Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: Anything, Christmas, Except, Gave, want, What
Before you storm the mall (or Internet) this holiday season, Wharton University professor Joel Waldfogel would like you to know something: knocking yourself out trying to find The Perfect Gift is often a waste of time.
Worse, from an economic perspective, you?re practically committing a sin. That?s because it is not only highly unlikely the recipient will actually like what you?ve picked out, you?re destroying value – about $13 billion worth. That?s the difference between the $65 billion Americans will spend on holiday gifts this year compared to what those who receive those gifts would be willing to pay for them if they bought them for themselves.
?When I?m shopping for myself,? says Waldfogel, ?I will only spend $50 on something if it is worth $50 to me. But with gift giving, if I want to spend $50 on you, I could end up buying something that is not worth $50 to you .? In fact, according to surveys, on average the recipient of that $50 gift would only pay $40 for it- if he would even consider purchasing it for himself at all. According to Waldfogel, that 20% difference is ?the missing satisfaction? caused by the fact that ?items were chosen by someone other than the ultimate consumer.?
Waldfogel, whose book Scroogenomics has just been released, is quick to point out that he is not at all opposed to gift-giving. In fact, he describes himself as ?an avid giver- and a generous one- especially with close family.?
It?s those obligatory gifts we feel we have to buy for far-flung relatives and others we barely know that cause the disconnect between price (paid by the giver) and value (assigned by the recipient). In economic-speak, it?s a problem with the way we allocate resources.
Since you know those you?re closest to the best, you?re more likely to hit the mark in terms of the presents you buy for them. For instance, you might have caught your spouse eyeing cashmere sweaters in a store or catalog. Knowing that blue is her favorite color, you spend $150 on a royal blue cashmere cardigan for her. If asked, she probably would say that it is 1) something she would purchase for herself and, 2) she would be willing to spend around $150 for it. Thus, there is no ?value destruction.?
On the other hand, buying the same cashmere sweater for your niece whom you haven?t seen in 3 years is, in Waldfogel?s terms, ?a recipe for disaster,? even if it?s done with the best of intentions. Aside from the obvious issues- What size? What color?- there are a host of others.What if your cute 12-year old niece has turned into a 15-year old Goth who wouldn?t be caught dead in anything but black and oh-by-the-way also happens to be allergic to cashmere?!
Even the ever-popular food gifts can cause a major faux pas. If no one in the family tells you that Uncle Ernie finally joined AA is it your fault you brought him a bottle of wine? How were you supposed to know that the mail carrier is a vegan when you gave her that ham?
If you can?t simply delete everyone except immediate family and your closest friends from your gift list, what?s the solution?
?Just give cash,? says Waldfogel. The drawback is that in addition to feeling impersonal, cash is ?socially awkward? in many situations. Your cousin, for instance. However, there are exceptions. In Waldfogel?s view, it?s perfectly acceptable for aunts, uncles, and grandparents to give cash to nieces, nephews, and grandkids.
The next best thing?Gift cards.?These allow the recipient to choose what item they want.? In economic terms, they?re very ?efficient? because theoretically recipients will not pay more than an item is worth to them. Waldfogel himself gives them to people who are outside his immediate family. Though cash-like, he points out that somehow gift cards ?have avoided the stigma of cash.? Which probably accounts for their soaring popularity.
An alternative is something Waldfogel calls ?transcendent giving.? As he describes it, ?How can I [the gift giver] transcend what you could do with cash?? One suggestion? Give someone permission to buy something they ordinarily wouldn?t buy for themselves because they would feel guilty about spending the money. This works especially well with a close family member such as your spouse. If he hasn?t bought the new digital camera he?d really love to have because it feels too self-indulgent, give him the OK to do so- no strings attached.
Another ?transcendent gift? is to make a donation to a charity in the recipient?s name. It helps if you know a cause that the individual is passionate about- global warming, ending famine, animal welfare, education, the ballet company in their city, etc.
If you aren?t sure, you can give a charity gift card that allows the recipient to direct the proceeds to one or several organizations. TisBest Philanthropy, for instance, lists 250 national nonprofits as well as locally-based groups that meet their criteria. Gifts cards can be purchased athttp://www.TisBest.org.The Network for Good offers gift cards at http://www1.networkforgood.org/for-donors.You can find others by typing ?charity gift card? in your web browser search box. Suggestion: check out the organization sponsoring the gift cards by going to http://www2.guidestar.org/.
So before you click, swipe, or write a check for yet another half-appreciated present this year, maybe it?s time to pause. Reduce your gift-giving list as much as you can and, like Santa, check it twice. Spend your money, time and energy finding the special items you know that those you are closest to really want. Buy everyone else a $9.95 copy of Scroogenomics and (maybe) stick a gift card in it. Who knows? You might get everyone in your circle re-thinking their holiday spending.
In Waldfogel?s words, ?Have a happy and efficient holiday!?
*Hanukah, Kwanza, Ramadan (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: like, Look, Volunteerism, What
I spent an afternoon this week near-giddy because I was standing next to a compelling sculpture of a woman?s torso by the amazing artist Louise Bourgeois. It was beautifully showcased in the center of a closet that was actually a small room of mirrored doors located off a dazzling master bedroom.
This gives you an idea of my oh-so-grueling assignment as a volunteer for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Manhattan Designer House Tour. You know, listening to Sinatra courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz while marveling at a round white bed flanked by round glass end tables and admiring a stunning Philip Porcella photograph, all the while greeting enthused participants of the tour.
Tough to be me, I know. But carry on I did as people stopped and stared in awe at the white room with purple and lavender accents. Truly I can?t do the home décor of Kris Fuchs — principal of SUITE New York, a contemporary furniture and modern design showroom on Madison Avenue — justice in this space, but there is a bigger point. While I was listening to ?ooh-ing? and ?aah-ing? in a delightful atmosphere, a terrific organization whose mission is to ?improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people, ages 6 to 18? was raking in the dough to the tune of $150 per ticket.
This is volunteerism. Sometimes when it feels like life is coming at us from too many directions, we put off the idea of volunteering because it just seems like another thing on our plate. This was one day of my life, one enriching day of meeting new people and seeing the crème de la crème of home design up close.
?You didn?t do anything with the kids [from the Boys & Girls Club]?? a friend asked about my assignment.
That?s the beauty of volunteering. You can go with your strengths. Two of mine are putting people at ease and striking up conversations. It?s all needed. It all matters.
?It is with great angst that I address you this year with the acknowledgement that we are all not doing as well financially as we have in the past,? wrote Daniel Quintero, executive director of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, in the organization?s 2008 annual report. ?That being said, our experience during the tough economic times is that our services are needed much more, and the demand becomes greater.?
According to three national alumni surveys conducted for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, most recently in 2007, 57%said their Club literally saved their life and 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because they were inspired by their Club participation. Nationally, 21% of African-American males do not graduate from high school, while only 2% of Boys & Girls Club African-American males do not finish.
Last month I wrote a column lauding the designation of September 11th as an official day of service. That call came about last year from then-Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Columbia University and was made official this year by now-President Obama.
?To equate the tragedy of 9/11 with ?volunteerism? is a travesty,? one reader wrote in response to that column. ?We remember what happened on that day for what it was: an attack on US civilians on US soil.?
Why are those two points mutually exclusive? Wasn?t our shared humanity heightened by those attacks on our country? Some people feel called because of it.
The travesty, actually, would be watching our military do all the heavy lifting while most of our citizens live as if nothing has changed. We cannot all don the uniforms, get in the trenches, and endure the rigorous training. We cannot all leave our families and risk our lives every minute of every day. But we can do something besides sit back and criticize.
It?s almost embarrassing to say I did my part for one day by standing in a beautiful room amidst eye-popping décor. But really, isn?t the key figuring out what you are particularly equipped to do and then committing to it? These days, when fewer people are inclined to write a check, there are organizations galore looking for your special touch.
Give it to them. It?s a win-win. Trust me.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
Filed under: personalfinancenewsss.wordpress.com | Tags: Could, doing, What
Last weekend I was invited to be a guest at a Hall of Fame dinner for a high school in New Jersey. I used to cover the softball team as a sports writer and I was honored to be included in the celebration when its state championship team of 19 years ago was being inducted.
Back then it had never occurred to me to become a life coach because I had never heard of the profession. Plus, I was very happy with what I was doing. And yet, when people who I hadn?t seen in nearly 20 years heard that?s what I?m doing now, they nodded like it was a natural. The head coach revealed that my positive coverage of the team helped motivate her, made her feel she could do it.
Stunned, all I could say was, ?Wow, thank you.? But upon a few days of reflection, I realized this was a valuable lesson in how our natural and/or cultivated skills can transfer from one job to a seemingly unrelated one. It?s not always about what your degree is in, what the logical progression ?should? be according to societal dictate, or how many words per minute you can type.
Apparently, my ability to motivate was emerging back then and I didn?t even know it. Not to mention that one of my assets as a sports writer was getting my subjects to open up after games; now that skill is applied to clients who need to feel comfortable in order to succeed in the coaching relationship.
I know many of the unemployed folks out there have become understandably discouraged or even desperate. Many career coaches are all about the networking mantra and, of course, that?s a good idea no matter what. But let?s shake it up. Some of you — and not just the unemployed, by the way — need a radical change. If you?re already frightened and unable to find a job, why not take a plunge now?
I suggest these thoughtful actions as a way to put your finger on the possibilities and I will be thrilled if even one person reading this has a light bulb moment because of them.
~ First, look at your resume a little differently. If you?re seeking a job in the field you?ve been in for a while, it?s a powerful tool. But if you?re looking to make a change, it can keep you in a box in your own mind. I have been fortunate in that I?ve come across some flat-out visionary people in my career, one of whom decided that instead of losing me to budget cuts in the Web department at our television network, she would translate my ?strong editorial skills and knack for telling a story? to television producing. I didn?t have a lick of experience in it and yet there it was, a golden opportunity, in New York City no less. I confess that had it been reversed, had I been seeking a TV producing job, I wouldn?t have had the forethought to express my talents in that way. What is on your resume that translates into something different? What might you be missing?
~ That leads nicely to my next suggestion: Listen to other people when they tell you you?re good at something. This has been the story of my career. And I?m not just talking about that aforementioned executive producer. A journalism professor sought me out when he saw my articles in the college newspaper. A life coach at an organization where I was doing volunteer work told me I?d be a terrific life coach. These people planted seeds that turned into major career tracks.
~ This may sound like a contradiction, but stop listening to people! Of course in this case I mean people who might be well-meaning but are misguided about what?s best for you. In this category are suggestions of careers they themselves would have liked but didn?t have the courage to pursue. Or, despite the fact that you nearly failed every science class you?ve ever had, they tell you a particular field in medicine is the place to be because there are lots of jobs. That is spot-on advice for someone who actually likes science, but doesn?t really line up with your near-savant knowledge of Russian literature.
~ Make an exhaustive list of jobs that intrigue you and work your way through researching each one. I had a client do this and his list included urban planner, librarian and rabbi, among others. He was a business journalist at the time and has now earned a masters degree in library sciences. This came about largely because he spent a day with a friend who worked in a major city library and he saw the possibilities. Kind of a natural for a guy who loves Trivial Pursuit, right?
I?m telling you that there?s something you love to do, something you?re passionate about, that?s eluding you and could dramatically improve your life. You owe it to yourself to put your finger on it.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
We could pretty much pick any week in the year and discuss what it tells us about legacy, but this last week or so has been a real kick in the pants in that regard. It has me thinking: If we looked at life as an exercise in building our legacy, what would that change? How would we live differently? Or would we?
Those of us in our mid- to late-40s are already in a place where we feel mortality more than we used to because just by virtue of math there are more of us losing parents and even partners to death. I have recently told some friends that because I am still blessed with both of my parents, sometimes I feel like I?m playing dodge ball and just haven?t been hit yet.
When you add in the fact that I am a life coach whose clients are often aware that their own lives are ticking away and there?s so much living they haven?t done, it?s easy to see why the needle on my mortality meter is going haywire lately.
I was on a shuttle bus from New York City to Long Beach Island when I heard that Michael Jackson had died. There were four 20-somethings, me and the driver and as we made our way out of the city, the ?kids? asked the driver if he could tune the radio to the Jackson tributes that were going strong.
?Everyone in the van may not agree,? the driver said.
A young woman in the group turned to me and said, ?Ma?am, do you not like Michael Jackson??
After I got over the initial ?ouch? of being referred to as ?ma?am? I found my voice, ?I?d love to listen to Michael Jackson,? I said.
And listen we did, not just to the music but to the fans calling in and crying as they voiced their shock.
If indeed we can see what?s happening in this life on Earth when we?ve moved on, I cannot imagine what Michael Jackson?s reaction is to seeing people across the globe celebrating him. Could he have imagined, after all he?d been through legally and emotionally, that the visceral reaction of much of the world would be dancing?
Having had prior plans to go to a 70s-80s themed dance club in Atlantic City the very next night, I could not in my wildest dreams have imagined that it would feel so poignant to dance to the electric pulses of Jackson?s music the day after he died. Being on a dance floor surrounded by large screens playing videos of Don?t Stop ?Til You Get Enough , Billie Jean and Thriller as people tried to imitate those unforgettable Thriller moves made me feel connected and alive, if a little teary.
On Facebook, an old and dear friend from high school recalled that we had played Off the Wall while working together in the stereo section of a department store. This was a whole other facet of Jackson?s death, bringing out not just our mortality but our pasts because his music is the soundtrack of so many of our lives. His legacy ? as with so many artists ? is tied to ours. For lots of men, the death of Farrah Fawcett conjured up an instant connection to their teen years via a memorable poster and her subsequent acting work touched countless others.
And while all that is fascinating to so many of us in the last week, so, too, are the legacies-in-the-making of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford and Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. Both have assured that the word ?scandal? will appear in their obituaries regardless of what else they do in this lifetime.
Doesn?t it all just make you think? What are you leaving behind? Accomplished, altruistic children, perhaps? A business or a foundation built out of your sweat and tears? Art produced from a place of creative necessity and passion?
When I mentioned the topic of legacy to my tech-savvy friend, Doug Carlson, he asked if I was aware of the Wayback Machine. I hadn?t heard of it, but I am now fascinated by this digital legacy site. My first Web site from 2002 is on there, as is the original www.foxsports.com site that employed me a decade ago. In addition, since these Game Plan columns are a part of my legacy, it?s great to know they?ll be preserved in digital infamy.
Given all that is possible and all that we know, I ask again: If we looked at life as an exercise in building our legacy, what would that change?
If your answer is ?nothing? you must be living fully. If your answer is ?everything? consider this your wakeup call.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com. (more…)
We could pretty much pick any week in the year and discuss what it tells us about legacy, but this last week or so has been a real kick in the pants in that regard. It has me thinking: If we looked at life as an exercise in building our legacy, what would that change? How would we live differently? Or would we?
Those of us in our mid- to late-40s are already in a place where we feel mortality more than we used to because just by virtue of math there are more of us losing parents and even partners to death. I have recently told some friends that because I am still blessed with both of my parents, sometimes I feel like I’m playing dodge ball and just haven’t been hit yet.
When you add in the fact that I am a life coach whose clients are often aware that their own lives are ticking away and there’s so much living they haven’t done, it’s easy to see why the needle on my mortality meter is going haywire lately.
I was on a shuttle bus from New York City to Long Beach Island when I heard that Michael Jackson had died. There were four 20-somethings, me and the driver and as we made our way out of the city, the “kids” asked the driver if he could tune the radio to the Jackson tributes that were going strong.
“Everyone in the van may not agree,” the driver said.
A young woman in the group turned to me and said, “Ma’am, do you not like Michael Jackson?”
After I got over the initial ‘ouch’ of being referred to as ‘ma’am’ I found my voice, “I’d love to listen to Michael Jackson,” I said.
And listen we did, not just to the music but to the fans calling in and crying as they voiced their shock.
If indeed we can see what’s happening in this life on Earth when we’ve moved on, I cannot imagine what Michael Jackson’s reaction is to seeing people across the globe celebrating him. Could he have imagined, after all he’d been through legally and emotionally, that the visceral reaction of much of the world would be dancing?
Having had prior plans to go to a 70s-80s themed dance club in Atlantic City the very next night, I could not in my wildest dreams have imagined that it would feel so poignant to dance to the electric pulses of Jackson’s music the day after he died. Being on a dance floor surrounded by large screens playing videos of Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough , Billie Jean and Thriller as people tried to imitate those unforgettable Thriller moves made me feel connected and alive, if a little teary.
On Facebook, an old and dear friend from high school recalled that we had played Off the Wall while working together in the stereo section of a department store. This was a whole other facet of Jackson’s death, bringing out not just our mortality but our pasts because his music is the soundtrack of so many of our lives. His legacy – as with so many artists – is tied to ours. For lots of men, the death of Farrah Fawcett conjured up an instant connection to their teen years via a memorable poster and her subsequent acting work touched countless others.
And while all that is fascinating to so many of us in the last week, so, too, are the legacies-in-the-making of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford and Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. Both have assured that the word ‘scandal’ will appear in their obituaries regardless of what else they do in this lifetime.
Doesn’t it all just make you think? What are you leaving behind? Accomplished, altruistic children, perhaps? A business or a foundation built out of your sweat and tears? Art produced from a place of creative necessity and passion?
When I mentioned the topic of legacy to my tech-savvy friend, Doug Carlson, he asked if I was aware of the Wayback Machine. I hadn’t heard of it, but I am now fascinated by this digital legacy site. My first Web site from 2002 is on there, as is the original www.foxsports.com site that employed me a decade ago. In addition, since these Game Plan columns are a part of my legacy, it’s great to know they’ll be preserved in digital infamy.
Given all that is possible and all that we know, I ask again: If we looked at life as an exercise in building our legacy, what would that change?
If your answer is “nothing” you must be living fully. If your answer is “everything” consider this your wakeup call.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com.
