Each of us is gifted with certain talents. Your talents look different from mine and this is part of the beauty of expertise. We all have those certain things that come easily for us. Maybe we don’t even consider them talents because they feel so natural. Hopefully, we find ourselves using our talents to earn a living or to enjoy specific things in our free time.

A third rewarding way to utilize our talents and expertise is through volunteering. Helping others is one of those gifts in life where you often get back more than you give. Do you volunteer? If you do, you know what I’m talking about.

Think about your own “super powers”. How could you use those powers to serve others?

• If you can cook – you could volunteer at a shelter
• If you have handyman skills – you could help build a Habitat Home
• If you garden – you could donate your excess produce or teach others how to grow their own food
• If you are good with money – you could teach kids money skills in school or volunteer on a non-profit board
• If you love sports – you could coach a kid’s sports team
• If you enjoy the elderly – you could volunteer at a nursing home
• If you love animals – you could help out at the Humane Society or local pound

The possibilities are endless. In the words of the immortal William Shakespeare:
          The meaning of life is to find your gift.
           The purpose of life is to give it away.

Most volunteers go quietly about their business with the sole purpose of helping others. They don’t do it for the recognition or any personal gain. Sometimes they volunteer as a way to pass the time, but just as often, volunteers are people who make time to share their gifts with the world. Volunteers have big hearts.

I love programs in school that encourage kids to volunteer. It gives them the opportunity to experience all the unexpected side benefits of helping others. Volunteering can help you feel healthier, boost your mood, lower your stress and allow you to feel gratitude for all the blessings in your own life.

It can be as simple as watching for ways to help someone else, even when they don’t ask for help. Maybe you can shovel your elderly neighbor’s driveway or mow their grass when you are out doing your own.

Where can you make an impact?

Life offers us an amazing number of gifts. Sharing our time and talents with others is one of those special gifts that help the one giving as much as it helps the one receiving.
 
Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world!  Kim

I admit it. For much of my life, I’ve been a snoozer. I’d set my alarm early enough so I could hit the snooze button a few times before I absolutely had to get up to avoid being late. Once in a while, I still do. Old habits die hard. But now, I usually get up at the first annoying buzz. I don’t wait. 

When I was younger, it felt like I had all the time in the world to do all the things I wanted to do. If I didn’t make the time to do something that day, I could do it later. Can you relate? Time has taught me this casual approach to life is too expensive. It robs us of too much.

Life gifts us with wake-up calls all the time. When it comes to our own health, sometimes the signs are obvious. Why do I keep getting these headaches? Why won’t this rash go away? Or, God forbid, what is this lump?

The same thing can happen in other parts of our lives. Maybe someone you love gets sick or is suffering. Do you notice? If you see something is happening, do you step in to help or spend time with them?

As I was driving to the coffee shop, starting to sketch out this blog post in my mind, Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” came on the radio. As I sang along to every word, the irony wasn’t lost on me.

Let me back up a minute. I’ve always loved that particular song. The words are a poignant reminder to live life, every day. But I suspect another reason I love it so much is because I had the opportunity to see Tim perform it, in person, only feet from the stage, surrounded by a few thousand other women at a conference. I earned that spot, so close to the stage, pursuing an earlier dream of mine, shortly after I turned forty.

Milestone birthdays can serve as another wake-up call. Let them inspire you instead of depress you!

We are bombarded with important signs every day. When these signs or guideposts pop up too often, we may feel overwhelmed and turn a blind eye. I have come to realize two important things. First, watch for these signs and, even more importantly, act on them.

When I’ve paid attention and acted on some of the wake-up calls life has gifted to me, my life has been richer for it. On the other hand, there have been plenty of times I ignored a wake-up call. I can only imagine the opportunities I’ve missed.
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When the alarm goes off, don’t hit snooze.   

In the words of the notorious Steve Jobs:
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

​Trust your gut, follow the signs, and get the most out of every day. Maybe even try a little Rocky Mountain climbing. I’m cheering for you. Kim