Tech-Free Thanksgiving Challenge

Thanksgiving is almost upon us!

I'm especially excited for the holiday this year, as I'll get to spend it with several of the people I love most in the world. Combine that with a day of gratitude and a bunch of amazing food, and we have a Win Win Win, as we like to say at 100state. 

This year, I'm trying something new, and I'm inviting you to join me.

A Tech-Free Thanksgiving.

The Plan: No Email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, Random Web Surfing.....you know the list......from 12:01 am on Thanksgiving until 12:01 am on Sunday, 12/1. This means Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.....computer free! I'm giving myself permission to use my phone strictly for coordinating travel logistics with family and friends. I know, some might consider it wimpy.

You might be thinking one of two things:

Thing One: 3 days, that's it? This girl might have a problem.....

or.....

Thing Two: 3 days, are you kidding me? I would only last 3 minutes.

Either way, will you consider joining me to be fully present with your gratitude practice, your pets, your favorite book, your whip cream-topped piece of pumpkin pie, and/or your loved ones on this weekend of gratitude, by signing up for the challenge in the comments or here on Facebook? 

Let the challenge begin!

With Gratitude (and a wee bit of nervousness about being computer-free for three days),
Sarah

Workshop Review: Gratitude Party

Huge thank you to my friend Joe Sweeney for the photos!
Check out more on his gratitude practice on his website here:
www.thejoesweeney.com

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of hosting a party at Dream Bank. Not just any old party, but a gratitude party!

We've all been hearing a lot about gratitude lately. These days, there's a lot of science and a lot of evidence to support the fact that gratitude is good for us.

It can make us more optimistic, improve our overall well-being, increase our 'happiness baseline' (what's said to be our genetically predetermined 'normal' level of happiness that we return to regularly), and strengthen our friendships and romantic relationships.

It can help us succeed in our careers, find mentors, and become more productive.

And, the most fascinating part from my perspective - it can help us live longer. It can improve our sleep, reduce our pain, decrease the number of times we go to the doctor, and even make us exercise more. 

Clearly, it's a useful thing to do. 

But how do we actually incorporate it into our daily lives? 

Easy, really. Here are a few of my favorite ways.

1. A Gratitude Journal

A number of my friends keep gratitude journals and report some pretty incredible results from doing so. I've done it on and off over the years, and have to say, I agree. Not only does  journaling about gratitude give us perspective and have the ability to increase our optimism over time, but it also can serve as a useful tool to look back on during rough patches. A regular journal works great if you like to use paper (I recommend something beautiful like this that you love to write in); otherwise, if you're more drawn to electronic solutions, my favorite gratitude app is this one, which is beautiful to use and also provides space to upload photos from your day.

2. Hand-Written Letters and Notes of Gratitude

This is what Wednesday's party was all about! This is as simple as it sounds - write a note or a letter to the people in your life you're thankful for. Feel free to include the obvious people like friends and family - and also allow yourself to expand your list to include the less-obvious people you interact with regularly at the coffee shop, at the parking garage, or at the reception desk.

To take this to the next level, instead of mailing the letter, hand deliver it, and read it to the person out loud. Skeptical? Check out this video; you might change your mind. 

3. Get Creative

Unleash your inner artist by getting crafty. Consider creating your own gratitude calendar, creating a jar of gratitude, or compiling and sending someone a 'box of delight.'

4. Just Think About It

No stamps in the house, or not feeling crafty? That's okay. Just thinking about what you're grateful for brings us a lot of the same benefits. Reflecting each night before bed or when you wake up in the morning, or mentally thanking someone during the day are both great options that don't take up any time or require any supplies.

Want to learn more about gratitude? Consider stopping in at Dream Bank in the next couple months to check out the gratitude exhibit or another gratitude talk.

Have your own strategies for cultivating gratitude? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

Workshop Review: De-Clutter the Small Stuff to Make Room for What's Important

Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop with Vicky from Grid Organizing. We spent time talking through how we spend our time and how we *want* to spend our time, leaving participants with a few tips for honoring what's most important to us in our day-to-day routines.

We talked, we laughed, we ate some cheese, and we connected over some of the things we all feel passionately about - making time for the important things.

Here's what a few of the participants had to say.

Huge thank you to everyone who joined us for these events!

Molly Coughlin:

"Vicky and Sarah's workshop provided  refreshingly straightforward, practical strategies for getting more out of your days (and years). The group setting led to great conversation and insight into how peers manage similar challenges. All in all a very productive session!"

Jason Schatz:

"The workshop was a refreshing, inspiring, and above all a fun night with some great people. How we spend our days adds up to how we spend our lives, and if there's something more important than that, I don't know what it is. The workshop gave me the space and guidance to really focus on how I use my time and how it relates (or doesn't) to what I value. It was wonderful to spend an entire evening exploring something so fundamental. Best of all, I got to do it in the company of some really great people doing the same thing--sharing insight, honesty, and a lot of laughs. Making personal progress is so much easier (and way more fun) in a supportive group than trying to go it alone. Sarah and Vicky did an impressive job balancing light hearted discussion with more focused exercises and concrete actions for getting closer to where we each wanted to be. They made it look easy. It was a great night, and in the days since I've spent way more time on things that excite me than things that distract me, which is always a good feeling.  It's amazing what a little discussion and reflection can do when you need a little nudge (or even a big one)."

Heather Green:

"Vicky and Sarah did a wonderful job making the group feel comfortable, relaxed and open in our chaotic lives. The workshop was valuable in determining what roles in life I play while pointing out the gaps between my everyday life versus what I want to do. We often forget how many hats we wear and don't give credit to ourselves for the vast roles all of us uphold. The workshop provided a wonderful foundation point of goal alignment, prioritization and values."

Jordan Rothenberg:

"I'm really glad I attended the workshop for two reasons. Reason one: the exercises enabled me to put my time, both past and future into perspective. Sarah and Vicky did a great job of introducing the exercises, making the group feel comfortable and providing real examples for us to work with. Reason two: I now have an actionable list of steps I can take, today, to start making the strides I need to make to achieve my goals for this short, crazy ride called life."

Kourtney Franck:

"I really enjoyed the workshop, and found it very helpful in regards to time management.  The things we discussed during the workshop helped me focus on if I had really been spending my time on the things that were truly important to me, and how I could change things in order to spend more time doing what I enjoy and accomplish my goals at the same time.  It was also really nice to hear about others' experiences as well as share my own in regards to our goals, daily commitments, and time-management struggles."

Transportation, Clean Clothes, and Bullying

Our group's winning brainstorm idea! 

On Friday night, we (100state + UnitedWay of Dane County) threw a Gathering for Good where we brainstormed ways to eliminate the key barriers to kids getting to school.

A main reason kids don’t do well in school is that they aren’t there. This makes a lot of sense.

But the reasons kids aren’t at school came as a pretty big surprise to me.

They are:

• Transportation
• Clean Clothes
• Bullying

The top reasons kids aren’t in school are that they simply can’t get there, they don’t have clean clothes to wear, or they fear being bullied.

Some clearly identified reasons, but a complicated problem to solve.

The good news is that a bunch of people are trying – and there are ways to get involved.

The United Way recently launched its Here! Campaign to create community awareness about the importance of regular school attendance.  The great thing about the campaign is that it focuses on community – as education is a community issue, not just an issue for parents with kids in school. Education makes our communities stronger, and the kids in school today are our next generation of leaders.

The challenge is that we still have a long way to go before we get to the point where all kids, throughout our city and throughout cities across the country, can consistently get to school and get a great education.

Interested in getting involved? Check out the volunteer section on the United Way website here, or consider getting something organized in your neighborhood – a clothing drive, a car pool, or a neighborhood mentoring program aimed at preventing bullying before it begins.

Today, I Spoke at my First Public Hearing

When I learned about our current state of affairs regarding dogs seized from dog fighting rings and other situations of abuse and neglect, I knew I had to do something if given the opportunity.

It just so happened that I had that opportunity today at 1 pm.

Despite all the crap going on with our government right now and the divisiveness it’s caused among us as a society, I must say, I was refreshed by what I saw today at the hearing: a bunch of people, talking, listening, and figuring out the right thing to do for innocent dogs seized from situations of animal cruelty such as dog fighting.

I had the pleasure of bumping into the author of the bill, John Spiros, in the elevator, along with his assistant Katherine Bates, who did a lot of work to get it ready. I learned after the hearing that Representative Spiros is a republican – a lovely and timely reminder that people with varying political viewpoints can get along, share similar visions, and ultimately, together, make world better.

Anyway, the long and short of the hearing was this –

• Our current legislation regarding dogs seized from animal cruelty situations such as dog fighting hasn’t been updated since 1997. This was before a lot of the tools we have today to assess dog temperament. The bill is out of date, and as a result, innocent dogs are being immediately euthanized when they are pulled from these situations.

• There were a number of dog lovers in the room, and most people could agree on the fact that we want to save innocent dogs and do the right thing, and that it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a law to euthanize these dogs right off the bat.

• Still, even if this bill passes, Wisconsin has a long way to go. This bill only covers dogs whose owners have been convicted – and doesn’t cover the dogs that are locked up in a waiting period while the cases are still open. This means that these dogs will be held in small cages with little human contact and no attempt at re-socialization or rehabilitation after the abuse. We need to look to other states as role models – for example Illinois, and the work being done through organizations like Safe Humane Chicago. 

Want to learn more or get involved? Here’s a bit more info.

• Summary of today's public hearing: http://docs.legis.wi.gov/raw/cid/992487
• More on the bill: http://capwiz.com/bestfriends/issues/alert/?alertid=62953086&queueid=%5Bcapwiz%3Aqueue_id%5D#.UkuTE8rqWjg.facebook
• WI public hearing schedule (anyone can attend and/or speak at a public hearing!) http://committeeschedule.legis.wisconsin.gov/
• Local rescue I volunteer with: www.fetchwi.org

The Madisonian Mentality

During a weekend visit to Madison a few years ago, my dad once commented, “people in Madison really know how to live.” This comment has stuck with me ever since, as the perfect summary of what I love so much about this city.

He’s right – they do. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, sleeting, snowing, or if it’s 93 degrees with a similar humidity percentage. Whatever the conditions, you’ll find people out and about eating, drinking, talking, and taking in all that the city has to offer.

The Art Fair on the Square is one of my favorite weekends in Madison. Each year my parents come down and we hit up the fair, find a new place to eat lunch, and linger among the swarms of people circling the artists’ tents around the capital. Almost every single year, the weather has been the same: hot (really hot), humid, and sunny. There is typically little breeze, little shade, and lots of sweating. But that doesn’t stop the great people of Madison from getting out, buying art, and eating steaming, greasy cheese curds in the 93-degree heat.

Wednesday was no different. For six weeks during the summer, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra puts on Concert on the Square, and thousands of people (120,000 each summer, to be exact) flock to the square with blankets, wine and beer, cheese (of course), and anything else that’s portable enough to transport. Personal favorites from this past week included Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Fudgesicles. (Apparently those are portable too.) Wednesday night was hot, humid, buggy, and even included a balmy, steamy rain shower, which made things just a little grosser and just a little wetter. But that didn’t stop us. The square was just as full as it always is, the entirety of the capital lawn was hidden under colorful blankets, and people ate, drank, talked, and laughed while sweat poured down their foreheads.

I love Madison. I love the people, the activities, the lakes, and the food...the capital square, Willy Street, the bike trails, and the summer. But most of all, I love the way sweet Madisonians get out and live – almost fiercely – even when it means picking up a few mosquito bites, some sunburn, or some partially frozen fingers along the way. 

Leadership: Driver’s License Not Required

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend a day at Mt. Morris, where the Wisconsin Youth Leadership Academy was taking place.

I’d studied the website closely and completed the recommended reading; I knew that this camp was all about leadership and how we show up in the world.

What I didn’t know, though, was just how much momentum, support, transformation, and energy are all possible when you put a bunch of high school students who have never met before together in a room to explore who they are as people and as leaders.

What occurred was pretty incredible. There was laughter, deep conversation, learning, and exploration. Even more powerful was the combination of unwavering support and deep love and acceptance. This showed up in the form of 1:1 conversations, understanding glances, and my favorite part – big, blob forming, sometimes sweaty, smile-inducing group hugs.

I am thrilled to be embarking on a 1-year journey as a youth coach for WYLA. If I’m able to learn even half as much over the course of this 1-year coaching journey as I learned in one day at Mt. Morris, I’m in for quite a treat.