being a safe place for someone to share their unspeakable things is a gift. Finding people in your life with whom you can share your poisons is a gift.  Just be careful because your words have great staying power.  It is much easier to forgive your words than it is to forget them.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

I'm Thankful For...

November 9 & 10th, 2012

I recently wrote this blog post and I'm grateful for so many things in it that I'm counting it for 2 days!


I am big fan of making things happen in my life and in the lives of others. 

Do you have non-profit you want to start or are a part of and you need funding? Do you a group gift you want to people to pay into? Do you have wicked awesome ideas but don't know how to get them out of your head and into production? Do you have some money you want to invest in someone else (micro loan) and help them change their lives?


If so, and if you are just curious, please look just a few of the incredible resources there are out there to help you make things happen in your life and make your dreams come true!




Crowd tilt
We all love doing things as a group. Like with a lot of experiences, it's not what you do – it’s the people you do it with that matters more.
At Crowdtilt, we’re trying to make it easier for groups to do things together. Whether it’s a party-bus to the next Phish show or pooling money for a cause you know your close friends are passionate about – we just want to make that process of grouping those funds as easy as possible.
(from the About section on the website)


Start Some Good

StartSomeGood empowers people from around the world to become social innovators. By connecting social entrepreneurs with the financial and intellectual capital they need to transform an idea for improving the world into a reality, together we can turn ideas into action and impact.
There are no shortage of problems in the world, and no shortage of people with ideas to address them, yet they lack the resources that they need to get started. StartSomeGood provides social entrepreneurs with a platform to raise start-up funds and build a community of supporters -- all in a fun, engaging and community-driven way. Our site taps into the power of the crowd, allowing social entrepreneurs to ask for small amounts of money from supporters from around the world, and gives them the tools to update their supporters, provide unique rewards in exchange for support and run multiple campaigns over time.
We’ve taken the crowdfunding model -- which is growing in popularity world-wide -- and customized it to reflect the unique needs of social entrepreneurs.
If you are visiting for the first time, we know you will find many worthwhile initiatives and inspiring changemakers here. We hope you will choose to chip in to help make these important ventures start and thrive, to help those who are helping our world. And then we hope you think about what your community needs, and the good you might start yourself. We are here to help you turn your ideas into action and impact.
Creating a more sustainable, equal and just future will take all of us.
How will you StartSomeGood? 
(from the About/Overview section on the website)

Crowdtap


The more you participate 
the more you earn,
 gaining you status, 
privileges and cold, 
hard gift-cards.
 
All of your participations on Crowdtap will help make donations to your selected charity.
 
Brands want your opinions and they want you to tell others. What better way than to give you their products.

(from website front)

razoo

What Can I Do on Razoo?

Donate

Search for and donate to 1 million officially registered nonprofit organizations.

Fundraise

Set up a fundraiser for a charity of your choice. There are no setup fees and no monthly subscription fees.

Collaborate

Raise money as a team on Razoo. Or simply help others spread the word about their cause. 
(from the Learn More section on website)
kickstarter

What's Kickstarter?

  1. Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others.
    Since our launch on April 28, 2009, over $350 million has been pledged by more than 2.5 million people, funding more than 30,000 creative projects. If you like stats, there's lots more here.
  2. Thousands of creative projects are funding on Kickstarter at any given moment. Each project is independently created and crafted by the person behind it. The filmmakers, musicians, artists, and designers you see on Kickstarter have complete control and responsibility over their projects. They spend weeks building their project pages, shooting their videos, and brainstorming what rewards to offer backers. When they're ready, creators launch their project and share it with their community.
    Every project creator sets their project's funding goal and deadline. If people like the project, they can pledge money to make it happen. If the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are charged when time expires. If the project falls short, no one is charged. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing.
    (from the What's Kickstarter page on the website)

Oxfam

Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations networked together in more than 90 countries, as part of a global movement for change, to build a future free from the injustice of poverty.

We work directly with communities and we seek to influence the powerful to ensure that poor people can improve their lives and livelihoods and have a say in decisions that affect them.

What we do
Find out how we work with others to end poverty and injustice, from campaigning to responding to emergencies.

Why we do it
We believe that respect for human rights will help lift people out of poverty.

Our history
Find out more about Oxfam.
We strive to do what we say we will do. Read about our core values and operating principles against which we measure ourselves.
Until 2012, our work to achieve a just world without poverty will be guided by our Strategic Plan, "Demanding Justice."

(from the About Us section on the website)


Quirky

For centuries, becoming an “inventor” has been a hard gig to crack. Complexities relating to financing, engineering, distribution, and legalities have stood in the way of brilliant people executing on their great ideas.
Since launching in 2009, Quirky has rapidly changed the way the world thinks about product development.
We bring two brand new consumer products to market each week, by enabling a fluid conversation between a global community and Quirky's expert product design staff.
The world influences our business in real-time, and we share our revenue directly with the people who helped us make successful decisions.
(from the About Us section on the website)

causevox

OUR MISSION

For years, fundraising platforms stood between nonprofit and their donors. Non-profits had to send their donors to someone else’s site. We take a different approach. CauseVox brings your fundraising back to your own site. Because your story is unlike any others, your fundraising site should be unique too. 

We have one purpose in mind: to tell your stories beautifully online, inspiring support & donations towards your cause. We do this through our simple, yet powerful, tools. 

(from the About Us section on the website)


firstgiving


Since FirstGiving was founded over a decade ago, our organization has been dedicated to one purpose: empowering passionate nonprofit supporters to raise more money than they ever thought possible for the causes they care about.

We partner with nonprofit organizations to allow them to plan, execute, and measure successful online fundraising campaigns. For individual fundraisers, we aim to make the process simple, effective, and even fun!

Above all, we want nonprofit and fundraisers alike to meet and exceed their goals of raising money for important causes, building awareness, and expanding the world of giving.

(From the About Us/Overview section of the website)

Indiegogo

Kiva
We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. Learn more about how it works.
Since Kiva was founded in 2005:
  • 844,334 Kiva lenders
  • $370,136,225in loans
  • 98.97% Repayment rate
We work with:
  • 168 Field Partners
  • 450 volunteers around the world
  • 66 different countries

  • (found in About section on website)












 I hope I introduced some new wicked awesome fundraising/make it happen/invention-making/fund a project/friend, etc websites to you. I also hope it inspires you some kind of action.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

I'm Thankful For...

I need to make up for lost days..

November 6, 2012
Eyelashes

If you think about it eyelashes are amazing
They protect my eyes
I get to paint them with colors (I love my blue & green mascara)
I knew a girl whose eyelashes fell out and she had to use Vaseline to protect her eyes
They make my face prettier
Long ones remind me of my brother Grant b/c he had such beautiful long lashes


November 7, 2012
Traveling

This small will not do my love for travel justice but I hope my traveling does
because I learn about new people and cultures
because it stretches me out of my comfort zone
because I am always more grateful to come home


November 8, 2012
Technology

I recently got a smart phone and I'm trying to catch up
but who am I kidding I'm a minimalist and I will never really use my smart phone to it's capabilities just like I use my laptop as a word processor
While I do love real time communication I do so love hulu, cellphones, computers, dishwashers, cars, and so much more
And yes, I really want to touch glass and use it like a computer one day

Sunday, November 04, 2012

I'm Thankful for...



because I can't remember ever not wanting to write
because I started a journal when I was 9 y.o.
because it helps me see the world in a different light
I am grateful for writing because it helps me get things out of my heart & head



November is National Novel Writing Month
It's a writer thing
It's intense, crazy, exhilarating,  & challenging
I am grateful for all my writing friends (& family)
I love all my new author friends
I enjoy my writing groups
I am grateful for such an incredible desire and passion to WRITE!!!

Saturday, November 03, 2012

I'm Thankful For...


Brigham Young University 1998-2004 

Arizona State University  2008-2010
Cosmo

Sparky
I'm extremely grateful for my EDUCATION!!

Some say I went from the Lord's University to the Devil's and I loved every minute of both! I recognize that I am very blessed to be in a country where I can get educated and from a family that not only supports education but also lives it.

 My father has a PhD in Sociology (dad), BA in Early Education (mom), Masters of Social Work (me), PhD in Social Cultural Anthropology (African Studies emphasis) (chelsea), PhD candidate in Hispanic Studies (emphasis in film and literature) (mike, chelsea's husband), BA in Graphic Design (dani), BA in Biology (kevin, dani's husband), BA candidate in Psychology (kati), and working on BA (ali).

I can't say I loved how hard I had to work in school but I can, without any hesitation say I LOVE learning!

Friday, November 02, 2012

I'm Thankful For...


November 2, 2012

because there was this time that I didn't have a TV
because it is a significant part of my self care plan
because it is one of my escape mechanisms
because I can watch my favorite "time wasters" whenever I want
because it is my best excuse for being lazy and not going out
because sometimes I need to live vicariously

I'm Thankful For...


November 1, 2012


patience helped me get my job at ANASAZI
patience helped me to write a book and see it through it's publishing (6 years total)
patience helped me be happy & single for many years
patience helped me to better understand my relationship with my Creator
patience helped me get through grad school
patience helped me learn the piano
patience is constantly my companion during hard therapy session with my clients
patience pushes me to look inward at the end of a long day
patience often whispers to me to hold on a little longer when I'm way beyond what I think I can do
patience that kicks me in the but
The fact that I am terrible at being patient with myself but God continues to give me opportunities to do better!