In this economy, I’m sure you may have asked yourself the question- Why Donate to Charities?  The problem is many people are having trouble enough putting food on the table, to even think about donating to charities.

It is not just where I live, but everywhere in the country, that the service industry, is being hard hit with cutbacks.  It seems that those that need help the most, are the ones having their services cut.  That is one reason donations are important to the Non-profits trying to help make a difference.

Your donation matters, because it does not have to be in the form of money.  It can be in kind donations of time, space, furniture or whatever you want to give.

The goal here at Abled Network, is to inspire you to give to your favorite charities here, and to provide unique fundraising opportunities that are all tax deductable.

Related articles

• Fundraising for Charity on Kids’ Terms (fundly.com)
• Giving to Charity to Become a Local Celebrity (socyberty.com)
• The Advantages of Donating a Car to Charity (socyberty.com)

I wanted to share this valuable information with you, no matter what business you are in, or even if you are not in business.  It is good general information to apply to your daily life, or whatever endeavor you may be pursuing.

Best of all it comes to you from my Business Coach, friend and mentor Maria Marsala.  So, enjoy it and apply it, and as she always says……..

Upwards and onwards,

Maria Marsala

7 All-Important Attitudes for Succe$$

It’s Time to Accelerate Your Progress

All the best professionals hire coaches to improve their game.  How do you know if you’re up to the challenge?  How do you get the most out of your investment?  Take on these 7 attitudes and you’ll thrive under your coach’s instruction.

You are willing to take ownership.

Success takes determination.  To grow personally or professionally, you MUST have a deep desire to grow.  Coaching is not about the coach doing the work for you.  Sure, some coaches provide templates, assessments, and even audios for you to use.  However, you are responsible for your own growth.

You are willing to be uncomfortable.

Success takes effort.  You must be willing to do things differently and experience some discomfort.  Why?  Comfortable actions give you the same-old results.  In order to grow, you must be willing to feel uncomfortable.  Try something on for 7 days that you can’t see yourself doing for years.

You are willing to make the investment.

Success takes an investment.  Coaching is not an expense, although in many cases it’s a deduction on your taxes.  Coaching is an investment in your personal growth and the growth of your company.

You’re willing to put in the time.

Success takes time.  First, you’ll have assessments to complete.  Then you’ll have coaching calls, emails, urgent calls, and the rest.  Expect to work 5-7 hours per week on “happy homework” after each coaching call.

You realize there are no quick fixes.

Success takes new habits.  If it took you “x” years to get to where you are now, and you want to be more successful, it’s going to take time to change the way you live and work.  Beware of programs that offer quick fixes—just like New Year’s Resolutions, they won’t “stick”.

You’re willing to reward yourself.

Success is about the journey.  It’s about your long-term happiness.  You owe it to yourself to celebrate changes made, goals accomplished, and new positive habits during your journey.

You’re willing to get ongoing help.

Success takes maintenance.  Once you reach your desired success level, you may consider quitting your coaching “cold turkey”.  Don’t—you may quickly back-slide.  Schedule monthly or quarterly maintenance sessions to update the work you’ve done or talk about new work.

© 2011 Elevating Your Business.  Maria Marsala is Strategic Business EduCoach™, speaker, author of eight workbooks and a former Wall Street trader.  We help independent accounting and financial firms and their teams to build bigger businesses without sacrificing their personal lives.  Sign up for Focus! Ezine, a newsletter jam-packed with Maria’s singular brand of tips, tricks, and priceless strategic business advice.

Visit Elevating Your Business.com

Abled Network and Macy’s Partner to Shop for a Cause

Abled Network , a Kitsap County, Washington  non-profit that works with disabled, partners with Macy’s for the Sixth Annual Shop For A Cause Day.
Macy’s helps local charity raise funds and awareness for important cause

POULSBO,WA 08-14-2011- Macy’s will partner with Abled Network , to invite customers to participate in Macy’s sixth annual “Shop for a Cause” charity shopping event. Macy’s 2011 Shop for a Cause will take place on August 27, 2011, customers can purchase tickets now from Abled Network, right here. Just in time for great back to school savings.

Why Shop For A Cause?

Macy’s Shop for a Cause is a unique one-day-only shopping event created to support local charities’ fundraising efforts, which has helped raised more than $38 million for charities across the country since 2006.
“Macy’s is committed to giving back to our local communities. Our annual Shop for a Cause Program, which has raised more than $38 million for local and national charities in the past five years, is meaningful for us because it gives our customers and associates an opportunity to give back to the local charities, schools and non-profits that matter a great deal to them,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s Executive Vice President of Marketing. “We are proud to offer our customers an easy way to make a positive difference while enjoying great savings at Macy’s.”

Macy’s has provided Abled Network with shopping passes to sell for $5 each. The organization will keep 100% of every ticket it sells. The more Abled Network sells, the more money it will raise!

What your Shop for a Cause pass will do?

By purchasing a shopping pass to the event from Abled Network, customers support taking the “dis” out of disability, by helping DD customers to participate in community and recreational activities, while enjoying a day of spectacular discounts, entertainment, and special events. Pass holders will enjoy special discounts on most regular, sale and clearance purchases all day. Some exclusions apply.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Abled Network to share knowledge and growth, by connecting disabled customers to the community of possabilities.”

About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Macy’s stores and macys.com offer distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Building on a 150-year tradition, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities that make a difference in the lives of our customers.

So, please facebook, and tweet where you got your pass to Shop for a Cause. Go to this URL http://goo.gl/ARqrD and you will be able to donate the $5 for your ticket. You will then get an email with the link to the Macy’s Shop for a Cause pass, to print out and use. Don’t forget to enter to win, a $500 gift card from Macy’s, as well as, enjoy your 25% discount on shop day.   You can even shop online at any Macy’s and use your pass.  Hurry, only 13 days left! Shop day is August 27th, 2011.

I’m Working with one of the Best Coaches in the World!

I am greatly honored, to be able to share this post with you. It is one thing, to have read material from one of the best coaches in the world.  Or, to have attended a seminar, of one of the best coaches or gurus, in the world. But, not every one can say, they are working with, and being mentored by, one of the best coaches in the world.
I am fortunate enough to know Maria, and know I am being coached by one of the best coaches in the world.

Local Business Strategist Named One of World’s Top 30 Best Coaches

Poulsbo, WA—June 30, 2011—Poulsbo resident, and native New Yorker, Maria Marsala—a.k.a. Coach Maria—was recognized as one of the World’s Top 30 Coaching Gurus, a distinction awarded by Coaching Gurus International. http://tinyurl.com/coachguru

Coaching Gurus International surveyed 22,000 business owners, consultants, academics, and MBA’s from around the globe, to nominate top professionals in the coaching industry. Candidates were rated on originality of ideas, practicality of ideas, coaching results, presentation style, international outlook, impact of ideas, quality of publications and writings, dispersion of publications and writings, public opinion, and the guru factor.

How the best coaches were chosen

The survey asked participants to vote for the world’s most influential coaching professionals from an estimated pool of 100,000 candidates worldwide. The candidates were rated on their ability to positively impact clients’ personal, financial, and business abilities. The coaches, were also evaluated on their success in applying coaching principals to their own organizations, and their stand for business excellence around the world.

Receiving over 1,000 votes, Marsala garnered high ratings for her original ideas, and the impact they have on business growth. She secured position number twenty-five on the guru list. “I am humbled to be in the company of my personal mentors—coaches like Tony Robbins and Bob Burg,” Marsala stated.

About Maria Marsala

Maria Marsala, is an internationally-known author, and speaker with 35 years of business experience. She is a graduate of Coach U, founding member of Coachville, and a former Wall Street Trader. Her firm, Elevating Your Business, was founded in 1998 and specializes in fast-tracking finance, investment, and insurance advisers business growth. She helps owners and practitioners, in financial firms purposefully plan their futures, manage their operations with less effort, and target their marketing efforts, to reach more high net-worth clients. Marsala’s informative teleseminars, and live business planning workshops, have inspired thousands of people to turbo-charge their businesses, and their lives. She can be reached at ElevatingYourBusiness.com or by calling 360-271-8418.

The Commonality of Disabilities

The commonality of disabilities, is greater than you might think.
It’s hard to believe, that 70% of the world’s population, has some kind of disability, be it physical, mental or developmental. The biggest issue with that statistic, is how it affects a persons abilities, and their daily quality of life.

The Commonality of Cancer – and National Cancer Survivors Day

Cancer is one of the most common and disabling diseases.  But, there are more people beating the disease, and proving that it does not have to be a death sentence.

Tomorrow, is National Cancer Survivor’s Day. Visit here at http://www.ncsd.org/. The day is traditionally, celebrated worldwide in hundreds of communities. Survivors unite to show the world, that life after a cancer diagnosis, can be both productive and meaningful. Congratulations, to all survivors.

Be sure to check you local cancer treatment center, hospital, or the American Cancer Society, to see if there is an event scheduled in your area.

Disabilities and helpful resources for you

In an attempt to make your life easier, I have listed several helpful sites, in my blogroll. Disaboom, is a powerful community, connecting millions of people with disabilities, to helpful information and resources.  Free Disabled Secrets, is another great source, to let you know what the government, doesn’t want you to know.  Social Security Law, is another great resource, to help you get the legal help and advice of a lawyer, in your area to help you get the benefits you need.

In the near future, look for more helpful aids here, that you can join, and participate in, to help you live a more frugal and healthy lifestyle. In the meantime, you can donate to Abled Network, or the charity of your choice, at my donate page.  We are taking the “Dis ” out of disability, while sharing with you, the commonality of disabilities.

As we get our feet under us launching the AbledNetwork Organization, our outlook is upbeat when it comes to the participation within our local community and the acceptance and integration of those with disabilities. As you will notice, the “dis” is missing from our chosen organization name. The time has come to remove the stigma often associated with disabilities. Again, AbledNetwork.org is the means to bringing together a diverse group of individuals.

Why Participation and Integration Are So Important

For years, those with disabilities have been largely ignored. That is not to infer that those suffering from disabilities are mistreated – far from it. However, few resources exist to really take everything to the next level. Community and individual participation is critical to the success of this nonprofit organization.

Events and More – Big Plans for Both Those With Disabilities and Caregivers

As you will find on this blog (regarding news and events) and our main website, we have numerous plans to provide outings – both locally and on a larger scale. You’ll find lots of information regarding planned events. Events revolving around the arts, like field trips to museums, all the way to real vacations are all on the agenda.

Crafts, discounts, scholarships and much more will be posted and discussed over the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

Be sure to bookmark AbledNetwork as your all in one resource for “outside the box” information, planned events, and support for those with disabilities and their caregivers!