Color Your Life Happy

Being happy starts within and radiates outward. To extend your happiness, extend yourself.

That’s what Barbara Trimble did when she was consulting
with nursing homes. She noticed that some of the residents neither wanted to or needed to be there, but there didn’t
seem possible for them to stay at home. She decided that there must be an alternative.

She engaged in six months of research including conversations with the elders and their children.  From her research three themes emerged:

1. People want to live at home as they age.
2. Elders want a full array of services and access to support around the clock.
3. Families want to work with a single organization coordinating all planning and care.

With this information in hand Barbara created an organization, Extended Family, an alternative to nursing homes. With her personal care assistants and good neighbors, Barbara says she has redefined aging one member at a time.

If you want to be happier, extend yourself in your community. There are many charities, organizations and churches eager to welcome volunteers to help with their goals. Find the ones that suit you and get involved. The best part of extending yourself to help others is it feels good and makes you happier too.

“If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap. If you want happiness for a day — go fishing. If you want happiness for a month — get married. If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime — help someone else.”
- Chinese Proverb

According to this Chinese proverb lasting happiness comes from helping someone else.  If you are interested in lifelong happiness here are some ways to help others:

Clean out your closet and donate to a local charity.In my neighborhood we get requests from charities frequently. They leave a plastic bag for your donations listing the type of items they need.  I donate my casual clothes to the majority of the charities.

My suits and professional clothes can be used by charities helping women who are trying to get back on their feet such as DressforSuccess.org.

Donate time to help serve the homeless, senior citizens, or others in your community.

There are many opportunities in my town, especially around the holidays. But these charities also need help year round. To help with their year-round needs, respond to their appeals for financial donations throughout the year.

Some ways to help others:

• volunteer at hospitals hugging ill or abandoned newborns
• take volunteer vacations
• help build homes for low-income or survivors of catastrophes
• or find another volunteer opportunity at Volunteer Match

Donate money to charities that allow you to pick the recipients.     

• Modest Needs  helps stop the cycle of poverty before it starts for low-income people
• Donors Choose  allows you donate to the proposal of your choice submitted by a teacher
    

These are, of course, just a few of the unlimited chances to help others.  A search on your computer or in your community will yield many more from which you may choose.  Get started on your lifetime of happiness by helping someone else.