Life.
Don't Just by - Really Be
in it
By Charles Blank, Director Human Resources
Each
of us has individual skills and abilities that we use in our daily routine of
living. Great portions of these are primarily focused in the realm of earning a
livelihood or raising a family. However, many of us can and do devote free time
and effort getting involved in activities which benefit others and improve our
own well-being at the same time – the community, the less fortunate, our
professions, religious groups, continuing education, sports and recreational
activities. These additional dimensions cultivate our persona and lead to a
purpose-driven life.
Community Service
Motor City Makeover, Friends of
Belle Isle, Arts Festival and Angel Night volunteers are four examples of
participation in the city of Detroit continuous improvement initiatives, which
those of us in Southeast Michigan recognize from extensive media coverage.
Woodward Dream Cruise, All Star Game and Superbowl clean-up and hosting duties
are this year’s things-to-do to demonstrate pride in the area. If we prefer
individual ways and means to share talents, volunteering at local hospitals and
libraries will be much appreciated and will benefit many.
Participation in community
activities is probably the most popular form of giving to others. We feel a
sense of betterment because of our efforts and our neighbors and neighborhoods
respond accordingly.
Charitable Activities
Making financial contributions to
the United Way, the Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Mother Waddles,
Gleaners Food Bank, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and many other worthwhile
charities are the commonly accepted ways of assisting those less fortunate than
ourselves. Volunteering for a day or shift at a United Way Agency, serving meals
at a homeless shelter, and answering the phones at a Crisis Center will raise
your awareness of the needs of others to a new level and impart a gratitude for
what we individually possess.
Next time that you are solicited
for a monetary contribution to a charity, please consider doing more than
writing a check or signing for a payroll deduction. Get personally involved and
your sense of worth will soar to new heights.
Professional Improvement
Groups exist to promote the
knowledge base, technical competencies and innovations of their respective
professions. Taking an active role in these organizations not only keeps one
current with the latest and greatest, it is an excellent means of mentoring
junior members and sharing one’s expertise gained by experience and the school
of hard knocks. Some examples are the NSPE, MSPE, AIA, CEC/M, SPHR. Many of us
participate and take active leadership duties in these fine discipline specific
meetings thereby aiding the mission of the professional societies.
Furthering the goals of one’s
profession truly is a satisfying experience and another example of going beyond
an 8 to 5 mentality.
Religious Pursuits
Most of us have a set of beliefs
that dictate what we consider to be right or wrong. Many of us profess an
affiliation to an organized religious denomination and follow its doctrine.
Becoming an active layperson in a congregational setting oft times fulfills a
spiritual niche in our lives that provides an inner peace. Serving on Church
committees, singing in a choir, working on fund-raising festivals are a few
examples of this type of activity.
Bringing a sense of morality and
fairness into our daily business lives not only benefits the individual, but
also the employer and its consumers.
Continuing Education
We are never too old to learn.
Seminars, conferences, round-tables, and college courses broaden our knowledge
base which in turn aids in our intellectual development. Resources are available
all around us to improve our business savvy or pursue an avocation that is of
interest.
Sports
Active participation as a player
or an enthusiastic fan in one of the four major athletic competitions –
baseball, football, basketball, hockey – is an activity with which we can all
identify. Coaching a child’s team in soccer, t-ball, lacrosse, etc., is a most
rewarding experience. Swimming, jogging, walking and a personal fitness regime,
while not considered mainstream sporting activity, are part of most of our daily
or weekly routines and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Recreational Activities
Golf and tennis are the two most
widely recognized leisure time pursuits in which most of us engage. Boating,
snow skiing and water skiing, ice-skating, community theater, old car
restoration, hobbies and travel all contribute to rounding out who and what we
are in the free-time arena. Remember, "All work and no play….". Get
out and get involved.
We are individuals who together
form the society in which we live, work, play and contribute.
Life. Be in it. Make everyday
count.
{For additional information
concerning volunteering, please contact the writer cblank@beiassociates.com).n
