Create A Better World Initiative

Idealist.org (Action Without Borders) has launched an exciting initiative and is inviting each of us to imagine a better community and a better world, and to take action to see how we can build it together, starting right now.  For details, go to www.idealist.org/imagine

At this point they’re looking for people willing to use their brain and their passion!  Idealist.org is asking people to host or attend a meeting all over the world during the week of February 5th to 11th.  New meetings are being added daily and at the time of writing, 297 meetings are being organized in 70 countries and over 82,000 people have signed up so far saying they will be attending.

Wherever you are in the world, find a meeting near you (and register your intended attendance) at www.idealist.org/meetings and if there isn’t one near you, please host one!  There’s still time to do this – just pick a coffee shop, or board room, or wherever you know of available space, post it at the idealist.org site and send the info on to friends and colleagues, as well as local newspapers.  I’m hosting the one in Edmonton (Canada) so if you’re in this area, please come!

I’m super excited about this because BIG things can happen in this world when like-minded people come together and take action.  More ideas are popping in my head all the time and I can hardly wait to get together with others who are wanting to create a better world and share thoughts and hopes and dreams — and then share them with groups all over the world.  Miracles can indeed come as a result!  Let’s put this into action and add our hearts and hands to this worldwide movement.

 

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This FREE e-zine newsletter delivers powerful content to help you live your life with purpose and meaning.  Its intent is to inspire life changes and is written for those ready to make a difference – in their own lives and in the world!

For every new subscriber 50 cents will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation so by just signing up, you will be making a difference in the world!

Please sign up by clicking the ‘Newsletter Sign Up’ box below or send an email to merna@impactwithheart.com.

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Announcing the new ‘Create the Life You Love’ program!

You’ve given Christmas gifts to many others recently. Now it’s time to give a gift to yourself. Join an inspirational coaching group that is starting in just a couple of weeks! First of all, you may be wondering what exactly life coaching is. This is how the media has described it:

Coaches–they’re part therapist, part consultant, and they sure know how to succeed
“Part consultant, part motivational speaker, part therapist and part rent-a-friend, coaches work with managers, entrepreneurs, and just plain folks, helping them define and achieve their goals — career, personal or, most often, both.” ~~~ Newsweek, 2/5/96

“Coaching is an action-oriented partnership that, unlike psychotherapy which delves into patterns of the past, concentrated on where are you today and how you can reach your goals.” ~~~ Time, 10/16/00

“Who, exactly, seeks out a coach? Winners who want even more out of life.” ~~~ Chicago Tribune, 12/17/00

“Soon a coach will be seen as someone you have as a matter of course to make your life run efficiently, like an accountant.” ~~~ Sunday Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph

Each week for 8 weeks we’ll meet for 75 minutes.   You will be given strategies to determine just what makes your ‘heart sing’ – where your passions lie – and create ways to put them into action to create the life you want, and to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others.  You will identify and remove barriers that currently hold you back.  You will be surrounded by a supportive group that will cheer you on.  Statistics show that people who have support, including attending group meetings, do better than those who don’t — 100% of the time!

We will meet by teleseminar so we will all be on the phone together at the same time.   This way you have no travel involved and can participate from the comfort of your home or office.  Long distance charges may apply.  Calls will be recorded so if you need to miss a class, you can listen to it later at your leisure. 

Imagine your life being more magical, more meaningful, more fulfilling. Yes, you can have that life!

By participating in the program you will:
* discover what matters to your heart (your passions)
* identify your values
* learn about the Law of Attraction and how to use it to create your ideal life
* find out the secret of how to have the life you love
* uncover barriers and patterns that have been holding you back and getting in your way
* learn strategies to overcome these obstacles
* create an environment that supports your dreams
* become more confident in pursuing the life you love
* develop more direction and focus
* find ways to put your passions into making a difference in the world
* be inspired by others creating the lives they love
* get feedback from a life coach and others in the group who are going through the same thing you are

To be eligible for the program you must be committed to creating the life you love, participate in the full program, be willing to chat with your assigned buddy at least once a week between sessions, take full responsibility for your results, be coachable (in other words, open to new ideas, viewpoints, and ways of doing things), be willing to take action, be supportive to others in the group, and want to have fun!

 

Money-back guarantee: To be sure this program is a good fit for you, there is money-back guarantee. If, at any time within the first 2 weeks you decide it’s not for you, you can withdraw and receive a complete refund.

 

In the future this ‘Create the Life You Love’ group coaching package will cost up to $350 but as a New Year’s introductory special, it is being offered at half off for only $175! In addition, if you register by Monday, January 15th you will receive the early bird special of a further $30 off so the price will be just $145!

 

If you’d prefer one-on-one coaching, either in addition to the group coaching or instead of group coaching, please contact me for details at merna@impactwithheart.com.

 

Invest in yourself and your future now! The ‘Create the Life You Love’ group coaching program will have limited spots so that the group remains small so register now before it fills up. And remember – the cost is only $145 if you register by Monday, January 15th. If spots are still available after that date, the price goes up to $175. The program starts Monday, January 22nd and will run 8 consecutive Mondays from 7 to 8:15 pm MT (Mountain Time, which is 2 hours behind Eastern Time). 

 

Drop me an email now at merna@impactwithheart.com to indicate your interest in the program and I’ll send you the sign-up form.

 

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
~ Oscar Wilde

 

Let 2007 be the year that you really live, and not just exist! Go for it — create the life you love!

 

New Year’s Resolutions

The following is an excerpt from January’s ‘Impact With Heart’ free ezine newsletter:

This is usually the time when people reflect on their lives, think of how they would like to make them different, and create some corresponding resolutions. Usually their resolutions target some specific behavior (diet, fitness, smoking) and unfortunately rarely make it past January.

This year, I challenge you to make resolutions that will affect all areas of your life – such as:

 

DECIDE YOUR ATTITUDE. 

The attitude YOU want that will serve you best and not based on what others expect, or is imposed by them.

Just over 2 years ago my Mom moved from her home in Edmonton, Alberta (same house for 50 years!) to the west coast of Canada in Victoria, BC, where she knew only my sister and brother-in-law.  She moved to a seniors’ residence and before going, people repeatedly said to her “I hope you like it there”.  My Mom would matter-of-factly answer “I will! I’ve
already decided”.  When I was visiting there for Christmas, I heard someone ask if she liked living there.  Again, her answer was “Oh yes!” and then added “but I decided I would before I even got here”.

What kind of experience do you want in your life? In general, or perhaps in a specific situation, or with a specific person? Choose the corresponding attitude and then that is the reality you will create!

 

GIVE TO OTHERS WHAT YOU NEED YOURSELF.

Sounds strange?  Let me share a couple of examples to demonstrate how this works.

Again to my Mom…on her first day at the seniors’ residence, the manager came to welcome her and asked when she would like to go down to the dining room for dinner.  Since my Mom didn’t know anyone yet, the manager said she would arrange for someone to have dinner with her.  My Mom, again in her matter-of-fact way, said “Oh no, you don’t have to do that.  I’ll just go to the dining room and find someone who looks lonely and like they’d like someone to eat with, and I’ll sit with them”!

Another example is my good friend Sus.  She was feeling down one day and needed cheering up.  Instead of waiting for someone to do that for her, she picked up the phone and ordered a beautiful bouquet of flowers to be delivered to my door!  She said after sending me the flowers, she felt much better.  It is definitely true that what we give out, we get back.

Australian Juan Mann is another great example of this resolution.  A short video on him and his free hugs has been passed around on the internet for many months now, so you may already know of him.  See the video here.

Even if you’ve seen it before, watch it again – it’s only a few minutes long and will leave you feeling better and inspired!

We’ve all felt the impact from others. Instead of passively being affected in ways we may not want, be the impacter!  Decide your attitude, choose what you want in your life and take action!

 

More Ideas on a Meaningful Christmas

Since the newsletter and last blog entry, I’ve come up with a few more ideas on how to have a meaningful Christmas and been inspired by some reader’s comments. 

On the weekend I went to Ten Thousand Villages and they too have gifts you can buy for those in the developing world.  They call it The Living Gift (available until December 16th) is “designed to inspire alternative gift giving ideas that meet simple human needs for good health and a decent living”.  Choose from 5 projects, buying it for someone you want to give to, and in return you receive a detailed description of the project you can give your recipient.  For example, just $19 CDN helps communities plant 60 trees!  $29 CDN provides a family with a goat, pig, sheep, or 18 rabbits.  For an additional $1, you can get a beautiful handmade card and dove ornament!   I’m not sure if Ten Thousand Villages in the United States does this as well so if anyone finds out, please leave a comment on this blog.

A reader, Chelsa, brought to my attention an amazing organization called Kiva.  She is also a former CareTrek participant so I know her and completely trust her judgment about this program and highly recommend it!  It’s truly amazing – it is a non-profit organization that makes loans of $25 US and up to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world.  By engaging in this microfinance initiative, individuals like you support people in running their own businesses.  They’ve recently reached their one milion dollar mark, where they have sent over a million dollars in Kiva loans overseas! 

They were featured in The New York Times magazine on December 10th and were on Frontline World last month.  To see this video clip, go to: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/uganda601/uganda-601.html?c=3qt

They also have now introduced Gift Cards, so lenders can purchase a Kiva loan for a friend or family member.  What’s beautiful about this project is not only are lenders helping people have sustainable income, but they can also have a personal contact with the lendee via email.  For more information, go to: http://kiva.org/app.php?page=about&action=press

More Gift Ideas From the Heart!

Find a photo of the person you’re giving to where they’re doing something they love or in a favorite place of theirs (maybe a photo that you’re in too!), and put it in a special frame.  It’s a very personal gift that can be a reminder of beautiful memories.

 

Find a poem that describes what you love or appreciate about the recipient, or one that speaks to what you wish for that person.  If you have the inclination, write the poem yourself!  These ones are especially personal and treasured.  Get it framed and for a more professional look, take it to a store that engraves invitations and get them to print it up.

 

Gift Wrapping Ideas!

  

The blog below is about 2/3’s of what was sent in the newsletter.  In the newsletter were ideas about how to wrap gifts without being hard on the environment.  One reader was amazed to learn that Christmas is the biggest garbage day of the year and then inspired to give up fancy wrapping paper in favour of using newspaper.

 

I was thinking that for some that may be a bit more of a leap than you’re willing to take, so here are a few other ideas:

- use leftover pieces of fabric or wallpaper to use for wrapping paper
- use a scarf or tea towel, or reusable shopping bag to wrap the gift so the “wrapping paper” is a gift as well
- put the gift inside a decorative tin, nice wooden box, etc. that can be used for something else by the recipient
- if you’re still wanting to use traditional ways of wrapping, then gift bags are better than paper since they can at least be used a time or two more before wearing out

Two Invitations!

I invite anyone who has more ideas of making Christmas meaningful, to please leave a comment on this blog for all to benefit.

If you have not yet signed up for the ‘Impact With Heart’ free monthly ezine newsletter, I invite you to enter your email address in the signup box below.  It is for those who want to discover their passions and put them into action to make a difference in this world!

“Remember, if Christmas isn’t found in your heart, you won’t find it under a tree.”
~ Charlotte Carpenter

 

Announcing the new Impact With Heart newsletter!

NOTE:  The following are excerpts from the ‘Impact With Heart’ free ezine newsletter.  For the complete edition, please sign up by clicking the ‘Newsletter Sign Up’ box below or send an email to merna@impactwithheart.com.

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Do you want a heartfelt Christmas filled with meaning?

 

There’s a lot of pressure to have the perfect Christmas by buying the perfect presents, having the perfect decorations, being the perfect host, and having a perfect family singing Christmas carols around the perfect tree. No wonder Christmas is so stressful and we’ve lost the essence of heart and meaning of Christmas!

   

You can have a heartfelt Christmas filled with meaning and impacting the world at the same time. Here are some ideas that are guaranteed to feel good (and take the stress out of fighting the hordes at the mall)!

  

“Anything that has real and lasting value is always a gift from within.”
~ Franz Kafka

      

 Gifts that really give

Make a difference at Christmas by giving something special to your friends and families that give a whole lot to those who have great need. You can buy a goat, donkey, bunny, or chicken, or a sanitation or emergency kit, or a tree, seeds or garden tools, or warm clothing and shelter, or educational supplies, or a mobile medical clinic or wheelchair, or fishing kit and tons more! What a fun way to shop and you can do it in your pajamas from the comfort of your home. They also send a gift card to the recipient, telling them of your gift. Also, some gifts are multipled up to 12 times at World Vision Canada, thanks to the generosity of some Canadian companies. As an added bonus, you’ll get a charitable tax receipt that you can claim on your income tax.

World Vision – www.worldvision.ca in Canada (click on ‘Gift Catalogue’),
www.worldvision.org in the United States (click on ‘Gift Catalog’).

Oxfam – www.oxfam.ca inCanada, www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com in the United States.

Foster Parents Plan of Canada – www.fosterparentsplan.ca/WaysToGive - click
on ‘Gifts of Hope’; or Mercy Corps in the United States – www.mercycorps. org

Shop at Ten Thousand Villages. They are not-for-profit and partner with thousands of artisans around the world to bring us beautiful fair trade items that help provide income in places of need. They have over 160 shops across Canada and the United States so to find a shop near you, go to www.tenthousandvillages.ca in Canada, www.tenthousandvillages.com in the United States.

   

Give a gift of time

Go to a local seniors’ center and offer to help elderly shop. Maybe you can sit at a computer with them and help them get their shopping done online. Or, if they are mobile, take them to a local mall and help them shop in person.

Get a group of people together and do some Christmas caroling! It’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Find out people shut-in through talking with neighbours, and local churches, and go carol in front of their house (or ask if you can go into the entry way).

Go to someone’s house that is elderly or homebound and help them decorate their place. Most people have boxes of Christmas decorations and those who are not able to put it all up themselves, would love to enjoy a decorated home and see those items boxed away throughout the year if someone would just help them put it up. Remember to go back after the season and help them put them away!

“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time”
~ Rick Warren, author of ‘The Purpose Driven Life’

     

Gifts from the heart

Instead of a store bought gift, give personalized gifts from the heart such as making up a coupon book. Coupons can be for breakfast in bed, a massage, running a bubble bath, homemade cookies, a hug, shoveling the walks, etc. etc. This is a really great idea for anyone, but especially kids to make for their family members. It gets them thinking about what Mom and Dad, or brother or sister, would really like (develops empathy), gets them designing coupons (develops creativity), and then the fun of giving something the recipient would love (develops a sense of power and the feeling of how by giving we get back even more in good feelings).

Do you remember what gifts you got last year?? Probably not, but this next idea will definitely be remembered and hardly costs a thing! Make an appreciation book or box! I’m tired of hearing how great people were at their funerals. Let’s tell them while they’re living!! Take pieces of paper and on each one, write something you admire or appreciate about that person. If you want to make it more fun, include others that know that person and have them write a paper (or 2 or 3 or more) as well. If you want, take colored pieces of paper and cut them into different shapes to liven it up. I’m going to make an appreciation box for my Mom this Christmas and include others in on the fun. I can hardly wait to see her face as she reads through it!

“There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation than for bread.”
~ Mother Teresa

Just remember—
“Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”
~ Dale Evans

I’d love to hear your feedback on this first issue, or if you have further ideas of how to have a meaningful Christmas (for next year’s Christmas newsletter), please leave in the comments section or email me at merna@impactwithheart.com.

May you have fun creating a heartfelt and meaningful Christmas!

 

Welcome to Impact With Heart

The happiest people are those who have identified what their passions are, and found ways to put those passions in service to others.  Sadly, many don’t know what their passions are!  Or, even if they do, aren’t sure how to go about using them to help others and consequently don’t have that wonderful feeling of impact.  As long as I can remember, my blood got rushing when I came up with an idea of how to make a real difference in this world and even moreso when I took action on it. 

I’m very passionate about helping others live purposeful, meaningful lives.  If you want to discover your passions and put them into action, I can help.  Thus, the beginning of this blog and I’m really excited to announce that ‘Impact With Heart Coaching and Consulting’ is up and running!  You can find out more about me in the ‘About Me’ page, and I look forward to finding out more about you.  I invite you to make this blog interactive, as we share ideas and strategies of how to make a difference in the world, and thereby making significant differences in our own lives.

If you want more meaning in your life, if you want an incredible serenity of knowing you made a difference, if you want to shape this world instead of being shaped, if you want to be filled up on the inside more than you could ever imagine and discover how incredibly powerful you are to effect change, then you’ve come to the right place! Leave your heartprints……the world needs you to do it, and you need you to do it…..starting now.   Welcome aboard!