How to Change the World

Let's face it, the world's a hot mess these days.  Bombings and killing's in France, Turkey, Belgium and Iraq.  Unarmed citizens being shot by the police and even the police are under fire in Dallas.  Add on the fact that the country gets to choose from two of the most unpopular Presidential candidates in history, and life's looking pretty bleak.


My Facebook feed is abuzz this morning with Monday morning quarterback's on how to change the world.  I've seen suggestions that range from the rational to the insane and everything in between.  Maybe they're right, maybe they're not.  I don't think I'm qualified to solve the world's problems as I am pretty sure the general Facebook user is not.  Oh, and one other thing to my Facebook philosophers:  If you can't take the time to spell out an entire word (ppl), are afraid people are loosing (yea that was intentional on my part) there (also intentional) minds or just simply cannot spell on a fourth grade level, I find it hard to take your advice seriously.


That's not my point here though.  Throughout all these Monday morning quarterback's there is one in common.  While everyone seems to have a solution, nobody can tell you what the root cause of the problem is.  The problem is we're filled with too much negativity and hate and we're always looking to blame others for what's going on.  Want to change the world?  Try changing your own first.


I ride my bike a lot these days.  Sometimes this takes me onto my local bike path.  The same bike path I used to run, when I was really a runner.  When I did run the bike path, I remember cyclists passing me without even an acknowledgement of my presence.  I always wondered if they truly were that miserable, in a pissy mood, or just rude.  I don't have an answer for that, but maybe they were just in the zone or worried about their own ride.  So when I realized my running days were behind me, I took to cycling.  So when I'm that cyclist now, even if I'm in that zone, even if I'm wrapped up in how my ride is progressing, I try to say "Good morning" or "Hi" to everyone I pass.  It's not hard, a quick smile and a hello.  Maybe that brightens that walker or runner's day. Maybe that's just enough of a lift to give them that push to finish out that last mile or so.


To me, that's the easiest way to be positive and that's what it's all about.  If I try to stay positive in my life, and you try to stay positive in yours and that inspires someone else to stay positive in theirs, then eventually won't everyone be positive?  If you're saying "You're nuts, that's impossible", guess what?  You're not being positive!


A friend of mine, and a fellow Eagle posted about being positive this morning because everything that was going on had her down.  Team RWB is all about positivity and I have to admit, some of the most positive people I have ever knows are my fellow Eagles.  It's refreshing to be surrounded by those kinds of people.


What happened the last couple days, in Louisiana, Minnesota, and in Dallas are tragic.  Who cares if it's a black life or a blue life or a violet life?  It's a life and it was taken too early. We worry too much about White, Black, Asian, Native American, straight, gay, or transgender.  We forget the one "label" we all have:  human.  So, if you're trying to prove that someone was a criminal or a racist or whatever, you're as much of the problem as anyone else. 


I'm not a religious person, but I do believe in treating others as you would like to be treated.  Guess what folks?  That's a positive thing to do!  Start with your world.  Treat others with respect and dignity.  If someone is different from you, that shouldn't make you want to withdrawal from them.  It should make you want to engage them and find out more about them.  That might start with a "Good morning" or a "Hi". 

How to Change the World

Let's face it, the world's a hot mess these days.  Bombings and killing's in France, Turkey, Belgium and Iraq.  Unarmed citizens being shot by the police and even the police are under fire in Dallas.  Add on the fact that the country gets to choose from two of the most unpopular Presidential candidates in history, and life's looking pretty bleak.


My Facebook feed is abuzz this morning with Monday morning quarterback's on how to change the world.  I've seen suggestions that range from the rational to the insane and everything in between.  Maybe they're right, maybe they're not.  I don't think I'm qualified to solve the world's problems as I am pretty sure the general Facebook user is not.  Oh, and one other thing to my Facebook philosophers:  If you can't take the time to spell out an entire word (ppl), are afraid people are loosing (yea that was intentional on my part) there (also intentional) minds or just simply cannot spell on a fourth grade level, I find it hard to take your advice seriously.


That's not my point here though.  Throughout all these Monday morning quarterback's there is one in common.  While everyone seems to have a solution, nobody can tell you what the root cause of the problem is.  The problem is we're filled with too much negativity and hate and we're always looking to blame others for what's going on.  Want to change the world?  Try changing your own first.


I ride my bike a lot these days.  Sometimes this takes me onto my local bike path.  The same bike path I used to run, when I was really a runner.  When I did run the bike path, I remember cyclists passing me without even an acknowledgement of my presence.  I always wondered if they truly were that miserable, in a pissy mood, or just rude.  I don't have an answer for that, but maybe they were just in the zone or worried about their own ride.  So when I realized my running days were behind me, I took to cycling.  So when I'm that cyclist now, even if I'm in that zone, even if I'm wrapped up in how my ride is progressing, I try to say "Good morning" or "Hi" to everyone I pass.  It's not hard, a quick smile and a hello.  Maybe that brightens that walker or runner's day. Maybe that's just enough of a lift to give them


To me, that's the easiest way to be positive and that's what it's all about.  If I try to stay positive in my life, and you try to stay positive in yours and that inspires someone else to stay positive in theirs, then eventually won't everyone be positive?  If you're saying "You're nuts, that's impossible", guess what?  You're not being positive!


A friend of mine, and a fellow Eagle posted about being positive this morning because everything that was going on had her down.  Team RWB is all about positivity and I have to admit, some of the most positive people I have ever knows are my fellow Eagles.  It's refreshing to be surrounded by those kinds of people.


What happened the last couple days, in Louisiana, Minnesota, and in Dallas are tragic.  Who cares if it's a black life or a blue life or a violet life?  It's a life and it was taken too early. We worry too much about White, Black, Asian, Native American, straight, gay, or transgender.  We forget the one "label" we all have:  human.  So, if you're trying to prove that someone was a criminal or a racist or whatever, you're as much of the problem as anyone else. 


I'm not a religious person, but I do believe in treating others as you would like to be treated.  Guess what folks?  That's a positive thing to do!  Start with your world.  Treat others with respect and dignity.  If someone is different from you, that shouldn't make you want to withdrawal from them.  It should make you want to engage them and find out more about them.  That might start with a "Good morning" or a "Hi". 

The Five Stages of Starting a Community

These are my five stages of starting a Team RWB Community:

1.  Excitement- You just started a new community!  You are so excited to get things going!  You search for a leadership team, lay awake at night thinking of all the great events you want to do and cannot contain your enthusiasm!  So much so, your family is sick of you after the first week! Your first event is a success and although only a few people turned out you know it’s going to be great!
    
2. Confusion-Your second event was the same people.  Your weekly events are just you or maybe one other.  What’s going on?  What am I doing wrong?  I know, let me change it up!  Paddleboarding, squash, yoga, running, OCR, rock climbing, biking, we should offer something for everyone!  Let’s do it all!
    
3. Frustration-Why are there not more people coming to our events?  Why was I the only one out running last week?  Why can’t I get the leadership team to communicate better?  Why is it always the same people who show up to everything?  We’re such failures!!  We’re the worse RWB community out there, I know it!
    
4. Hopefulness-Hey…who’s that new person?  Wait..three new people?  Holy $#%* we had 40 at our last event!  Is this finally working??  Are we doing things right? 
    
5. Acceptance-So we only get 12 per event?  Remember when it was only two of us?  I can live with 12, especially when I hear how much RWB has helped them.  Let’s plan on two weekly events now and stick to those events. 
    

This was a little tongue in cheek, but there’s some truth to it.  When you first start off, you want to do everything!  You plan event after event after event. You go to every one of them only to find out that in most cases, you’re the only one.  You change events for one or two people only to find out they don’t end up showing. 

What’s the key?  Opinions vary, and there's really no right answer, but here are some tips for those of you who are starting out or in your infancy:  

1.  Consistency:  This is the most common and I believe the most effective. YOU HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT! Do consistent events and ensure that at least one member of your leadership team is at every event and it will pick up. 

2.  Commitment:  If you are a volunteer leader, you made a commitment.  In any volunteer work it is too easy to blow off an event when something "better" comes up.  Stay committed.  If you plan an event, put that on your calendar and if anything else "comes up", your answer should be "Sorry, I'm already busy.

3.  Do what you want: Another piece of advice is plan events that you (as in the team) want to do.  This way if you’re the only ones who show up you’re at least having fun doing it! 

4.  Basics:  Stick to the basics, one or two weekly events a week and your numbers will improve. 

5.  Don't base success on numbers:  Sure you love seeing lots of people come out to your events but in reality, the norm is 10%, so if you have that amount coming out to planned events you’re doing well.  But don't get hung up on the numbers.  I live in a small state, so having 40 people come out to an event is huge!  However, if you lived in NYC or LA, 40 may be a slow day. 

The bottom line is who you are helping.  I would rather have five people at an event and 2 or 3 of those state how grateful they were that an organization like RWB is around and how it's helping them.  Enriching veterans lives is our business.  Whether that's 1 or 100, if you're making a difference in a veterans life, you're being successful.