How broad is your mind?

Dawn of a New Decade

We are about to put closure to one of the fastest changing decades fueled by technology. At the beginning of this decade if I was to tell you everyone from your past and future would connect with you on a daily basis without email or a phone call, you couldn't imagine how. Yet now people couldn't imagine living without Facebook, Linkedin, MySpace, YouTube...the list goes on. How many of you texted someone a holiday wish or joy? Just a decade ago that would have been email or page to a pager to call your number.

This coming decade is time for people to start fresh with an open mind to the possibilities. Possibilities of how to jump start the economy, deliver new products without utilizing resources outside of the US or develop stronger trade agreements to bring non-US work here. People will have to discover what is more important to them: smaller quantities with higher prices or larger quantities for discount prices. You are smart enough to know how each answer would effect your fellow American.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind? How did you touch someone's life? What did you create? Did you follow your dreams or the footsteps of others?

I look forward to seeing what the next decade brings and what people make their mark on the lives of others. Will it be you?

Social Giving is a Social Learning

Everyone is jumping on the social/interactive media train. Some with eyes wide open and others with eyes wide shut. The eyes wide open have created a strategy and know their expected outcomes from the dedicated involvement with people at this personal communication level. Eyes wide shut are diving in creating identities in all formats available and have no clue what the next steps are or expected return.

A lot of non-profits and community forums/businesses fit in the eyes wide shut area. After years of having high level donors and businesses contributing, not much emphasis has been put on the next generation of contributors. Educating them on values, mission and the most important piece of the pie "what is in it for me?" The next generation coming into the work force raised in the social/interactive media era of reality TV are raised to focus what is in it for me.

To adjust for this non-profits and community forums/businesses are going to have to educate and touch out to this next generation in the social/interactive forms on a regular basis. Closely linking all the different medias to feed the messages. Posting videos of recipients from donations or people who have donated and the feeling it gives will be just one sliver the pie. Some organizations will have to open up to mass quantity of donations formats vs. smaller large donations of the past. In most cases a dedicated person will need to be assigned to keeping the new media formats updated on a moments notice. It will be a key element in survival amongst the many charitable organizations around the world.

People want to have the feeling of directly connecting with recipients of their hard earned money. Just like knowing a celebrity, but in this case the celebrities are the benefactors of donations. So if you are the social/interactive media person, don't forget to also include a little drama to keep the interest.

Kick it up!

Big trend coming to life is western cowboy boots, booties and mules. Not the plain type, but styles that have detail cuts, embroidery and embossed patterns. You don't have to listen to country music to appreciate these beautiful pieces of craftsmanship. Enjoy the comfort of cowboy boots while showing off your personal style. Not only do they look great with jeans (tucked in or out), spice things up with a short dress/skirt and tights for ladies.

Make sure to pay attention to the sizes and recommendations by stores. Due to narrow toes, your size could be anywhere from 1/2 size to full size larger for a comfortable fit.

Art of giving this Holiday Season

Over the last several years during the holiday season gift giving it had become about what the gift was or amount spent. This year gifts are going to be more about a thought behind the gift and the creativity used. I thought a neat thing I heard recently is how some charities are having parents work with their children to learn the art of giving to other people in need. Depending on the charity, children are taught to shop for others, create crafts, wrap gifts and most importantly giving the gift directly to another person to feel the joy of giving.

This season think about a gift that you can give someone that will touch their soul vs. just giving a gift without thought.