Our Community Many people want government to take care of every need for those who require help with healthcare, food, housing, small business loans, and most other humanitarian efforts.

When government takes away from society need and ability to serve our fellowman, we all lose. When we, of our own volition, choose to serve, we choose true and abundant significance.

In spite of billions of dollars government spends for relief of others, there are many needs to be satisfied by ordinary people. Unfortunately, it isn’t especially easy to find out where you can serve.

Here are a few suggestions:

Agencies for elderly need people to deliver food, perform yard work, shovel snow, run errands, provide transportation, and dozens of other tasks.

Homeless and battered women shelters need painting and other fix-ups, as well as mentors for assisting their clients.

Service clubs, like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Exchange, provide service opportunities throughout year.

Schools face shrinking budgets and need volunteers to help in their libraries, teachers’ aides, and help with athletics.

Youth programs, like Scouting and athletics, always need positive people to teach and guide our young people.

How to Find Volunteer Opportunities Check your local phone book in government pages for elderly care, and your yellow pages under, “Social Service Organizations” and “Youth Athletics.” You can also use search engines under “Service Clubs.”

Living with Significance When we look back on our lives, we usually don’t savor our professional achievements as much as we do impact we have had on lives of others. We should not be content with our normal work-a-day lives—but see great potential for positive influence we can have for people around us.

As we approach coming year, I challenge you to raise your sights, serve others, and live your life with extraordinary significance!

Of course I am partial to Ordinary People Can Win. And I hope you are benefiting for subscribing to and reading it.

Discussion Groups or Forums You can link up with like-minded people who are working to nail their goals, just like you. In discussion groups, participants “chat” with each other, propping each other up, and providing encouragement. To join discussion you send an email with your comments to an email address that forwards it to all members of group.

From these groups, you can often get ideas for moving past roadblocks to your progress. But pick them carefully—some discussion groups can fill your inbox with dozens of emails filled with nothing but idle chatter.

Another discussion option is forum. When you join these groups, you go to a website that hosts discussion. You see comments of others on webpage, and can add your thoughts as well.

The advantage of forum over discussion group is that you can choose whether to participate or not. You take active step of going to website, rather than receiving dozens of emails. Of course, most discussion groups give you option to receive a daily digest—one email that has all of responses for entire day.

In spite of potential for discussions on useless froth, discussion groups and forums can provide you with help in keeping yourself on track.

Audio Programs Many personal development authors are also very accomplished speakers. Their programs are captured on cassette or CD for you to enjoy at your convenience. Listening to audio programs during your work commute provides a wonderful respite from talk radio and news. They fill that windshield time with uplifting ideas. As with books, websites, and other resources, listen to a variety of them, rather than finding one personality you like and sticking with him or her.

Live Seminars Most of audio programs discussed above are recordings of live seminars. Occasionally, you would do well to attend one of these events. These speakers transfer their highly-charged energy to audience—providing them with insight and motivation.

This alternative can be quite expensive, so brace yourself. I have provided some of best at end.

Tele-seminars Many personal development specialists, authors, website and e-zine owners provide tele-seminars at little or no cost. You register for seminar, receive phone number and access code, and join with hundreds of others in hearing speakers or panels discuss pertinent topics.

If you get chance, join some of these. The speakers often open lines for questions at end of their presentations. They usually make their money by pointing you to their websites where they are featuring a special offer for those who participated.