What Would Be Your Idea of a Fun Day?Written by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach™
Remember that email quiz making rounds last year and maybe still is? You’re asked to fill out some questions such as your favorite color, and what your living arrangements are and then send them back to sender. One of questions is “What would be your idea of a fun day?”If you’re like me, this question would send you daydreaming. Oh, this, or maybe that. Going to a ballgame, eating at Los Patios. Laughing with Adam, or going to park with Billy. I outlined a whole day – sleeping late, having a leisurely shower, having my hair turn out, meeting so-and-so for lunch, taking in a movie … it went on and on. I also found myself thinking back on “fun days” from past. A fun day would be like all 12 days on my Russian River cruise. Where to begin? A fun day would be something with my granddaughter, but where to begin? The park? McDonald’s playground? The zoo? I put a lot of thought into this! Maybe your list would be focused on “nots”. Not having to get up early. Not having to go to work. A day when dog doesn’t piddle on carpeting, or a bill collector doesn’t call. Maybe it was dependent on others. A day when my boss is in a good mood. A day when Dad has time for me. A day when Peter makes me laugh. Or maybe it’s a list of “ifs”? My idea of a fun day would be going to theater IF I could afford it. Or being with Doug IF we were still together. Or going to amusement park IF it were still there.
| | Volunteer and Take Your Dog With YouWritten by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach
The secret of not-for-profit agencies is that there is great benefit to benefactor. It should not be a secret. You’ve probably learned that key to a miserable life is to focus on yourself alone. For doldrums, for blahs, a lack of purpose or refinding breadcrumb trail, try volunteering. As a fundraiser, I learned firsthand it isn’t just “buzz” that it changes people’s lives. From idle rich, to parents bringing their children for an emotional learning experience and educational family activity, to singles flexing their caring muscles, to people in recovery, to people with stories I’ll never know, all benefited. Sometimes clients did as well. Those who wrote checks benefited less than those who put in volunteer time and here’s an opportunity that takes stress off going to a strange place and meeting strangers. Go volunteering with your dog. Nursing homes, children’s shelters, hospital wards, rehab centers, psychiatric wards, and prisons are all possibilities. The right dog is egalitarian in his ability to divert, entertain and unconditionally love.
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