When you are responsible for a non-profit, setting annual goals is probably one of the hardest parts of the job. The reason is that the success or failure of achieving those goals is almost completely out of your control. You don’t want to set the bar too high, yet you also dont want to set it too low and make it appear that you are sandbagging just to show that you have made your goal for the year. Such is the case with not only goal setting in the Bring Smiles to Seniors program, but goal setting in life as well.

When I set the goal for Bring Smiles at the beginning of the year I start with what we were able to accomplish the previous year. Then based on the time and energy I can put into the program, in addition to my full time job, I try and stretch the goal as far as I can for the next year. Then I have to review the card donations to determine if we can continue to grow the card angel connections, either by people connections, Facebook advertising or word of mouth. Finally, I have to determine if we can raise the funds necessary to buy the supplies needed to run the program, along with all the postage that is needed to ensure delivery of the cards to the seniors communities in all 50 states. Once set, I have to hope that it all comes together to get us where we want to be at the end of the year. Each individual goal ties into the overarching goal to reach more seniors, add more senior communities and expand over the previous year.

One of the most important in that group of goals is whether or not we will get enough cards to meet the goal for the year because we rarely have enough financial donations to buy cards because of our postage and other costs. Also, in our world the team that runs our program are all volunteers, so they are unpaid. That is where all of you, our card angels, come in. The power of we is never more evident than every package of cards that come from each of you. Everyone has their limits and means and whether we receive one card, ten or hundreds, each and every one those cards are working together to achieve the goal that we have set for the year. At the end of the day just one less package could make the difference in whether or not one senior receives a card. Not having $7.55 to mail a padded envelope to a senior community means that the seniors in those communities don’t get to smile. Therein lies the importance of every single gift of your talent that we receive from you.

In 2016 we delivered 7,719 cards. I set a goal for 10,000 the following year and we delivered 18,810. Thinking I was setting a stretch goal for 2018 of 20,000 we achieved 40,515 and were able to reach 205 unique senior communities in all 50 states, many multiple times. That was only possible because of every single envelope and package that showed up in our mail. Equally important are the decorators who don’t make cards, but who have chosen to decorate your cards that are blank inside for us and they do them by the hundreds. They too are our card angels. Add in the schools, civic groups, employer groups and you have a mix of magic that comes together to do good in the world while addressing a untapped need.

Because of the power of we and the belief that my grandmother guides this program every step of the way, even though she is no longer with us, we set the goal this year at 50,000 cards delivered. I have do doubt that we are going to make that happen because I believe in every single one of you that contributes in your own way. You are a part of something beautiful and good and we appreciate every person that is on this journey with us. Every one of you is a card angel and we couldn’t be more grateful for you. If you go to anchor.fm/shareinspirerepeat you can hear my interview with AJ Mizes where I talk more about the program overall. Here’s to 50,000 and beyond!

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

#bringsmilestoseniors #Inspirationalposts #inspirationalmessages bringsmilestoseniors.com

Mornings With Ron is not available on podcast on your computer at anchor.fm/morningswithron or Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most podcast sites.

A new episode of Mornings with Ron is available. This week’s messages are all about dealing with adversity. You can listen on your computer at anchor.fm/morningswithron or on your smart phone on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast site. I hope you enjoy.

Ron
bringsmilestoseniors.com

When you live in your home for many years and are used to the person living next to you for so long, it is often a bit daunting when that person is gone and you have new neighbors moving in. You tend to wonder what they will be like and whether or not the life you are used to in your neighborhood will change for the better or the worse. Such was the case for my parents years ago when the lady that lived next to us since I was kid was gone and new neighbors arrived. Well, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that my mom and dad hit the jackpot.

You can tell when people are just innately good people and such was the case with my parent’s neighbors. They were always kind, helpful, considerate and the perfect neighbors for my parents. Where there true humanity shined however was when my grandmother got ill and wound up going in the nursing home and eventually when my dad developed his lymphoma and no longer had the strength to do all the things that he could do prior.

Living away from your parents, you always wonder how they will get along without you there as they enter their older years. You can only do so much from so far and when they tough tasks arise, other than hiring people, you wonder how they will get done. If you are lucky you get a godsend like Artie. He is just one of those people that make it happen. He did not ask if he could mow my parents lawn, he just did it. When my brother and I refurbished my parents bathroom he did not ask if he could pick up parts for us, he just went. When we replaced the fireplace in their living room he did not ask if he could drive over 100 miles round trip to pick it up in his truck, he did it. When they needed lumber to repair the fence that had fallen down around their pool, he did not ask if he could pick it up and help me repair it, he just did it. That’s the kind of man that he is.

That is only one half of the dynamic duo. His wife Jodi became a friend and confidant for my mother. Someone that she could talk to, share with and vent her frustrations as she was dealing with her own issues with my grandmother and my dad. That person you know that if you go over and knock on the door, the person is going to answer no matter what they are doing and be there for you. The person that allows you to be a part of their life, while taking interest in yours.

I would venture to say that at this point, Artie and Jodi are no longer neighbors, they have become family. They are the type of people that you pray for when your house is empty next door. They are the people that prove that humanity is alive and well and that neighborhoods can still be what they were meant to be, the place where you feel safe, a part of community and cared for. They will always have a special place in my heart for being there in the times where my brother and I could not and for that we are truly grateful.

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

#bringsmilestoseniors.com #inspirationalmessages #inspiration bringsmilestoseniors.com #inspirationalblogs

Mornings With Ron is now available at anchor.fm/morningswithron, Apple & Google Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting sites. Listen on your smart phone or computer with a new episode each week.

When you look at those numbers above, you see that in the middle of them is a dash. What might look like a simple dash in that series of numbers is in reality one of the most important parts of our life. The first set of numbers represents the year that we were born and the latter is of course the year of our passing. It is all those years that are in between that make that little dash so powerful.

We are all born with the ability to achieve greatness. Some of our lives will be affected by our surroundings, upbringing, often the hand we are dealt and ultimately our will. In reality, what that dash represents is the life that we carve out for ourself, the things that we do during that period and the ability that we have to change our little part of the world.

I have written before about people who go on to achieve greatness. Yet, the reality is that greatness is in the eye of the beholder. Being famous does not make you great. Being a movie star does not make you great. Being a major league athlete does not even make you great. What makes you great is your ability to have an impact on the world that you live in and to make people’s lives a little better. People aren’t great because they are rich and as a result can control the world. People aren’t great because they have 2 million YouTube followers that revel in their ability to be a narcissist. People aren’t even great because they can say stupid things on YouTube or Twitter and get millions of people to tune in. It is what they do with their success and new found wealth that ultimately determines how great they really are.

It has always been amazing to me that the people with the most compassion for others are the ones that seem to be the least interesting to people. They struggle to build their social connections one person at a time, when more connections would ultimately increase the ability to do more good. Yet, silliness and ridiculousness can immediately get you tons of followers. Now, I don’t discount or begrudge an individual’s ability to be successful in these endeavors, nor people’s need to escape from the reality of what is going on in the world around them. Some of these people do really good things with their success. Like all of us, once they get to the end of their life they too will be measured by their dash and the impact they had on being able to leave the world a little better off than they found it. Focus on your dash today and as you do always remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

#brinsmilestoseniors #inspirationalmessages #inspirtaionalposts bringsmilestoseniors.com

Mornings With Ron is now available as a podcast at anchor.fm/morningswithron and on Apple, Google, Spotify and most podcasting sites.

In case you haven’t had a chance to listen – “Mornings with Ron” is now available on many podcast sites.  Five messages weekly to invoke thought, inspire the heart and feed the soul.   Six episodes are now available.  Have a listen, review and let us know how we are doing at info@bringsmilestoseniors.com.

Here are the links to four major podcast sites. :

Apple

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mornings-with-ron/id1453859978?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Google

https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy85NDczZTgwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Spotify

Anchor FM

You will often hear me say that there are people that are brought into your life, not by chance, but because they were supposed to be there..and just at the time it was meant to be. Today, I want to tell you about my friend Linda. You have heard her name before many times because she is the person that has been with me since the beginning of the Bring Smiles to Seniors program. When I asked her to go on this journey with me, she responded with a resounding yes and we set off to change the senior world a little bit at a time.

Linda and my story starts back when we were both living in New Jersey. I was building a new home in the Lake Hopatcong area and Linda and her husband had originally picked another property within the development to build their home. However, they would eventually change their mind and build on the lot next to ours. One day we happened to be checking on our construction when two cars pulled up in front of our house. Out stepped Linda, her husband, daughter, Linda’s mother, father and her grandmother that we soon learned would all be living in the house next door. We had no idea what we were in for, but we knew in talking with them we may have just hit the jackpot.

Over the first few years we did all the neighborly things we were supposed to do. We attended block parties together. I would sit with Linda’s husband Joe having a cigar on his back patio. When I broke my arm it was Joe who drove me to the hospital. Linda’s mom would come over and visit our cat Moochie through the front screen of the house. While cordial and friendly, as neighbors should be, that was about as far as things went until some very trying times came. Within the course of a couple of years Linda lost her best friend unexpectedly, her father, her mother, her grandmother and then her husband to cancer…all by the age of 47.

It was through all of this that I began to see the power of this amazing woman. She pulled herself together to care for her daughter, made the decision for a fresh start and moved to Florida and dealt with the loss the best that she could to ensure that she and her daughter’s life continued. Was it easy? No it wasn’t! Yet the inner strength of this woman and the connection we made working through all these passings created a bond between the two of us that ensured that we would be friends, no family, for a lifetime.

A year after Linda I wound up moving back to Tampa and once again we live houses apart in the same development. Do you believe for one second that all of that happened by chance? Of course not. As I dealt with the death of my grandmother, she was there for me and the culmination of all this grief between us was the catalyst for Bring Smiles to Seniors being born. Out of the ashes rose the phoenix that lives on to bring smiles to so many across the country in need.

For 10 years I watched my friend focus on ensuring that what was left of her family was taken care of, as she worked to become a new person herself. Now having once again opened herself to the world, she is in a relationship again and in the process of moving to a new life and making life her own. I admire and love her for who she is and what she has meant to me and know that without a shadow of a doubt she will always be family and will always be there. We should all have someone like that.

I am sure that you too have people in your life that have touched you in one way or another. When we think we have it tough there’s are always those that have it a little bit tougher. We watch them and learn as we navigate our own life path and it is always important to validate the part that they have played in shaping your own life and future. So here is to you my friend Linda and your amazing new future. Recognize that someone in your life today and help validate both of your reasons for having met.

Have a great weekend and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

#bringsmilestoseniors #inspirationalmessages #inspirationalposts bringsmilestoseniors.com

Mornings With Ron is not available as a podcast on anchor.fm/morningswithron, Apple, Google, Spotify and other podcast sites.

Episode 6 of Mornings with Ron is now available. This week we talk about friends and family.  There will be no daily post this morning.

This podcast is available on…

Anchor

Apple Podcasts

Breaker

Google Podcasts

Overcast

Pocket Casts

RadioPublic

Spotify

Stitcher

Many of you are aware that I am passionate about the game of Mah Jongg. Not the Chinese version, but the American version that is played mostly by women all over the country. It is a game that is becoming more mainstream with the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Julia Roberts playing it. However, many people aren’t aware that it is a game that is often handed down from generation to generation as grandmothers teach mothers and mothers teach daughters. Those of us who are lucky enough enough to find ourselves a part of this world suddenly realize that we are a part of something truly magical.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending three days at a Mah Jongg tournament in New Orleans. The tournament directors also chose Bring Smiles to Seniors as their designated charity for this event. One hundred fifty three women and three men playing a game that they love and admire. As I sold tickets for the charity raffle, I got to talk to people and hear their personal stories that inspired me, lifted me up and warmed my heart. The collective compassion that can be found in a room of people there for a common purpose is truly astounding, especially in the competitive environment of a tournament.

The most amazing thing to me is the acceptance of men in what has traditionally been a woman’s world. Many women have regular groups that they have been part of for many years. Yet, rather than act as if they we are infiltrating their world, they greet us with open arms, support us in our charity work, root us on in competition and are there to celebrate with us when we are successful. They don’t see gender, they see the person and often they become more than just friends, they become family.

There are times when we find that little piece of life that makes us smile, laugh, cry and complete. That is what the Mah Jongg world has become for me. A place where I can escape the mire of the outside world and for those few moments be a part of something wonderful and fun. My hope for today is that you too have found that little part of your world where, for that moment in time, you know you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Have a great day and remember to be the reasons someone smiles.

Ron

#bringsmilestoseniors #inspirationalposts #inspirationalmessages bringsmilestoseniors.com

Ron was recently interviewed on the podcast: Share, Inspire, Repeat with AJ Mizes, and would love for you to take a listen!  The podcast is all about sharing stories of #Good, and is a breath of fresh air.  Check out the episode by visiting: http://www.shareinspirerepeat.com or the episode is also available now on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher!”

Apple Podcast: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/share-inspire-repeat/id1447814566?mt=2

Google Podcasts: 

https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84M2FmMGY0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Spotify:

Stitcher:

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/anchor-podcasts/share-inspire-repeat

One of the great goals in life is to find our purpose. To discover that reason that we were put on the planet and our reason for being. Some people find it early on and some find it later in life. Unfortunately, there those that go through life and may never discover it at all because they failed to look. However, the most important thing is that you never believe that it is too late to discover what you might have been. Not as long as we still have that breath to breathe.

There are some people that are just destined to be great. It is why they are here and although life may deal them bad hands in the beginning, they persevere to go on and do amazing things that leave an impression on the very society that they were a part of. Sometimes, they are a product of their circumstances, while other times they create their own path. They all have a common ingredient and that is the will and desire to believe and work hard to become what they envision themselves to be. They know and understand their purpose and have this innate ability to get others to join that purpose with them.

As we search for our purpose it is only natural that we are going to try and fail. It is those individuals that use those failures as stepping stones to success that eventually lead them to experience their purpose to the fullest. Those failures become a roadmap to success that keep them along the path to achieving that which they desire most. The interesting thing is that while the majority of us may recognize the greatness in these people, there are those that won’t, simply because they have not been able to discover their own reason for being. It is often easier for people to tear down, rather than build up and support, in order to make themselves feel more complete. This is the unfortunate side of human nature.

The thing to remember is that greatness doesn’t necessarily mean great recognition. Our purpose can be great in its own way and never see the light of day. The world may never know us, but our soul does. That which we have been able to accomplish provides us with the satisfaction that we know why we are here and what our role in this world was meant to be. The most important thing to remember is that it is never too late. We always have an opportunity to be what we might have been, if we only believe and try.

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

#brinsmilestoseniors #inspirationalmessages #inspirationalposts bringsmilestoseniors.com

Mornings With Ron is now available as a podcast at anchor.fm/morningswithron, Apple & Google Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting sites.