Ubuntu

Reading shouldn't be looked at as a chore. Reading should be viewed at as the wonderful action that opens and expands our mind.  If you are one of those who don't make a habit of reading regularly, we encourage you to reconsider.  Reading has a significant number of benefits, and here are 5 of those benefits:  1. It Can Reduce Stress Stress from our everyday lives can be washed away when you lose yourself in a book. There are also many books that will give us insights and tools on how to deal with the hardships of life.  2. It Gives Us Knowledge  Everything you read fills your head with new information, new vocabulary, new tools and sometimes even a new perspective. Remember that the more knowledge that you gain from reading, the more knowledge you can spread to others.  3. Mental Stimulation  Your brain, just like any other muscle in the body, requires exercise to remain active and healthy. Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the

I started a scholarship fund to honor my grandmother.  Here is why: My grandmother was the strongest person I knew. Even though she was only 90 pounds, we all knew better than to make her upset or mess with her. She always knew what to do, she always knew what to say, she always kept calm, and she never showed weakness. She was also the kindest person I knew. She helped anyone and everyone she could without ever expecting anything back.  That's the kind of person she was. She was also a strong believer in education being imperative for society to prosper. She managed to get 5 of her 7 children through college while living on very little. She taught us that education and helping others were essential in life. She didn't have much growing up, she was born in a very small town in Colombia and moved to the city when she was very young. She always said, "donde come uno, comen dos" which translates to, "if one person can eat, then two people can eat."

We have all heard "put your money where your mouth is" and when it comes to supporting brands, I think we should all follow this rule. As consumers, we have to expect more from the brands we are supporting and helping grow. We should pay attention to what our money is promoting and what those brands are doing to give back to the community. Let's look at what some of the biggest brands/companies are doing to help make the world a better place. Verizon   Verizon has partnered with Hawaiian Electric to help them reach their goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045. They will be developing and expanding a network of solar panels to help Hawaii protect their environment and achieve sustainability goals. Patagonia  Patagonia is an outdoor apparel brand whose focus is to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, [and] use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” They focus on minimizing their impacts on the environment and s

Some days we can be our own inspiration, and some days we need inspiration. Here are 11 quotes that will get you motivated when you need that extra push: "We Rise by Lifting Others" - Robert Ingersoll  "Each One of Us Can Make a Difference. Together We Make Change" - Barbara Mikulski "To Make a Difference in Someone's Life, You Don't Have to be Rich, Brilliant, or Perfect. You Just Have to Care" - Mandy Hale  "We Must Become the Change We Want to See in the World" - Mahatma Gandhi  "Believing That Within You Is The Ability To Change The World Is The First Step In Making A Difference"  "At The End Of The Day, The Only Questions I Will Ask Myself Are.. Did I Love Enough? Did I Laugh Enough? Did I Make A Difference?" - Katrina Mayer "Change Will Not Come If We Wait For Some Other Person, Or If We Wait For Some Other Time. We Are The Ones We've Been Waiting For. We Are The Ch

Humans of New York began as a project of photographing people in New York and telling a short story about them. Today with over 20 million social media followers, HONY is opening a door for human connection and compassion. Here are some recent stories via - HONY of everyday people changing the world: “I’m a community leader here.  I watch over about eighty people.  We meet every month, and I try to bring their concerns to the government.  They also look to me for guidance on how to vote.  Hardly any of them are educated.  Most of us have nothing.  I’m lucky because I work as a street cleaner, but my salary hasn’t been paid in three months.  But if we try to feed ourselves by hawking articles on the side of the road, the government will put us in jail.  We need jobs.  We need clean water.  We need good roads.  The politicians promise these things before every election.  They visit the neighborhood and tell us this time it will be different.  But after the election, they dis

Most people think that you need to be wealthy, a genius or live an extraordinary life in order to change the world. However, many people doing small things can have a  BIG impact.  So what small efforts can we make during our daily routines?  1. Be Kind Always.  We might think that this is a given but sometimes we have to consciously tell ourselves to be kind.    Smile at a stranger. Hold the elevator open for someone else. Let someone get ahead of you in line at a grocery store if they have less stuff than you.  Give a compliment. 2. Carry a Reusable Water Bottle.  In the US, Americans toss 60 million water bottles daily, which is nearly 700 each minute. If we were to line up the bottles end to end in a straight line, it would wrap around the earth 190 times. Additionally, the plastic water bottles that were placed in the landfill today will take up to 1000 years to biodegrade. 3. Refrain From Using Straws.   Over 500,000,000 plastic