The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Social Media and Social Money: Empowerment Workshop in San Francisco on May 18th, 2009

The full title of the upcoming Workshop sponsored by the Global Abundance Alliance is Social Media, Social Money:  Empowering People with Global Promises to Create Global Community.  Who do you know in the San Francisco area who might be interested in this workshop?  The workshop is being held on Monday, May 18th at the Terrace Cafe at Best Western El Rancho Inn located at 1100 El Camino Real, Millbrae, California from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  All I can share with you comes from the beautiful flyer: 

"Join us for a lively exploration of what it takes to truly be global with your Promise for the World.  Where are the frontiers we have to push through both personally and technologically?  Where are you not thinking globally?  Where are you thinking globally but not acting globally?  How do complementary currencies reframe the notion of money from barter/exchange to making a contribution to the world?How might using such currencies further your promise for the world?"

No, I don't get it, but I will be there on Monday, May 18th certain to expand my thinking and certain to learn new things.  The Global Abundance Alliance is a non-profit organization, which I belong to, dedicated to abundance for all people of the world.  You can visit them on the web at: 
http://globalpromises.wikispaces.com/WikiHome   or
http://globalpromises.wikispaces.com/GAAHome

This wonderful organization offers outstanding Learning Leader calls every month or so.  O.K. I actually have not yet made it on one, however they look really excellent!  And they are open to anyone to listen and learn.  Here is the site for learning leader calls: 
http://sites.google.com/site/globalpromisesorg/Home/LearningLeaderCalls

I'm learning about social networking and internet marketing.  I have no idea what a time bank is or alternative currency.  I have a commitment to serving the poor and those who need help.  I'll share with you what I learn when I get back.  Right now I have to finish up my poster for the Conference for Global Transformation, which starts this Friday also in San Francisco.  Have a Blessed Day.  And know that what you do makes a difference.
Love,
Lisa

Want Power? Make A Completion List...Here's how

I just did my completion list for 2009, something that I typically do in the first week of a New Year, and I am excited!  Now, I can't remember what year I started doing what I call a "Completion List", but I can tell you it was at least in 1998 because that was the year I did one that had a ton of house projects.  What I do is write down anything and everything that I can think of that is incomplete in my life.  My "Completion List" includes phone calls to make (usually ones that are hanging out there un-done for some reason), house repair projects, other projects that did not get done like organizing things, letters - you get the drift.  If you want power, this is one of the best activities to do as long as you set about to actually complete them.  There is no sense in making a list if you have no intention of checking them off!

My friend, Lanette, started doing this with me a few years ago!!  During the year we will check in with each other to see if things are coming off the list.  Just knowing that I was getting ready to do my list, I got in action and took care of two items so that they didn't even make it on the list!  It is fun to check the items off.  So, you are probably wondering, WHAT is on my list for this year?  Well here is a sample of what is on my list:
1.  Have Diane over for coffee
2.  Visit Sharleen in Maine
3.  Throw a party for the people who have helped us get to where we are
4.  Office all cleaned up and organized
5.  Access to a saltwater pool for the kids this summer so they can learn to swim w/out chlorine
6.  Pictures organized
7.  Find a church that will offer a scent-free mass and 'no germs' zone for us to be able to participate with (Roman Catholic)
8.  Fulfill on my promise to Edith Anderson for Epsilon Alpha Chapter history (and organize her docs)
9.  Be selected for an ABC Extreme Home Makeover OR somehow resolve our housing issues
10.  Clean out the attic

Well, you get the idea.  My 2009 Completion list has a total of 26 items on it, most of them not related to the cookbook because then the list would be 100 items long.  I have one item for business and the rest is in a category I'd call other.  One of the items, having matching dresses for my daughter and I, is a luxury that I have not been willing to spend the money on given our medical bill situation.  But, what I realized the other week was that I could sew the dresses myself for a fraction of what I could buy them ready-made, and if I didn't hurry up and do it soon - she'd be at that age where she was too old to wear a dress that matched "Mommy's".  Yes, they do grow up fast!!  So, now I'm using the matching dresses concept as a reward for completing 7 or 8 big work projects.  Projects that will take hours and hours and did I say hours to complete!!  Projects that I have either been avoiding or for some reason have not managed to finish.  That is providing incentive for me.  I can't wait to get those projects done now.

And that is the inner workings of a self-motivated person.  I set up my own rewards for completing X or Y amount of work or certain projects.  It lights a fire under me - assuming I have the right motivating rewards.  At any rate, I have digressed.  Writing up your own Completion List could provide you with lots of power if you will work to complete items on the list.  And now you can create your own "reward" program for doing such.  I hope that I have not bored you to death with my little motivational tricks!  Thinking about doing a completion list?  If you do, let me know!!  What gives you power?  How do you motivate yourself?  Let me know.

Have a wonderful and productive week.  I'm off to LA on Wednesday.
Love,
Lisa

Consider Giving Toastmasters a Try in 2009

I was the Toastmaster for our most recent club meeting.  We were all delighted that our club had three visitors come to check out our club and what Toastmasters International is all about.  I don’t know if you realize this or not, but the general public fears public speaking more than death!!  Toastmasters International has been around for decades (since the 1920’s) helping people overcome their fear of public speaking.  But that is not all that Toastmasters does.  Toastmasters also helps people learn how to run effective meetings, and grow and develop leadership skills.

Participation in Toastmasters can also help people with their listening skills, interpersonal skills, learn how to give feedback and the list goes on and on.  Clubs have different personalities and styles.  Our club is friendly and fun.  We genuinely enjoy each other and it shows.  We have diversity in every category: age, religion, profession, beliefs, and stage of life.  What we have in common is a sincere desire to improve ourselves and to help others improve in their speaking, listening, and leadership.

I have been in Toastmasters International for over 5 years now.  I have earned what is called the Advanced Toastmasters-Silver level with the Competent Leader award as well.  Now, I am working on my Advanced Toastmaster-Gold award level.  All that means is that I have completed over 30 speech projects and the first leadership track, which is a bit more involved than I have time or space for now.  It is a rewarding organization with fabulous people who all want to help others.  Or at least the people in our club do.

If you have never tried it, or if it has been years or decades since you visited Toastmasters, perhaps it is something worth considering.  Are you a Toastmaster?  How has it helped you grow and develop?  If you have never been to a Toastmasters International meeting, are you interested?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject!!  If you live in the Western New York area, and would like to visit my Toastmasters Club, please do.  You can come as my guest although you can attend any club meeting all on your own!!   Many blessings, and let me know your comments.

Love,
Lisa

 

Managing Your Time and Your Life: How Do You Do it?

As a master of time management, I typically make a weekly list of things to do.  As this is the beginning of a New Year, this is the time that I reflect and look back over the past year and assess, how well did I do for managing my time.  One of the tools that I use for looking at this is how many weeks out of the year did I actually take the time to make up a weekly list of tasks to accomplish and things to do.  In 2008, I typed up 43 lists of weekly tasks out of a total of 52 weeks (using an assumed number of weeks in a year as 52).  That produces a percentage rate of 82% for the year of weekly lists made.  Now, 2008 was not just a regular year for me.  As some of you know, my Mother had a health crisis at the end of March and almost died.  I spent several weeks traveling back and forth from Buffalo to Hershey, Pennsylvania and later Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.  I am happy to report that not only did my Mother survive her brain aneurysm and stroke(s) and the several surgeries, but she is at home functioning exceptionally well!!  She is a miracle and a testament to miracles.

But I digress.  For a few weeks, notably in April, I did not write up my weekly lists.  Had I done that I would have coasted in with an 88% for weekly lists.  Not a record for me, but a respectable percentage of weekly lists I would say.  The weeks that I don't do a "To Do List", I work off of the previous list.  Each week I put approximately 40 items on my list of what, in an ideal world, I would like to accomplish.  My rate of success or percentage of tasks completed varies greatly depending upon many things.  As a range, it varies from 45% to 85%.  And NO, I don't calculate the percent of tasks completed for each week.  I'm not that anal or compulsive.  Every once in a blue moon I'll take the time to calculate it.  For the most part, this weekly list functions as a guide taking me through the week.  It works very, very well for me.  The weekly list in combination with my Franklin Covey Planner and my overall list of Goals and 5-Year Plan work in harmony to move me forward day by day.

It is a New Year.  How do you manage your time?  What tools work for you?  Do you have a list of goals that you would like to accomplish this year or in your life?  How are you managing your time?  As someone who finds time to be a friend, I'd love to hear what works for you and what isn't working for you.  Time management is a skill that you can hone and develop.  Is there anything that I can do to support you in this area?
Sending you lots of time and peace,

Love,
Lisa

How Well Are You Managing Your Time?

It is a question worth pondering.  How well are you managing your time?  We all only have 24 hours in a day.  Why is it that some people get more things done than other people do?  The old saying goes, if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.  It is Sunday night, and I just finished typing up my "To Do List" for the week.  This is a weekly ritual for me although I don't stress or fuss if I miss a week here or there.  But mostly I don't miss a week because this list keeps me laser focused on what I want to accomplish for the week.  This is a short week for me because I am leaving for Los Angeles for the 3rd weekend of the Partnership Explorations Course.  My "to do" list literally ends on Friday morning.

Interesting that I still managed to get 39 typed items on my list for this week.  Of last week's list of 40 items, I managed to cross off 26 things yielding about 65% completion of my entire list!!  Woo-hoo for me.  I am tickled pink when I hit 50% or about 20 things.  Each week brings a different list based on my appointments, conference calls, speaking engagements, meetings and so on. 

How much of your life do you manage?  What do you use for keeping yourself on track for the goals that you have set for yourself?  There are many great quotes I could reference here if I just weren't too tired.  I have things to do yet tonight, so I'll sign off by sending you my love and hope that you have practices and structures in place to help you manage your life and your time.  If I can help you in this area at all, by all means please leave a comment and I'll do my best to respond!  Have a powerful, productive and playful week.
Love,
Lisa

Toastmasters International - A Great Place to Grow & Develop

I have been involved with Grand Pioneer Toastmasters for over five years now, and it is a source of great pleasure and growth!  Tomorrow night I will be the Toastmaster for the evening which means that I have organized the meeting and will facilitate parts of it.  I have been credentialed to the Advanced Toastmaster Silver Level, Competent Leader levels, which means that I have basically done 3 levels of speeches (30 speech projects completed) and one leadership track.  For those of you who are not familiar with Toastmasters International, it is a non-profit organization established in 1924 to help people overcome their fears about public speaking and learn leadership skills.  Eighty-four years later, Ralph Smedley's dream that began at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California flourishes and is international in scope.

Toastmasters offers personal growth and development at your own pace.  You can be laid back or more aggressive about how much you learn and grow.  The members learn not only about public speaking, but also how to run effective meetings.  You can find a Toastmasters club near you by checking the Toastmasters International website at: www.toastmasters.org and use a tool found on the homepage to find a club close to your home or office.  You can visit most clubs for free and several times at that.  Clubs that meet at restaurants often expect you to place an order for a sandwich or meal item as that is often part of the meeting arrangements with the restaurant. 

What I have been recommending for several years now, is to shop around and check out several clubs in your area.  Different clubs have different temperaments or personalities if you will.  You may want a small, quiet club.  Others may want a larger, boisterous club.  There are no rights or wrongs here, just different clubs to fit different people.  We frequently have people visit our club multiple times before they join.  What growth and development could you use in your life when it comes to public speaking or running meetings?  How much training in this area have you had in your life?  Are you up for learning in a fun environment?  Maybe it would be worth your while to check out a local Toastmasters Club!  If you are in Buffalo, I'd love for you to visit our Grand Pioneer club (2nd & 4th Monday Nights at 7 pm at Lasertron off Maple Rd in Amherst).
Love,
Lisa

My Speech at the Honor & Hope Wellness Center

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of being the first distinguished speaker to christen the new Honor & Hope Wellness Center in Hamburg, New York!  Kristine Noonan and Patti Vucic have created a beautiful center for healing and wellness that incorporates the mind, body and spirit connection.  All of the chairs that they had arranged for the speech were filled and they had to manifest a few more for the overflow of attendees.  The audience was the most delightful and attentive group!  It was divine.  I talked about food allergies, Celiac disease, the Feingold Association and how food affects the health and well being of children and adults. 

I think it was apparent to the people attending that I was very comfortable speaking in front of a group, that I was having fun, and that I knew what I was talking about.  One person said, "I want all of the information in your head!"  What I realized afterward was that I need to prepare a tri-fold on my public speaking, expertise and consultation services.  I've now got the ability for people to subscribe to my blog and soon I'll have a newsletter to send out to interested consumers.

By next week I'll have magnetic signs for my van to catch people's attention.  As someone near pointed out, then I'll have to drive courteously.  Not a problem since I already drive that way.  Do you know a group or organization that would like to hear me speak about food allergies, Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, food and behavior and wellness?  If so, please send my website to them and suggest that we connect!  Do you know a publication that could use a columnist on food and health?  Feel free to submit my name and website!  Thank you so all for your love and generosity and support.  Together we really can make a difference.
Love,
Lisa

My Promise for the World

I am just back from Los Angeles where I spent the weekend with people who are out to contribute to the world in some way or another.  There were over 300 people who came from all over the world including Europe and Canada to attend a weekend session that is part of a six-weekend course that takes place over about 9 months.  My participation in helping with the course is part of my vision for humanity or said another way, it is what moves me to tears and inspires me beyond what I thought possible.  My promise for the world is that everyone on the planet has their basic needs met (food, shelter, health, safety, well being) and lives a life where they are loved and empowered to do what makes them happy.

Taking on my vision for the world is exactly the thing that has allowed me to get out of a suffering, "poor me" mode about our extraordinary uncovered medical bills which are about $3,000 a month and into action creating a plan and executing that plan.  How small is $3,000 a month in uncovered medical bills (we do HAVE health insurance) in comparison to a 2+ trillion dollar industry?  Pretty small.  Changing my point of view has given me gratitude for all I have learned and all I can contribute to the world given what I have learned out of our situation.

My trip to Los Angeles and my participation with the Partnership Explorations Course puts me in contact with amazing and inspiring people like Zully JF Alvarado who launched Causes for Change International an organization doing great work in the world helping empower children and adults and building communities.  Zully is a woman on a mission transforming life where ever she goes.  Check out her organization and website at www.CausesforChange.org. I happen to know that she could use some people on her team so if you have an interest in mission work, helping people with disabilities and health concerns and are up to making a difference, I'm sure she would welcome your contribution - even if you don't know how you could help.

It takes your mind off of your troubles if you are up to making a difference in the world.  Yes, we have a long row to hoe to be whole and complete from our health care experiences.  But the world seems pretty gosh darn great looking at it from what we can give.  What would you like to see happen in your life or the world?  I'd love to hear about that.

Love,

Lisa

My Poster Session at the Conference for Global Transformation - May 31, 2008

I am just recently back from San Francisco where I completed a 9-month long program called Power & Contribution and in the process attended a Conference for Global Transformation. I presented a poster during one of the poster sessions and learned a great deal to help me with future Global Conferences.  My topic for the poster session was, of course, food! 

The growing interest in food is unavoidable as the May 19, 2008 cover of U.S. News & World Report reads "How to Solve The Global Food Crisis", and the The Yorker magazine cover of the same date contains an article called Global food fight.  USA TODAY also ran an article on May 19th called "New breed of American emerges in need of food".  There are many facets to the topic of food and with food recalls becoming more common, the increase i demand for organic foods, and overall interest in food as a health tool it seems apparent that the growth will continue.

Having presented a poster at the Conference for Global Transformation, I can submit a white paper for next years Journal, and consider submitting a workshop proposal.  It was obvious that people have a hunger (no pun intended) for information on food and the relationship between food and health as evidenced by the small group crowded around my poster that got so engaged in the discussion that they never moved on to see other posters.

It was great to be at a conference of like-minded people!  People who I could lovingly refer to as a bunch of "do-gooders" or people out to change the world.  In either case, it felt like being home to be engaged in conversations with people about how we can contribute to the world to make it a better place for our children and our children's children.  Is there anything that you could do today for yourself in the area of food?  Eat more fruits and vegetables, or perhaps a little less sugar or carbohydrates? 

Do you have the resources to contribute to your local food bank or food pantry or perhaps the time to volunteer there?  We can all make a difference one small action at a time.  I'm looking to organize like-minded mothers and fathers to make advancements in food in our country and the world.  If that appeals to you, please e-mail me through the website and I'll add you to my list.  Over time, we'll figure out the difference we can make together for everyone!

Many blessings and happy eating!

Love,

Lisa

Living Life with No Regrets - April 28, 2008

How many of us can say that we actually live life with no regrets? I have had a chance recently to take stock and evaluate how many regrets I have (so far) in life.  More than regrets, it is the mistakes that I've made which I wish I could have a "do-over" opportunity.  But mistakes are what you learn from.  Ask Henry Ford and Albert Einstein and a few others that had many things not turn out before they accomplished what they set out to do.  Yes, mistakes I have made plenty of, but regrets are another matter.

I regret not doing the Dance Marathon while at Penn State.  "Thon" as it is lovingly called.  But I couldn't go back to Penn State and do more, do it better or have more fun which makes me happy.  I think what makes me have few regrets is that I think big and go for the gusto! I've already done many things in my life that I was told were not going to happen.  Doing the grunt work to get the Alpha Omicron Pi Chapter started at Penn State was just one of those things.

More than a few Penn Staters thought that I was out of my mind to even try. And then that I was even crazier to continue when the Panhellenic Council voted down allowing AOII to colonize at Penn State. And yet, we were ultimately successful because I and others were not willing to give up.  What do you regret?  What regrets do you have that you could still impact?  Do you regret not keeping in touch with old friends?  Learning a new hobby?  Spending time with your family?

It's never too late to interrupt the path of regrets.  It first takes a moment of contemplation to review your own life, where you have been and what you have done.  Only then, and in contrast to your own vision for your life can you look for possible regrets.  I am surrounded by loving and generous friends, three great children, one hard working husband, and I am living into a vision where I am contributing my gifts to others.  Now that makes me happy.  What makes you happy?

Love,

Lisa