19Nov 2012 by CJ

Seeing others make food donation shows people do still care

Life & Living
Today was the day I dropped off my Thanksgiving food donation at the Center for Food Action (CFA) in Englewood, NJ. As I pulled into the parking lot filled with average cars driven by average people, I found myself truly inspired at the site of so many individuals who still understood what it meant to be compassionate in this world. The food donation seemed to be endless that day. Just when I thought humanity couldn’t care less about their fellow man, here was a small but clear sign of hope. But sadly there are still many people who fail to understand the value of giving back to those less fortunate. Too often we forget there are no guarantees in life. Our reality could change in a moment’s notice without any…
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18Nov 2012 by CJ

Thanksgiving Day, don’t leave out a portion of gratitude

Generosity & Kindness
“Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.” ~E.P. Powell Growing up as a boy, my Thanksgivings were always large family gatherings filled with relatives we often only saw but once a year. I guess you could say there’s a lot of catching up to do with such limited face time. Truthfully, many of my holidays as a kid were just the same way – an abundance of food, lots of family and an abundance of food (what can I say, I’m Italian!). But nothing stays the same in life – families increase, people move away and eventually divide. Suddenly your traditionally Thanksgiving, filled with so many family members, is…
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16Nov 2012 by CJ

When we try to control things we only alienate others

Life & Living
Have you ever found yourself around people who need to control everything? They ask for your opinion and even your assistance, only to turn around and do what they wanted to do all along. Seems like an incredible waste of people’s time, don’t you think? I never really understood where this need to “control” things comes from. Does it stem from personal insecurities or from a need to always prove that you’re better than everyone else? It seems a sad life really – a life void of any connections or collaborations for fear that someone else might upstage or outshine you. Teamwork breeds wonderful ideas. That sharing inspires creativity, passion and enables you to learn something you might not have known before. Remember, “When we try to control, we become…
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14Nov 2012 by CJ

There’s something to be said for a life coach help

Life & Living
I first became acquainted with the term “life coach” back in college when a classmate and I, at the suggestion of our psychology professor, attended a lecture being conducted by such an individual. For those unfamiliar with the term life coach, which is also referred to as a “personal coach”, these professionals often treat relatively healthy people who are simply looking to improve the ways in which they live their lives. Differing greatly from therapy, their focus is on the present moment rather than the future or the past – helping clients improve their careers, health, relationships and self-understanding. As a young twenty-something still finding his place in the world, I was familiar with fitness coaches, dance coaches and even coaches for mastering the SAT’s. But a coach designed to…
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13Nov 2012 by CJ

Humans require a humble amount of praise to grow

Generosity & Kindness
“Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it.” Jess Lair No matter what your situation in life, human beings require a humble amount of praise from time to time. Whether we’re talking about relationships or careers, letting someone know that you appreciate their efforts, no matter how small, can many times be all we need to know that our lives have meaning and purpose. Unfortunately I’ve noticed the frequency of criticisms seems to overwhelmingly outweigh the praise most people receive. Why is it so easy for us to find fault in each other, but so incredibly difficult to hand out a complement every now and then? People are doing wonderful things each and every day and just like a flower, how are we…
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