Tag: support

Dreams Do Come True

Yes, these dreams we dream do come true. They don’t come true because we have a thought and throw it out to the universe. These dreams come true because we are moved to action to make sure they do come true.

The first time I thought of writing a book, I was just a kid. I had written a short story for a school assignment – a contest to write the scariest Halloween story. And then the impossible happened: my story won!!

At that moment, my fifth-grade self decided that I would be a writer. It took a mere 40 years for me to act on that decision. Driving home a few years ago, I had an idea for a book. This book would share stories of people who changed their lifestyle following a cancer diagnosis. No, I hadn’t had a cancer diagnosis myself that changed the course of my life. I read a book that included a phrase: “It is impossible for cancer to develop in an alkaline environment.” I folded the page over, did some research, and learned a lot about the power we have when faced with a serious health situation.

This one phrase rekindled a sense of curiosity to find out more about cancer. Was there really more to treatment than surgery, chemo, and radiation? You betcha! Do we really have the ability to influence the ways our genes present? Oh. My. Goodness. Yes we do!

I’ve read more books on cancer than I would have thought possible, gone to conferences filled with inspiring speakers, and talked with cancer conquerors from all parts of the country. The generosity of these cancer survivors to share their stories is overwhelming. As I continue to gather information for my book sharing some of these stories, I decided to release an eBook to lend a hand to those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Download the free eBook, Heal Your Cancer: 12 Bold Questions to Ask on Your Journey to Health, here and share it with anyone you know who might benefit from it.

My fifth-grade dream is becoming a reality – thanks to my action and the support of friends, family, and a group of amazing cancer conquerors. I’d love to hear how you’ve made your dreams come true. Contact me directly, or leave your comment below.

Dreams Do Come True was last modified: December 1st, 2016 by Deb Nelson

The Road to Success is Paved with a Strong Team

You can benefit from the input of others whether you work alone, in a small organization, or a large company. The best of teams, however, will do you little good unless you take the time to know each member of the team.

Sports teams – professional and amateur – underscore the importance of knowing team members every time they set foot on the field, ice, court, etc. Teammates practice together, train together, travel together, and socialize together. They learn a lot about the reaction, recovery, and pivot capabilities. For sports, success depends on how well team members work together.

teamHockey players shoot the puck to the area their teammate is supposed to be covering; a basketball player makes a bounce pass to the spot his or her teammate can reach. Seeing achievements of teammates at practice spurs others to reach a little deeper. Athletes communicate during competition with words when possible, gestures when necessary, and screams when appropriate. Your business might not be so different from a sports team.

If you’re successful in your profession, chances are you’ve got a good team behind you. If you’re not as successful as you’d like to be, chances are you need to shore up your team. Here are a few tips to get your team lined up to support you.

  1. Identify your teammates. Coworkers, colleagues, committee members, volunteers, supervisors, trusted friends and advisors, mentors. You might be surprised how many people are committed to your success.
  2. Clarify the roles of every member of your team. Clear expectations are key to having a successful outcome. You’ll make the most of your team’s talents when everyone knows what’s expected of them, and what they can expect from you in return.
  3. Provide and receive feedback. Things didn’t work out the way you expected? Find out why – while a conversation or two might result in identifying the need for a major overhaul to your plans, you might also unearth minor changes that will result in the results you seek.
  4. Ask for input. When you’re stuck and are sitting in the funky chair of analysis paralysis, check in with someone on your team and ask for some help. Sometimes hashing an idea out with someone can save hours of hemming and hawing on your part.
  5. Say thank you. No two words are more appreciated than thank you. Make the time to thank all of those who lend a hand to you on your path to success.

Lace up your skates (or laptop), get in the game, and give it your all. Let me know how you and your team meet and beat the challenges you face.

The Road to Success is Paved with a Strong Team was last modified: January 20th, 2015 by Deb Nelson

The Sky’s the Limit When Your Board Has the Tools to Give You the Help You Need

Entering the new year is the perfect opportunity to press the reset button and recharge your nonprofit’s board of directors. By letting each hot-air-balloon-67816_640member of your board know exactly what action they can take to help you reach your goals in 2014, you can put your plan into motion and make this year a successful one for your nonprofit.

Your board of directors should include your most powerful advocates; give them the tools to support your organization and you’ll all be better for it. Here are five easy-to-implement tactics to move your board to action early in 2014:

  1. Give your board of directors a printed list of your organization’s goals for 2014. (You’ve set your goals, right?) While sharing goals with your board sounds obvious enough, it’s amazing how many board members are banging their heads against the wall in frustration as they try to figure out what they can do to move your nonprofit forward. 
  2. Keep board members updated as you move toward your goals and celebrate small victories. Monthly updates at a board meeting can cover this: a brief recap at the meeting itself and a visual in your board packet. Include a graphic element for those who need images to get the full meaning of progress toward goals. Continued focus on your goals will keep both board and staff energized throughout the year.
  3. Help board members spread the news about your organization’s good work. Have a mission moment at every board meeting: bring in someone who’s benefited from your organization to share how his/her life has changed thanks to your organization. This is a powerful way to engage your board – making them proud to be associated with your organization AND providing them with a great story to share with friends, family, and colleagues.
  4. Ask each board member to call four donors to say thank you. If they get voicemail, simply leave a message and this job is done. If they get to talk to the donor, make sure you’ve provided them with talking points so they can speak to how the donor’s funds will be / have been put to use (see points 1 and 3).
  5. Ask five board members to visit with three donors to say thank you and to update them about your organization’s work. (What’s that, you don’t have five board members? That’s a whole other issue.) This will help strengthen the relationships with supportive donors and board members. 

Bonus tip number 6: schedule a coffee meeting with any board member who isn’t able to make a board meeting to keep them current with board activities. If a board member doesn’t have time to chat about your organization’s goals, have that tough conversation to find out whether being on the board is a good fit for you both.

You can see that these tactics are certainly not rocket science – you’ve probably had these ideas in the past. The difference this year is that you’re going to make sure they actually happen. Put the plan in motion, follow up, and follow through. You’ll be amazed by the number 0f new stories these simple actions can generate. Enjoy the ride and share your successes below or connect with me directly!

The Sky’s the Limit When Your Board Has the Tools to Give You the Help You Need was last modified: January 6th, 2014 by Deb Nelson

A Daughter’s Ironman for Mum: Raising Funds to Support Alzheimer’s Association

For Yarmouth fitness trainer Theresa Saxton, Ironman competitions are serious business. She’s participated in three Ironmen, completing her last one more than five years ago. They all pale in comparison to her upcoming

Theresa and her Mum at one of Theresa's earlier Ironman competitions.
Theresa and her Mum at one of Theresa’s earlier Ironman competitions.

solo Ironman on June 22: she’s dedicating this effort to honor her mother, who has been living in the fog of Alzheimer’s disease for more than 13 years.

Theresa has accepted the Alzheimer’s Association’s challenge and will host a Longest Day Event – a day that acknowledges that every day can seem like the longest day when someone you love is an Alzheimer’s patient. “There are more than 35,000 Alzheimer’s patients in Maine; I’m really proud to be playing a part in supporting those families while honoring my Mum,” said Theresa.

She’ll begin her day of swimming, cycling, and running at 6:30 a.m.  and expects to complete the Ironman between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. at her Yarmouth fitness studio. While swimming 2.4 miles, hopping on her bike for 112 miles, and finishing up with a 26.2 mile run is a grand achievement, Theresa has loftier goals. She’s inviting anyone who’s been affected by Alzheimer’s to join her team. She has a fundraising goal of $16,000 and is encouraging people to join her in this day of motion:

  • Make a donation to Theresa’s team; it’s easy and will support a host of people struggling with Alzheimer’s.
  • Join the “group” starts for your swim, bike or walk/run to make some new friends and have company for your time in motion.
  • Get in motion at Fitness Success (Theresa’s studio on Maine Street in Yarmouth): jumping rope, playing games, hula hooping, etc.
  • Track Theresa’s progress throughout the day – her tentative schedule is posted on her website – and jump in on one of the many loops leaving from Fitness Success.

If you’re in the Greater Portland (ME) area, carve out a couple of hours for Theresa and her Mum on June 22; you’ll be glad you did.

This post is one in a series highlighting good deeds. Please share examples of good deeds in your community by commenting below or contact Deb directly.

A Daughter’s Ironman for Mum: Raising Funds to Support Alzheimer’s Association was last modified: May 14th, 2013 by Deb Nelson

LiveStrong: A Powerful Force for Good

Today is LiveStrong Day, a day to acknowledge and support the 28 million people around the world who are living with cancer. This annual celebration takes place on the anniversary of Lance Armstrong’s October 2, 1996 cancer diagnosis. Yes, you read that correctly, a celebration of a cancer diagnosis. In Armstrong’s own words:

The truth is that cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Armstrong’s diagnosis is also the best thing that happened to millions of cancer patients. After fighting his own battle with cancer, Armstrong (with a little help from his friends) founded LiveStrong – a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping cancer patients and their families navigate the unfamiliar territory of cancer treatment. At a time when emotions are running high and stakes for choosing the right treatment are even higher, LiveStrong’s employees step in to lend a helping hand to millions of people around the world.

Yes, I’m a Lance Armstrong fan. Yes, I wear one of those yellow wristbands every day. And this is why: Armstrong could easily write a check – a very large check – every year to support cancer research; or he could hold one heck of an annual event to raise millions of dollars in support of cancer research. Instead, he shows up every day leveraging his name, his story, and his healthy athletic self to help people figure out how they can deal with hearing these three words: You. Have. Cancer.

Instead of feeling alone, cancer patients are embraced by an extended family experiencing the highs and lows of cancer treatment right along with them. There is a place to turn when you have a question about your cancer treatment; there is a place to turn when you don’t know what questions to ask; that place is LiveStrong.

The words of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and LiveStrong say it best:

Unity is strength.

Knowledge is power.

Attitude is everything.

LiveStrong may be the most powerful example of leveraging celebrity status I’ve come across. But then again, we’d expect nothing less of Armstrong, would we?

 

This blog post is one in a series highlighting good deeds. Please share examples of good deeds in your community with us below or contact Deb directly.

LiveStrong: A Powerful Force for Good was last modified: October 2nd, 2012 by Deb Nelson