Positive Spin is a blog about people working hard to drive change through positive action and those who have made our world a better place.
BethAnn Telford is an inspiration to anyone feeling like they can't do something. AFTER being diagnosed with brain cancer, having two surgeries and being told she had a 90% chance of never walking again...she participated in several marathons and Ironman competitions. Get off the couch and go for a run...now.
Read MorePencils of Promise doesn't just build a school in areas where they're needed then leave. They work with communities to ensure that the community takes ownership of the school. Give to Pencils of Promise to help them in their quest to get a pencil in the hands that need them.
Read MoreHave an old cell phone? Put it to use by donating it to Hope Phones. The value of your phone will go to Medic Mobile, which helps Community Health Workers in poorer communities communicate and track patients. Click through and find out how you can help.
Read MoreI find it really hard to believe that I started this project a month ago. It seems like I just wrote my first post. I've enjoyed the process entirely and decided to accumulate my top 5 favorite posts from the last month. If you visit the links below, just hit the back button on your browser to get back to this page.
Rowan LeCompte and the End of the Rainbow - One of my inspirations, Rowan LeCompte, is responsible for the stained-glass windows at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. I used to live across fromt there and visit often. This piece highlights the wonderful NPR interview he did with Scott Simon.
We Are Not Alone - The Hubble Ultra Deep Field image is truly awe-inspiring. I've made it as big as I can, but there are bigger versions on the Hubble site. Thinking about all the potential that is in that shot, both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial is mind-blowing.
Detroit Boy Raises $3,600 for City Parks with A Lemonade Stand - Inspiring story of one 9-year-old kid who wants to do something about the lack of funding for the parks. Great lesson in making a difference.
Positive Change: William Kamkwamba Harnesses the Wind - Another great lesson in making a difference. The number of lives touched by William's courage and determination are immeasurable. In Malawi, during a drought, he decides to build a windmill that provides energy for light and a windmill to provide for irrigation.
A Walk in Muir Woods - This post is for my family. It was a beautiful day and one I'll not soon forget. Magical. My favorite one I've done.
Here's to another day and another month and thank you to my wife and kids who are the inspiration to try to be better and help push for a better world for them. I love you guys.
Simon Sinek asks why. Why do leaders fail? Why do people follow? Why do you care? In the TEDTalk above, he discusses what sets great leaders apart from leaders. As he says in the video above:
People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
What this means is that you must clearly define and relay why you are doing what you are doing in order to inspire action. He reviews some great products and inventions and talks about who succeeded and who failed highlighting the difference between them and their competitors and each time, you see the ones who live with purpose are the ones who are successful. Sustainable success must come from purpose. If you find yourself feeling lost on a project or in your career, ask yourself why you are doing it. It has to be for more than just the money.
“Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.”
“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.
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“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
Steve Jobs is someone I admire, not for his positivity, but for his sheer determination and understanding of how the world works. In this short video, he offers some simple advice on how your perception of the world can drive you to act and make a difference in the world.
“I live on Earth at present, and I don’t know what I am. I know that I am not a category. I am not a thing — a noun. I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process — an integral function of the universe.”
