Recently, I was telling a friend that I have decided that when I eventually kick the bucket I want to donate what ever functioning body parts they can get off me… now I know that this isn’t everyones cup of tea, but I was stunned when I realised that although I was happy to give up my bits (honestly I’m pretty sure they are already worn out) once I’ve passed on.. I hadn’t even considered doing it while I was still alive! No, no don’t worry I’m not about to cut off my arm or anything… I’m talking about donating blood!

I’m not sure why I never really considered it, I just thought that others were doing it and so I was sure that the small amount they would get from me wouldn’t really count for much.

It was such a shock to find out at a close family members funeral recently that after a lifetime of trauma – where everything and anything in life could go wrong, did – that he was going to the Red Cross every second week to donate plasma and even donated his bone marrow to a lady he had never met before, that although this took up a lot of his time he gladly went and would have donated much more if he could..

This brave young man, who I would not have blamed at all to be mad with the world after all he had been through – gladly gave whatever he could, whenever he could – he never told anyone what he was doing, he just wanted to help. I know that he didn’t do it for the glory or the accolades or for what others thought of him, he did it because he could and it made him feel good about himself.

This is the thing, when you feel like you are doing something worthwhile, you walk with a little spring in your step, you hold your head up a little higher, you feel good about yourself.

Do you know that only 1 in 30 people donate blood in Australia but 1 in 3 need it. If you can donate blood, why not give it a go! Get more information here!

I know, I know, I can hear you groaning already. But you know it doesn’t have to be as bad as you think – you can Volunteer here there and everywhere for 1/2 hour a month or 5 hours a month it’s really up to you and your availability. The thing is… when you get it right you can get a real warm and fuzzy feeling that not only improves the life of others but improves your life as well…

so why wouldn’t you do it?

Think of the things you do every day of the week, I could guarantee you that you have come by a volunteer at least once if not hundreds of times. Every festival you go to, every library you see, school you pass, family history you seek. I can tell you that our world would be a much worse place without them.

Personally I volunteer with St. John Ambulance, I find that I get more out of it that I put into it. I’m required to attend a number of events a year but I get to choose which ones depending on my schedule. I receive training – weekly if I want it – free of charge. A gorgeous uniform (I really like the colours) and get in free to the venues I work at. Of course you need to be pretty switched on for something like this, you will be required to put your (new) first aid skills to use in situations that are not all that pleasant sometimes, but the sense of achievement and the camaraderie of fellow volunteers is wonderful. They are always looking for Extraordinary people, if you want to find out more about being a volunteer at St. John Ambulance check it out here

How do you do it.. there are lots of way to volunteer, speak to your kids school, church, there are websites specifically for volunteers.

Is it worth it … Definitely!

You know as we go about our busy days – school drop off, work, after school sport, friends, family commitments even taking a short holiday – I think we often lose sight of the bigger picture.

Some times we just need to STOP!

Take a deep breath and slowly exhale…

Now don’t worry I’m not trying to convert you into a humming and meditating super being.. no I just think that sometimes we are so busy we don’t stop and evaluate what we are trying to achieve out of life.

We all know the saying “Life’s Short” but its true!! How many of us actually understand that and live our lives to get the most out of it.

I know, we all have mortgages or kids to put through school, tax to pay and holidays to save for. But just for a few minutes I want you to STOP!

Take half an hour, get a notepad and go and sit in the garden. Clear your mind of the daily grind and imagine that you are watching your own funeral (I know – not nice, but please bear with me) imagine who will be there, who would do your eulogy what would you like them to say about you! Maybe on one side of the page write some of the good things and then on the other side write some of the bad (that people might be whispering in the corner)….

Would you want them to remember you as a friendly, happy person who was someone to be relied on. Or maybe someone who stood up for what they believed in… writing your own eulogy is a great way to really think about the important things in life.

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY! Sure throw in some jokes but get to the core of what you want to get out of life, see what morals you want people to associate you with, know what’s important to you and find some answers to why your here!

Would they say He worked 12 hours a day to come home exhausted and was crabby if we interrupted his TV time, would you rather them say He was a great dad who was always there for his kids, there was never a time we couldn’t approach him – he would drop everything for us even when he was exhausted.

Now I’m not expecting miracles you might still get crabby when the kids interrupt your special time with the TV, but I’m positive that after you have done this exercise suddenly the TV might be less important to you, and even if its not the time you do spend with your kids may be!

Pick out some of the words that you found you want to associate with your life, write them on post-it notes or on scraps of paper and stick them up everywhere you go (within reason of course)!

Try it you never know you might get something out of it… hummmmmmmmmmm