How One Man Can Make a Difference in the World

One of the quickest and most effective ways to grow your confidence and experience self-fulfillment is to contribute to making someone else's life better. Everyone's talents and abilities are different. But thankfully, opportunities to serve and make a difference are all around you.

Making an impact in your world is as easy as deciding that serving others is important to you. You can bring a smile to someone's face and impact people's lives in a dramatic way with simple acts of kindness.

Try these ideas to make the most of your gifts and talents to serve the world around you and make a difference:

1. Volunteer. One of the best ways to make a difference is to volunteer your time. From working at a local soup kitchen to volunteering your time for charity fundraisers, there is an abundance of ways to help out and pitch in.

* Spend time picking up trash or taking care of animals at the local pound. Visit the residents of a nursing home. Get active in your church. Seek the needs of your community and search within yourself to find what you have to offer to help meet those needs.

* Think of causes you believe in and contact organizations that support those causes. There may be local fundraisers in your area that you can participate in or help organize. These organizations may have other ways for you to help that you may not have even thought of.

2. Donate money. There are hundreds of worthy charities that make a difference in the lives of people all over the world. Even small donations can go a long way to helping others. When pooled together with the generosity of others, your contribution can have a significant impact.

* If you're not sure what charity to donate to, you can give money to a local church or school fund raising project.

* Organizations like the Red Cross are always grateful for the contributions of generous people who want to make a difference. When the world faces a disastrous earthquake, hurricane, or other natural disaster, the Red Cross and other organizations are there to help. You can help with your donation.

3. Donate blood. Blood is essential for medical aid, and you can even save someone's life by donating blood if you meet the health requirements. Blood banks often do blood drives at strategic locations throughout the community because these blood banks often lack the supply needed to meet the demand. You can help to meet that demand.

4. Donate your organs. One of the simplest ways to make a big difference with a small investment of time is through organ donation. Often, you can register to be an organ donor by simply mentioning that you want to do so when you get your driver's license or state ID.

* Upon your death, your organs may be used to further research that could lead to the cure for a disease that affects millions. Or, you may provide an organ that can be transplanted into someone's body to save their life. It costs nothing to register as an organ donor.

Whatever you decide to do, take time today to think about how your gifts and abilities may be used to serve the people around you. You'll be glad you did, and you'll make someone's day at the same time.

8 Tips for Keeping a Clear Mind When Life Gets Busy

Do you feel like you have so much to do and not enough time to get everything done? When your life gets crazy, you can't let the busyness take over your mind. You need to put yourself first to maintain your mental health.

Here are eight tips for keeping a clear mind:

1. Get organized. Your life can be much easier if you maintain a good level of organization. You'll save time and gain a feeling of control over your circumstances. The time you save allows you the opportunity to take care of yourself with relaxation exercises or the pursuit of hobbies that you enjoy.

* Each day, create a to-do list. Rank your items from the most important to the least important. As you go through your day, attack the most important items on the list first. At the end of the day, you walk away with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you used your time in the most effective way possible.

2. Take time for yourself. Carve out time for yourself every day, no matter how busy you are. Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy these moments, even though you know that things remain undone. You must allow your body, mind, and spirit to recharge itself so you're productive when you return to your tasks.

3. Find something you find relaxing. Everyone has their own activities that help them relax. Perhaps you feel pampered by a long, warm bubble bath. Or curl up on the couch and read a book. Find something that you enjoy, take deep breaths and relax.

4. Count to ten. If you find the stresses of life getting to you, catch yourself before lashing out or losing your cool. Instead, take a step back and count to ten slowly. This will allow you time to clear your mind and decide on the most effective and appropriate response.

5. Meditate. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and regain focus when life seems out of control. With meditation, you learn to focus on deep breathing while you discover more about yourself.

* When you learn to focus on your breath, you'll likely discover that your breathing is shallow during stressful situations. Learn to breathe deeply from your belly to feel a greater sense of peace in the midst of the storms of your life.

6. Exercise. Exercise is a perfect way to relieve stress and regain a clear perspective. A moderate amount of exercise each day is all you need for improved fitness. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy, and stick with it until it becomes a habit. Soon, you'll hate missing a workout and have more energy throughout your stressful days.

7. Go for a nature walk. Find the time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Get your mind off of the many tasks you need to complete. Instead of thinking about the endless list of things you have to accomplish, become aware of what's really important by really paying attention to the sights and sounds of your natural surroundings.

8. Take it one step at a time. Life often requires you to juggle many different situations at once. It's overwhelming if you try to think of each one of those things at the same time.

* Focus on one task at a time and work at the task until it's complete. Then move on to the next task. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, everything on your to-do list will eventually get accomplished.

Remember that you're not alone. If you need to talk to someone else about your busy life, reach out to positive people in your life who truly care about you. Sometimes, just talking may help you to clear your mind of everything.

Try these ideas and begin to experience the peace you deserve today!