Day Twenty: Representing My School

On a Saturday mornings, I like sleeping in.  After a long, hard five days of getting up at 7 in the morning, it’s a nice change of pace to sleep in until about 11 on Saturday.  It’s something I’ve always liked doing.

However, today, I got up at 7 o’clock, and made it to school by 7:30.  Why, you ask?  Because I had marching band.

Now, I don’t particularly enjoy marching band.  However, as a rule, if you are in band at my high school you have to march.  And that’s okay.  It takes approximately three days out of the entire school year to do.  So there aren’t any complaints here.

I was actually surprised how easy it was to get out of bed this morning.  Which is a good thing- it was a great way to start the day.   And I think that’s why it was so easy to represent my school today.

Whenever you go somewhere, you are a representation of something.  You represent yourself, your school, and your community.

After marching in a parade, we went to a buffet at Pizza Ranch.  And all of us kids were very respectful if I do say so myself.

For one, we weren’t greedy.  We only took what we knew we could eat, just like our band teacher instructed.

Next, we cleaned up after ourselves, stacking plates and glasses as neatly as possible, for the bus people.

And I’m not sure if anyone else did this or not, but I made sure to thank the workers at Pizza Ranch.  It was very nice of them to let us eat there and I wanted to make sure we could come back again.

(The food was really good, by the way.)

J

Time for some critical thinking on your part!

What do you represent when you go out into the world?

Day Nineteen: A Few Little Things(:

 “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”  --Arthur Conan Doyle

 

Today, I did a lot of little positive acts

The first one included a button.  I wrapped a button with paper and wrote “Free Hugs” on it.  Then, I walked around school and went to a football game with this pin on my shirt.

There are some real benefits to hugs, you know.  These include:

 

- Make someone feel accepted

- Relieve stress

-Improve your immne system

-Lower blood pressure

J

 

The next thing I did was make a bookmark for a stranger. I went to my American Literature class and walked to my desk.  On it was a book.

So, thinking I’d be nice, I made a bookmark!

I know I’d like it if someone saved my page.  And I’d REALLY like if I found a nice message in it.  And even now, I don’t know whose book that was.

JI started a trend today too.  I was at the football game at 5:45 to set up the concession stand, and my art teacher was there.  He gave me some calk.  And me, being a former cheerleader, decided to pump up the beaver spirit!  Look at my beautiful art work!

See?  I think these really got people excited!  I even drew a pink ribbon since today was the Cancer Awareness/Parents’ Night football game.  And the best part?  When I was done working concessions at the end of the night, the entire slab of pavement was covered in drawings!

J

My last positive act of the day involved Jena A.  (The A stands for awesome.)  She wanted me to walk her to her car when all everything in the concession stand was put away.  I decided that I could take five minutes and do that.  Why not?

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." --John Wooden

Day Eighteen: Donating Blood

Today's act of kindness didn't go as planned.  Which is okay, I think.  Not all acts of kindness go as planned.  But you know what they say:

 

It's the thought that counts.

 

Today, I went to a blood drive with the intention of giving a double!  A double amount of blood!  I would be helping so many people!  But, unfortunately, I have to be at least 5'5" and about 145 pounds to do that.  I'm a measly 5'3"  AND A HALF!  I will never be able to give a double, which makes me very sad.

 

But, anyway, I got called into do my interview about my health history.  After the lady was done taking my temperature, I asked the lady, "Does it matter that I have a cold?"

 

She looked at me and said, "Well, normally, I don't give blood unless I'm in good shape.  Otherwise I feel really rundown.  Do you still want to donate?"

 

I contemplated that for a good thirty seconds then decided to go on with the donation.  I'd rather sarific my stamina for someone who really needs the blood.

 

I responded, "No, I think I will be fine."  Then quickly added, "Do you think I can still give blood if I had Mono last May?  Since it's September now, that would be about six months, I believe."

 

The lady pondered for a moment, then walked around the confidentiality walls.  I heard the shuffling of paper.

 

A minute later, the lady came back around the corner.  "Sorry, hon.  The next time you would be able to donate will be at the end of October."

 

Well, that didn't go as planned...

 

But!  I still feel good about trying!  In fact!  The lady still gave me this oversized "super donar" shirt for stoppin in!

 

 

 

So why should YOU donate?

Here are some fast facts that may influence you to donate someday:

-Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, which means more than 44,000 blood donations are needed every single day.

-More than 1 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year, and many of them will need blood.  In some cases, they may need it daily.

- One car accident victim may need as many as ONE HUNDRED pints of blood.

- One donatioon can actually SAVE up to three lives.

-Bood cannot be made.  It comes only from donors.

 

Still not completly convinced? 

Think about THESE facts:

-Donating is safe.  They always use a sterile needle.

-Donating is fast.  The actual process of giving blood only takes about ten to twelve minutes.

-You have enough blood!  The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in their body.  About 1 pint is given during the donation.

-All information given during the donation process is completely cofidential.

 

I STRONGLY suggest you donate blood.  Especially if you have an O Negative blood type (Sadly, I'm O POSITIVE!) because their blood can be universally transfused to all blood types.  Only seven percent of all the people in the United states have an O-negative blood type, but it is always needed.  In fact, this type of blood is used for emergencies, when the doctors don't have time to determine their blood type, such as car accidents.  Interesting stuff, huh?

 

So conquer that fear of needles, and make an appointment...TODAY!

(Unless you have Mono in the past 6 months...)

Someone in this world desperately needs YOUR help.

Day Seventeen: Volunteering to Babysit

Today’s positive act is a small one, but a kind one.  While my best friend was practicing her oral interp piece with our oral interp coach, I volunteered to watch her brother.

We played dominos together and I genuinely had a good time.

And as I was talking to my oral interp coach (who happens to be the teacher I mentor fifth grade for) before I left, she told me about how much of an influence I have on the elementary students

She told me about how this little boy was grumpy before I came into mentor earlier in the day and how happy he became once I left.

That is what this project is about.

Making people’s days brighter, by showing them someone cares.

If you show younger kids you care, they will grow up to care too.

You have no idea how much impact you have on someone, you know.  In fact, I plan on babysitting my boyfriend’s little sister here sometime soon.  I think we are incredibly overdue for a girls’ night, and I know that all she’s looking for is someone to show they care.

“No, I like being a role model because I know how much comfort my…idols brought me.” -- Shirley Manson

Day Sixteen: I Went Out of My Way to Make Someone Smile

Today, the junior and senior class went to College Planning Days.  And besides making me completely overwhelmed and stressed out about what I want to do after senior year, I saw this an a opportunity to go out of my way to make someone smile.

This college planning day featured multiple tables set up in a gym by a college representative.  On the tables were informational pamphlets and pens to advertise and promote a college or university.  The best part about this college planning day is that when you ask a representative five questions, you get a ticket.  The tickets allow you to win prizes.

My boyfriend and his cousin were at this career fair.  And they really wanted tickets.  So instead of just blowing them off, and getting my own tickets, I decided to help them out.

My positive act of kindness was going out of my way to make sure that they had tickets to get a prize.

Yes, I know, it’s a superfluous matter.  After all, life will go on if my boyfriend and his cousin don’t have technical institute hats.  But, I know that it would make them smile.  And I like making people happy.

So, I went around searching for tickets.  After about a half hour, my boyfriend, his cousin, and I had twenty tickets each.

Boo-ya!  TEAM WORK!

And do you know what I did with my technical institute hat?  I gave it to the bus driver.

Today was a good day.

J

A Challenge For YOU

Since today is the fifteen day of Project Positivity, I think I should take the time to remind all of you guys about some things.  After all!  This project is almost half way done!

This is a cutting from a blog I did at the very, very beginning of this journey.

I challenge you.

As I go about my journey of positive acts, you can choose to take it with me. To do this you can either silently read this blog before bed. You can share this blog by word-of-mouth, Facebook...

Or you can actually take part in it.

And I mean REALLY taking part in it- the positivity, the journals, the WHOLE sha-bang.

Whichever you choose to do is fine with me (I want as many people as possible to know about this blog!), but I strongly hope you choose to journal along with me.

In the end, you may not only feel better about YOURSELF, but I have a plan. If I see that you have made a real, conscious, month-long effort with me, I will donate $10 to a charity of YOUR choice. Of course, I'll have to approve it- I don't want to donate to the "Let's Steal Candy From Small Children Foundation" - but more then likely, whichever one you choose will be fair game.

I will do this for every person who documents their month-long efforts, up to 50 people. To clarify, I will donate at a maximum of $500 OF MY OWN MONEY at the end of this challenge. (I wanted to go higher, but my mom keeps reminding me that I have college to pay for.)

To document the month, you can email me your completed journals at ProjectPositivity2013@yahoo.com. It is recommended that you use Microsoft Word. If for some reason, you don't like/can't use Microsoft Word, just email the journals to me normally at the end of the month. This challenge will start on September 10st, 2012 until November 12st, 2012*. That means that the latest you can start this challenge is October 11st, 2012*.

Comment if you have ANY questions or concerns, as well as if you plan on journaling along with me! :)

I decided to just use a cutting of an old blog because it really explains everything perfectly.  HOWEVER.  *I don't think I'm gettin the word out enough that I want people to journal with me.  So I MIGHT, extend the end date.

IMPORTANT DATES:

September 10th- I started this project! 

October 11th- I will be done with my 31 day project. This was set to be the latest day you can start your own journals. HOWEVER, I may extend this deadline depending on how many people tell me they are going to journal with me. 

November 12th- This will be the last day I'll accept jounrals (you know, unless I have to extend the starting deadline.)

WHAT I'M ASKING OF YOU:

Read My Daily Blogs- I put a lot of work into my blogs.  Comment if you like them!

Spread the Word- I'm talking Facebook, Twitter, ANY SOCIAL MEDIA at all!(:

JOURNAL!- These journals don't have to be extravagant.  They don't have to be long.  They don't have to well writen.  Just tell me what you did to make the world a better place to live today.

Day Fifteen: DEW You Look Thirsty or What!?

Today's blog is short, but I think that's a good thing.

Not all acts of kindness have to be a big deal to make big difference.

I don’t know about anyone else’s community, but in mine everyone begs, borrows, and steals quarters to get something to drink from the pop machine.  So, today, I did a small act of kindness.  I got twenty dollars’ worth of quarters and made these signs:

I walked around my town and put them on pop machines.  I did have to adjust how many quarters are on each (The school’s pop was $1.50.  The other pop machines were on $0.50.), but I used the complete twenty dollars.

As I was walking around, taping these, I imagined all the smiles that I could be creating.  Hopefully I made some one's day.  It was nerve racking though.  I wanted this project to be a complete surprise to everyone- I was scared someone would catch me taping these signs!

I hope YOU have a good day!

Day Fourteen: Trying my Best

So yesterday, like I said in my last post, I was a server in training.  TODAY, I AM a server.  I got to be on my own with tables, writing orders, typing them into the computer, taking everything to the table…I didn’t realize how much room for error there was as a waitress!  Which, luckily!  I haven’t made many mistakes yet- yet being the operative word.  (As I’m typing this, it’s only 4:15.  I have to go back to work at 5.)

Today my positive act of the day is trying my best.

I’m not going to lie- waitressing makes me nervous.  I want SO bad to be great at it.  But, I decided instead of trying for perfection, I should just try for the best I’m capable of doing.

When you try your best at something, everyone benefits.  For instance, in my situation today, trying my best at waitressing benefits the restaurant by increasing sales or introducing people to a great restaurant that people want to come back to.  By increasing sales and creating “regulars,” I can do my part to increase my co-workers wages since a percentage of my tips gets evenly distributed throughout the restaurant.

By trying my best, I feel accomplished.  And rightfully so!  Even if I fail miserably, at least I know I gave it the best I had.  If I would try for perfection, I would constantly let myself down.  No one is perfect-especially on their very first day.

Your best is all anyone should ever ask of you, ya know.  That’s all you should ever ask of YOURSELF!  So, do me a favor?  Next time you are pressured to be flawless, remember this:

“There are two kinds of perfect: The one you can never achieve, and the other, by just being yourself.” -Lauren King