Debbie Lundberg, of Debbie Lundberg, inc. Life & Business Coaching, recently spoke at our Annual Holiday Part and shared “A Top 10 List of Grabbin’ Life with Gusto!”  Our members surely enjoyed her presentation of positive improvements that offer tremendous results.  We wanted to share some of her ideas with you:

10. Take care of yourself physically and mentally.  Eat, drink and be merry…as long as you are respecting your body and giving it rest and nourishment inside-out! Being selfish is healthy – you cannot give what you do not have – take care of yourself well and then give to others. Prioritize YOU!

9. Have what I call “moxumility”™.  It’s a word I have trademarked, meaning have the moxie to go for what you want and the humility to be a life-long-learner. Meet people where they are and lead them where they are willing and able to go! Know you are more than what you do for a living. Resist defining yourself as your industry or job title, and start thinking of yourself as all you are.

8. Think first, answer later.  You will respond instead of react, and say yes to what you want and no to what is not of interest. Change your thinking/talking/acting from “have to” or “should” to “want to”… and focus on results and not just tasks. Control the Control-able(s), including you, your environment and your stress-ers. Prioritize by determining what things, for you/your family are the 1) essentials, and 2) the extras.

7. Love fully.  Regret is a useless emotion. Give of your love and expect nothing in return. Make the small decisions with you head and the big ones with your heart!. This was no doubt demonstrated through your work at Kids Charity of Tampa Bay when you shared with the other concerned individuals whose mission is to improve the quality of life for foster children and foster families. Imagine all the love that was felt!!!

6. Make mistakes & dare to dream.  Don’t take yourself too seriously. Own your errors and learn from the opportunities you get. Take action and focus on Progress NOT Perfection. Know that Failure = Feedback – Listen to the feedback, and just don’t make the same mistake repeatedly.

 5. Plan time to rejuvenate.  Whether it is true “down time” or just whatever works for you to get rejuvenated, make time for it. Schedule it, respect it, do it! Focus on productivity instead of busy-ness. Whether it is work or pleasure, get something out of it…something you desire.

 4. Have a true, trusted confidant.  Know that someone is on your side…your brother, your sister, your friend, your spouse…someone.  And, be that for someone else as well!  Trust teaches and empowers. Ask 6-10 people who you like, admire, respect, and/or trust to give you feedback on you’re 1) top three strengths, and 2) top three opportunities to improve. When you get the information/traits, appreciate the input and do not defend the information the people were kind enough to share.  (The High Hopes ladies LOVED this recommendation!)

 3. Enjoy the moment, and believe people’s compliments.  Let things be, and be in that time, that experience. When someone compliments you, reject the “who me?” approach, and simply take it, thank then, and believe it!

2. Own your style, your life, your outcomes.  Be true to you and your choices and know that not everyone will agree or appreciate you and that is okay. Move from “why” questions to “what” or “how” questions.   Take responsibility for your own happiness.   Nobody else can be responsible, will be responsible or should be responsible for making you happy.  Assess people in your life and those who enhance your happiness are to be brought in and embraced, where those who hinder it are kept at arm’s length. Enjoy life.

1. Be grateful, let go, and give back.  Show appreciation. Speak appreciation. Exude appreciation for you and others. Love yourself and let go of judging harshly others and letting harsh judgment impact you. Give of yourself for others and for you, and enjoy the journey. And certainly you are all doing that through your High Hopes in High Heels!!!

To become a fan of Debbie Lundberg, inc. Life & Business Coaching, please visit her Facebook page at:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/DebbieLundbergLifeandBusinessCoaching

Thanks Debbie for taking the time to share your advice with our members!

We received a very sweet Thank You card from one of the families we helped last year and wanted to share with you.  Last year, we hosted a bowling fundraiser, Pins 4 Pierce, for the Peddy family and we were able to raise over $4,300!!  Here is what the Peddy’s had to share:

Dear High Hopes in High Heels Friends,

Thank you so much for Pins 4 Pierce.  The event was extra special and meant so much to Pierce, our family, and friends.

High Hopes in High Heels is a great group, doing wonderful things and we are grateful to have been blessed by your kind works.

The very generous donation to assist Pierce , the education & awareness for Epilepsy, and good times enjoyed by all are gratefully appreciated.

Thanks again for everything!

Sincerely,

Alysia, David, Grace, & Pierce Peddy

For more information about Pierce’s story, please visit his website:  Pierce Peddy’s Story

On July 30, 2011, the ladies of High Hopes in High Heels put on Glam Jam for the young ladies of Shriners Hospitals for Children.  Everyone in attendance that day had an incredible time.  We wanted to share the nice Thank You that we received for our efforts:

“The smiles on the faces of the beautiful young ladies on Saturday was proof of the success of Glam Jam!  Our thanks to each of you for the part you played in encouraging growth and positive self-esteem in these precious young women.  Thank you so much!”

-Kindest Regards, Bethanne Demas, Director of PR for Shriners Hospitals for Children Tampa

Looking forward to the 2012 Glam Jam event!

We were delighted to receive this thank you note from Joshua House after our community project last Friday and wanted to share:

To all of the awesome ladies making up “High Hopes in High Heels,” thank you so much for coming to Joshua House.  The kids had a blast and I think the staff had just as much fun as the kids

You’ve provided these kids with some fun and positive memories.  It’s people like you who will teach them life can be filled with laughs and silliness…and cookie crumbs on their noses (ladies who volunteered…remember the cookie game!)!

Thanks again,

Christine, Joshua House Tampa

Who knew September was such a popular month? While the women of High Hopes in High Heels are busy supporting and increasing awareness for local non-profit organizations, volunteers all over the world are also busy supporting some pretty unique causes in the month of September.

DID YOU KNOW:

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. With several national opportunities and various events across the country, it’s easy to join the battle against childhood cancer. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children under the age of 15 in the United States. You can make a difference through numerous volunteer opportunities including running or walking for the cure, hosting a lemonade stand, raising online contributions, or even sky-diving for the cause! More information at: http://plum-oakmont.patch.com/articles/september-is-childhood-cancer-awareness-month-2.

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.  In recognition of the fight against childhood obesity, President Barack Obama has deemed September National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. One-third of American children are overweight and are at risk for health problems such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Good news: over 1200 schools met the “Healthier US School Challenge” this year by providing students with more opportunities for exercise and eating nutritious meals. Keep it up!

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. If there’s an important man in your life, make him get tested—early detection is critical! Zero, the project to end prostate cancer, understands that busy schedules make it hard to fit in regular doctor visits. That’s why Zero offers the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, the only nationwide mobile prostate cancer-testing program. The drive tours across the country to offer free prostate cancer testing. More than 100,000 men have been tested since 2002, saving as many as 11,000 lives by alerting men with abnormal test results to go see their doctor! Find out where the important men in your life can get tested by visiting www.zerocancer.org/events/free-testing.

 September is National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Health professionals and advocates from across the country are reminding families that newborn screening, parental education and comprehensive care can markedly reduce this debilitating illness.  Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting 70,000 to 100,000, and millions more worldwide!  

September is also: Infant Mortality Awareness Month,National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month, Life Insurance Awareness Month, and OvarianCancer Awareness month.

We always encourage our members to reach out and lend a helping hand. While many of these organizations may not necessarily be local, there’s plenty of ways to get involved. And remember, simple knowledge is key! You can help today just by letting your friends and family know what you’ve learned!

~Michelle Boyd, Member of High Hopes in High Heels

As many of you know, High Hopes in High Heels is joining forces with Working Women of Tampa Bay to raise money for the Susan G Komen Suncoast Chapter. We’re walking as a team on October 1 in support of the Race for the Cure in Downtown St. Petersburg. 

What you may not know, is that GM in the Southeast is helping out by sponsoring us, and some of us were given brand new Chevys to test drive for the week.  We posted our experiences on social media networks and shared our reviews with our personal network of friends and co-workers. 

I’m going to do my best to give you the very first High Hopes in High Heels “Woman’s Review of a Car.” A parade of Chevys pulled up at my place on Tuesday. I stared at the bright orange Chevy Camaro and panicked. While it’s an amazing looking car, it’s way too bright for my style. I enjoy flying under the radar each day in my plain gray car. Then I stared at the Equinox. I immediately liked it, because I could picture myself driving around town, pretending to be a trendy young mom. Yes, I enjoy pretending that sometimes. And then, the verdict……… I would get the 2011 bright red Chevy Cruze.

To be completely honest, I would never drive a red car. As mentioned before, I’m more of a plain jane when it comes to cars. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how high-end the interior was. Black leather, XM radio, On-Star, doors that lock immediately upon putting the car in drive… I could get used to this! I drove the car all week and if it were black, or gray, I would have had trouble returning it!

Thank you GM in the Southeast for giving me a chance to test drive the new Chevy Cruze, but more importantly thank you for supporting our cause!! It was so much fun to drive around and share my thoughts with everyone. And don’t worry; I did not take any pictures or upload anything while driving!

I won! I won! I won! In appreciation for our June efforts with raising awareness, volunteering, and collecting goods for Trinity Café, High Hopes in High Heels hosted a Wine & Cheese Social for the “top performers.”

It was a small affair at board member Keri Shingledecker’s home with familiar faces and a great selection of wine, cheese and hors d’oeuvres. Earlier in the month, I was regrettably unable to volunteer with Trinity Café due to my work schedule, so when I found out I was being recognized for simply collecting cans of food, I was honored!  It just goes to show you that there are numerous ways to play an active role in volunteering, even when you can’t physically be present at all the events!

Trinity Café has been a beacon of hope and compassion in the Tampa Bay community since 2001. The organization serves over 200 free, hot, nutritious meals each day (and even holidays) to the homeless, poor and anyone wishing to receive a meal.

The meals are prepared by a professional chef and served by volunteer wait staff. The guests sit at cloth covered tables set with china dishes and silverware. They are asked for nothing in return – no mandatory religious services or counseling or work. But Trinity Café couldn’t open its doors each day if it weren’t for volunteers like us! They need volunteer waiters, waitresses and food donations to continue their operation.

As we sat around socializing and enjoying ourselves, I realized that it’s moments like this we always take for granted. It’s good to know that this evening, even though we are sitting back and relaxing, we’re doing it because we helped others first. Whether it was serving hot meals, donating a few dollars or collecting food donations in the month of June, we all played a part in helping support Trinity Café’s future. With the help of High Hopes in High Heels, alongside dozens of other likeminded individuals and organizations within the community, the guests of Trinity Café can continue to sit back, relax and enjoy the little things in life, just as we are!   

PS—It is said that red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of “good” cholesterol and protecting against artery damage. Glad I got to partake—-Thanks ladies!

~Michelle Boyd, Member & Blogger!

1. Your Anxiety and Depression are eased

Giving back helps others reach for a better day. But the delightful dividend? Volunteering helps you reach greater states of happiness and hope. You experience a potent euphoria known as “helper’s high.” This sense of usefulness, optimism and meaning can banish your brooding thoughts and clear out the cobwebs in your minds. Why? For one thing, giving back helps you stop fixating on your troubles and propel you to feel empowered and confident that you can make a difference.

2. Your Overall Health and Joy are boosted

When you’re generous to others, you’re generous to yourself. Your entire being undergoes a feel-good transformation at the cellular level when you support others, which boosts everything from your psychological outlook to heart and immune system. Instead of despairing about the world, you’re embracing it wholeheartedly, taking on tough challenges to try to transform them with goodwill and optimism. You’re also choosing to be “other centered,” which streams wellbeing back to yourself.  Service is simply, powerful medicine. Research shows that teenagers who get turned on by service learning and volunteer work are much happier and more optimistic. They also get better grades and use drugs less. Volunteering even helps you live longer, according to University of California–Los Angeles researchers.

3. You Can Connect With a Cool Community

Service work automatically connects you with an infectious, can-do community of kindred volunteers.

4. You Receive Greater Clarity about Your Own Calling

Marsha Wallace, a nurse in South Carolina, was restless with her work, “earnestly searching for my path.” One night, Wallace was meditating, and she was jolted “like an electrical shock” by an idea. She quickly called twenty-five friends and hosted a unique potluck. What if they pooled the money they would have spent dining out and sent it instead to a women’s project in the developing world? Wallace asked them. The women loved the idea and around that table, they launched Dining for Women. DFW’s 130 chapters now raise money—one meal at a time—for projects around the world. “There are so many women with expendable income, if we could all band together, we could be a huge force with which to be reckoned!”

5. You Enjoy the Reward of Saving Lives

When I met Rose, through BeadforLife, a nonprofit I support that eases the poverty of HIV-positive women in Uganda, I felt a bone-deep happiness. Rose once was dying from AIDS. But now she knew she had something big going on— “BeadforLife has brushed the dust off my soul!” Rose was vibrant again and had just opened her first ever bank account. She was sending her children and her sister’s children to school. Rose used to rise at 5:00 a.m. to begin the streets. Now she was a force rising in the world. When Rose floated across the red earth, the air shimmered around her. I felt myself shimmer in her presence.

6. Your Job Performance Improves

People who volunteer are resourceful, creative, – and have incredible staying power on the job. An international tax partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Oren Penn spent eight weeks on a corporate service fellowship to improve health in a remote Indian community, Orissa, one of the poorest areas of India. Penn worked with colleagues from the Netherlands and Mexico to ease severe poverty and unsafe health conditions in Orissa’s ignored community of “untouchables.” Working as an effective team in Orissa made him a much more effective team leader back home. “I’ve raised my game in terms of how I approach what I do,” Penn says. “In my view, this is the best way to enjoy work, enhance your performance, and elevate all parts of your life as well.”

7. You Sharpen Your Skills and Attract Employers

Even as unemployment spikes in the country, we’re seeing a surge in volunteering? What’s going on? Many of us are concluding that while we’re seeking a job, we want to roll up our sleeves and make a difference. Some have always wanted to have more time to give back – and now we do. Plus, that service keeps us optimistic that things will get better and primes us beautifully for our next, best job. Volunteering offers great experience, a chance to sharpen or learn new skills, and stay in the game – all increasingly desirable traits to any future employer.

8. You Stay Hopeful and Optimistic

“I’ve never felt such an amazing sense of community,” says Amanda Anderson-Green, a then twenty-five-year-old medical researcher from Seattle who spent three weeks on a Cross-Cultural Solutions volunteer vacation in Ghana through Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. Each morning, she loved walking along red-dirt roads lined with women and children who’d smile and greet her as she went to volunteer at a center with HIV-positive people and AIDS orphans. “I was struck by the simplicity of it. People talked with me as if I was their neighbor.  They were so open, friendly, and accepting. They’d put their arms around me and thank me for coming.” Now back in Seattle, she says, “I am still receiving the gifts from my trip. I knew I would have a rewarding adventure, but I had no idea how much going abroad would impact my views of community, happiness, and service here at home.”

9. You Gain Appreciation for Other People and Places

Jonathan Orc thought Africa was a very bad place: hot, poor, full of sickness and dirt. But he fell in love with people in Mali while teaching English and helping build a school. “We arrived at night, but they had been waiting for us all day long….I felt that I belonged there, like they were just saving a spot for me in their village the whole time.  I never really thought that they would spread their arms and accept us as family and not just as guests.” Kids often approached Orc, offering him mangoes or help, even when he didn’t need it. “Before, I used to see Africa as a crappy place, but now I see it at as a paradise… Africa is a beautiful and extraordinary place that changed my life.”

10. You connect with what it means to be Human

When John Heineman learned that more than tens of millions of Americans were stranded in the boat of having no health insurance, he took to the waters, literally. After he graduated from the University of Iowa, and after intensive training, he swam the English Channel to raise money for the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic “The waves were so big that I could not see much of anything but water.” And he was stung many times by shoals of jellyfish. Moved by Heineman’s generosity, $19,000 in support for the clinic streamed in from around the country. Along the way, Heineman says he’s met priceless people served by the clinic. Those people, he says, are “his exposure to humanity at its finest.”

For more information on giving back and what you can do for your community visit: