Operation Smile in Haiti

If you received the latest edition of our newsletter, you saw my note about "Throwing Out the 'Blinders,'" meaning opening our eyes to the struggles going on all around us. I mentioned the current hunger crisis in Haiti, which I was really unaware of until last month. About 80% of Haitians live in absolute poverty. It's unbelievable.

My girlfriend, Dena, who works with Operation Smile told me about the organization's missions to Haiti. I went on Operation Smile's website, and here's what I found. It's really inspiring stuff:

An Operation Smile team of volunteers worked in the city of Hinche to change the lives of children from throughout Haiti. The mission team, including more than 30 medical and non-medical volunteers from Brazil, Canada, Colombia and the United States, along with local Haitian medical volunteers at Saint Theresa Hospital, provided 91 patients with physical examinations and provided new smiles to 64 patients... Click here to read more.

It's great to hear about the good work being done in Haiti, and the hope it offers for the future.

Nicole

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Monday Morning Mantra - 1/26

Happy Monday everyone!

It's snowing here in Maryland, which is nice. I hope you're staying warm wherever you are. Here's a mantra for the week that will keep you focused on exactly what YOU want out of life:

"If you only try to please others, you're going to resent those people you're trying to please; the ones who are often closest to you. If you choose a path that you yourself want to take, then you're going to be much kinder to the people in your life.” -- Sarah McLachlan

Think about exactly what YOU want this week and make that your number one priority.

Nicole

Wednesday Afternoon Mantra! 01/21

Hi all,

What a weekend! I guess it's obvious why the Monday Morning Mantra is coming on Wednesday. I've been glued to the TV watching first the "Eyes on the Prize" marathon on PBS documenting the Civil Rights Movement on Monday and then the events of a truly historic day on Tuesday. Please forgive me!

I thought it would be fitting to quote from President Obama's inaugural speech yesterday to inspire us this week - and this year:

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." -- President Barack H. Obama

It's up to us to make our lives - and this country - what we want it to be. No more looking to other people to solve our problems or to help us up. We have the power to make a difference and to make history.

Happy Wednesday, guys.

Nicole

The Inauguration In Perspective

Everyone is excited about the Presidential Inauguration that will be taking place next week, but there is a real electricity in the D.C. area. It's everywhere you turn - even The Washington Post is covering stories on how the Obamas will decorate the White House!

This inauguration is exciting not just because of the man who is about to become our president, but because of the moment in history that is about to occur. It reminds us that anything is possible - especially here in the United States of America.

I was listening to the radio on my way to work this morning and Donnie Simpson ended his usual morning broadcast with Dr. Martin Luther King's "I See the Promised Land" speech. He reminded listeners that Obama's presidential inauguration would not be taking place without the efforts of Dr. King, and it just sent chills up my spine. I wondered if this day was something Dr. King saw when he stood on "the mountaintop."

If you want to experience those same chills, click here to read and hear some of Dr. King's powerful speeches.

Monday Morning Mantra - 1/12

Good morning everyone!

I hope you had a great weekend. I took it easy, but enjoyed watching my daughter play a great basketball game on Saturday night. Two of my good friends, Kia and Tamika, even came out to cheer her on!

Here's a great Monday Morning Mantra that reminds us about the power of our thoughts:

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as a reality-in your own mind." -- Bruce Lee

So kick some butt this week, Bruce Lee-style!

Nicole

Win a Vacation!

I am a big proponent of vacations. We needs some R&R to get us refreshed and ready to tackle the world. Whether it's a trip to somewhere tropic or a weekend getaway, it's so important to invest in yourself - and your sanity!

We all know times are hard right now, so I stumbled upon this contest from Glamour Magazine. No purchase necessary - just fill out the information and you could win a trip to Hawaii; Sundance, Utah; Los Cabos; Whistler, Canada; or Jamaica!

Give it a try! Contest ends Feb. 9th.

Okay, even if you don't win, start planning regular getaways into your schedule. Explore a nearby city for a day. Believe me, you'll feel better!

Nicole

Add It to The List - "The Hurricane"

Not too long ago, I did a blog entry on really inspiring movies, and I've got another one to add to the list. One day last week I watched "The Hurricane" with Denzel Washington. I cried! I know I'm late on the bandwagon with this one since it came out years ago (1999), but I loooved it.

This is the true story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a successful African American boxer who was wrongly accused and convicted of murder by a corrupt cop who had been after him all his life. He served nearly two decades in prison. It's a great testament to never giving up and believing in yourself even when someone is trying to hold you down. It will inspire you to keep working toward your dreams no matter what. I promise!

Check it out.

Nicole

Monday Morning Mantra - 1/5

Good morning!

Here's the first Monday Morning Mantra of 2009!

"Ineffective people live day after day with unused potential. They experience synergy only in small, peripheral ways in their lives. But creative experiences can be produced regularly, consistently, almost daily in people's lives. It requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure." -- Stephen Covey

To be an effective person means you have to create experiences for yourself - not wait for them to happen. Be deliberate about the kind of life you want to live. Start creating opportunities for yourself today!

Happy 2009, everyone! Can you believe it!?!??

Love,

Nicole