Open Your Heart For Haiti

As time goes by,  our relationship with significant tragedies dissolves unless we were directly impacted.

Take a moment and think about that statement and remember your relationship with the following tragedies:

9/11

Hurricane Katrina

Tsunami in Indonesia

We all have memories from the media images seared in our heads and hearts and I bet as time goes by,  they are fuzzier and fuzzier.  I am forever tied to 9/11 as I was a marketer for United Airlines home on maternity leave when that happened. I am strangely tied to all my co-workers of that era - forever.

The Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina are not quite so personal but I certainly remember mobilizing funds to help. It was another tragedy that moved me more so than the others and based on a quote from my senior pastor, Bill Hybels, during this height of the media coverage; I vowed to not ever forget the impact of the earthquake in Haiti.

"Anderson Cooper will move out of Haiti and on to the next big story soon and our brothers and sisters will need us even more."

Upon hearing that our family donated funds - more than we normally contribute and we kept looking for ways to keep the Haitian people  and their plight in our hearts.

As we approach the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, I want to take a moment to introduce you to a way to strengthen your relationship with those who still desperately need our support

I recently heard about an initiative, Heart of Haiti founded by Fair Winds Trading CEO Willa Shalit that in partnership with Macy's gives everyday folks like you and me,  the opportunity to partner with artisans in Haiti to continue the reconstruction of that country.



Isador makes coasters and tile wooden trays like you see here

 Buy purchasing everyday items made by Haitian artisans - you, too can deepen your relationship to the people still putting their lives back together since last year. Follow this link: http://bit.ly/HeartofHaiti-ShopforABetterWorld  to learn more and get you unique item today!

Let's all open our Hearts For Haiti!

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

Authentic Inspiration

The past week was brutal on me.

Work was... well it was work. Particularly frustrating this past week, more so than usual.

The disaster in Haiti just crippled me several times. Story after story of triumph and heartache.

An 11 year old girl who's last words to her mom were, "Mother, don't let me die." Hour after hour of the images, it's just too much.

Yet it inspired me. Inspired me to take a cold hard look at myself and my life.

Inspired me to take advantage of every opportunity to impact the world I live in. Big opportunities and little ones just the same.

Dictionary says inspiration is "the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions". Inspired is the adjective from the verb inspire which means "to exert an animating, enlivening or exalting influence on" or "to infuse" or "to spur on"

One year ago today, I walked into the village hall in Lake in the Hills to file my paperwork to join the Trustee Board race. You all know the outcome of that tale. Inspired by a lifetime of political interest and working on many victorious political campaigns for others, I mounted my own campaign, won and joined the ranks of elected officials and public servants last April.

Today, I tell you that I am going to lead a national conversation on how we change the way we look at relationships in our lives. We are going to change the way we support each other in relationships. We are going to INSPIRE people to pro-actively work on the relationships in their lives and guide them to the tools necessary.

I have been formulating plans since August. Holding productive meetings with that tight group of confidants since late November. Moving forward little by little, carefully calculating the next move.

Last week, the day after the earthquake, I applied for a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project to start RelationshipsMatterNow.com.

I am also applying to be in the Clever 1000, a network of social-media connected natural networkers and influencers who want to have a voice in engaging with and enhancing brands.

You see, inspiration is lost and/or wasted if there is no action to back it up. Of course, I'm making a donation. Today, in fact. Even thinking about joining a rebuilding project when they start. But that, for me is not enough. Because as my pastor said yesterday, "Anderson Cooper will fly to another location soon" and all eyes will turn away from Haiti.

What will be the fruits of the inspiration you've felt in these days?

Perhaps you will be inspired to hug your loved ones more tightly. Tell them you love them at every chance.

Perhaps you will think twice about how use the resources you've been blessed with.

Or maybe you'll read about the history of Haiti and learn more than the sound bites the media is feeding us.

Whatever you do - don't lose this opportunity to be authentically inspired to action of some kind. Make sure you convert the hurt and any energy you have felt by this disaster into something good.