Month: September 2018

This week:

Join Me As We Protect Endangered Wildlife, Advance our Purpose, Respect and Protect Girls and Women & Eliminate Food Insecurity With Your Help

World Rhino Day:
World Rhino Day was last week and celebrates all five species of rhino: Black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos.
World Rhino Day highlights efforts to debunk the myths and diminish the demand for rhino horn.
https://www.worldrhinoday.org/about/
Visit http://www.ourhorn.com/ to shop for a good cause

Chamber of Purpose Update + Cause Conference Details for the 20^th annual conference coming up Oct 12^th
Here is a short 4 minute video from Eric and I (two of the three co-chairs) as we advance a purpose practice and stand up the first Chamber of Purpose right here in San Diego along with the Cause Conference and the Purpose Awards. Thank you to the region’s purpose-driven community who’ve contributed their valuable time, treasures, and connections to stand up and co-create the Chamber of Purpose.
Vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ79PH3o3mw
To learn more about the event, the speakers the awards and to register for the Cause Conference:
https://www.causesd.org/

Here is Larry K the third co-chair along with Little Tommy of iHeart Radio

 iHeart Community Spotlight Segment with Little Tommy to Air this Sunday:
If you are local, listen for this on the iHeart radio stations in SD
Sunday                 6:30am                   KHTS FM (Channel 933)
Sunday                 6:30am                   KIOZ FM (Rock 105)
Sunday                 6:00am                   KGB-FM 101.5
Sunday                 7:00am                   KSSX-FM 95.7 (JAM’N)
Sunday                 6:30pm                   KOGO-AM 600
Sunday                 10:30pm                KMYI-FM (Star 94.1)
Sunday                 11:30pm                KLSD–AM 1360 (XTRA Sports)

Amid Kavanaugh Allegations, Re-Thinking The Common Refrain ‘Boys Will Be Boys’:
“The sorts of things and behaviors that we reinforce as manly to boys are not what we expect from good men,” says Leek, who argues that justifying misbehavior among young men by saying, “Boys will be boys,” spreads confusion about how boys and young men should act. “To even take it a step further, it almost frames it as if to imply that those behaviors are actually what make boys boys.”
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/09/25/boys-behavior-kavanaugh-allegations

Locker Room Talk. “Says who?” TEDx Talk with Alexis Jones
Having spent the past three years working intimately with male athletes, Alexis Jones is redefining “manhood” one locker room at a time. After growing up a Texas tomboy with four older brothers and working in “the lion’s den of dudes” at Fox Sports and ESPN, Alexis takes an inspiring, hysterical and at times inappropriate approach to empowering young men to better respect and protect the girls and women in their lives with her exclusive locker room curriculum, ProtectHer. (Viewer discretion advised.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCA6EF3y23k

Ready to do something about this?
Join Me:
I am doing a pre-conference workshop for the Global Empowerment Summit in a few weeks on Oct 5^th 2018
Here is the link to the summit on the 6^th:
http://socialimpact.ucsd.edu/summit.php

“IT’S TIME TO MAN UP”
Here is the link to the workshop(s) on the 5^th:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pre-summit-annual-global-empowerment-time-to-rise-workshops-oct-5th-2018-tickets-49351014212
To register, one needs to click the “select a time” link
The workshop I am leading is the first one entitled; “IT’S TIME TO MAN UP”
Please share it with men who want to be part of the change…

Hunger Awareness Month and Food Insecurity in San Diego:
We are coming to the close of Hunger Awareness month but with 1 in 7 people in San Diego experiencing food insecurity, it is likely that we all know someone suffering from hunger throughout the year. With so many contributing factors to food insecurity, it’s important that our community work together to build awareness of the prevalence of this issue and work together to reduce hunger and its root causes.

Data collected by the San Diego Hunger Coalition estimates that 486,000 individuals in San Diego County experienced food insecurity in 2016. When looking at the number of children affected, the percentage rises to 1 in 5 children not having access to enough food. To put this into perspective, there are more people in San Diego County struggling with getting enough food to eat than there are residents in Vista, Escondido, San Marcos and Carlsbad combined!

There are a number of contributing factors to food insecurity, but one of the largest challenges unique to San Diego is the incredibly high cost of living. In an area that is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, more families are forced to make difficult decisions about whether to maintain a roof overhead or put food on the table.  Other rising costs, including the cost of healthcare, create decisions between paying for prescriptions or purchasing food.

There are also a number of social and economic factors which contribute to people’s inability to purchase food. Among them are limited access to education and employment that provide a living wage, but perhaps the most enduring root causes of food insecurity in the US are racial, ethnic and class-based inequities that span generations. This inequity has created a divide in the accumulation of wealth, including savings, home, or business equity, that historically disadvantages some populations. Low-income people, people of color, women, single mothers, people with disabilities, and other disenfranchised groups are more likely to experience food insecurity because of intergenerational inequality.

We recognize that these issues are larger than a single organization and it is critical for us to work collaboratively with other organizations that are working directly on these issues.  It’s important to promote an intersectional approach, in building awareness, creating partnerships, and sharing resources. Systemic challenges require systemic solutions, and collective impact is the most effective way to approach such a large scale issue.

The Hunger Coalition and the San Diego Food System Alliance are two examples of collective impact organizations in our community working to reduce food insecurity. To learn more, visit SDHunger.org or find them on social media.  If you’d like to help advocate for local, state, and federal changes, you can sign up to become a Hunger Free Activist with the Hunger Coalition by clicking here.

The San Diego Food System Alliance facilitates monthly Healthy Food Access Working Group meetings with the goal of making sure all San Diegans have access to healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate foods. Find out more at http://www.sdfsa.org/.

Hunger is still a huge challenge in our community, but one that can be addressed with the appropriate collaboration, education and resources.

For Love and Food,
Amanda Schultz Brochu, Senior Director of CalFresh and Advocacy, San Diego Hunger Coalition
Shannon Pavell, Development and Communications Manager, San Diego Food System Alliance

Thanks this week go to Ross G, Larry K, Galina M, Shannon P & Amanda SB for being the change we want to see

Please pay it forward!
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“There comes a time when the mind
takes a higher plane of knowledge
but can never prove how it got there”— Albert Einstein

This week:
Purposeful Work
The four Tenets of Conscious Capitalism include; Conscious Leadership, Conscious Culture, a Purpose orientation and engaging all Stakeholders in the work.

With regards to the culture piece we know structure impacts function and many are designing work environments to optimize culture.
Here is an interesting piece on Open Office Plans

Just How ‘Open’ Are Open Office Plans:
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow

All of us in the world of work are cursed with meetings.
So, instead of complaining about the drain they place on organizations, here is something to make them better
9 Conscious Practices for Meetings that Shine:
Your meetings are the manifest expression of your culture. Slow down and take that in, because it’s important.
https://consciouscompanymedia.com/workplace-culture/better-business-meetings/

Harmonizing with Nature

In a far-flung corner of northern India, the region of Ladakh envelops a mystical “Moonland” of barren alpine desert, where Tibetan Buddhist monasteries hide among some of the world’s most impressive mountains. Long caught between powerful neighbors, the area only opened to tourists in the 1970s. Now photographers like Belgian Yuri Andries flock to this once impenetrable, otherworldly region to document its many contrasts in his series called Moonland.

Surreal Photos of Life in a Mystical Moonland

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/asia/india/beautiful-photos-life-in-ladakh-moonland/

Hurricanes and the Most Beautiful Visuals of Atmospheric Circulation:
Hurricane season is upon us yet again. A hurricane is all about heat wanting to get to where it’s not. Hold an ice cube in your hand and it feels like the cold is coming into your hand. But it never works that way in this universe. It’s really the heat of your hand moving towards the ice cube. Same with a hurricane. It’s the excess heat in the ocean moving to the atmosphere, to where it’s not. As all that heat and water vapor rises, the earth’s spin puts a spin on the rising column. Voila! The ferocity of what comes next depends on how much heat is in the ocean, over what area, and the conditions aloft in the atmosphere.

A rather astonishing amount of excess energy is trying to find equilibrium in these objects. One good size hurricane like Florence is constantly releasing about 200 times our world’s electrical energy capacity.

Check out two things. First, what I think is the most beautiful representation of the complexity and aesthetic quality our atmosphere: https://bit.ly/2xCeJYQ

This first view is surface wind, and you’ll notice hurricanes in both the Pacific and three in the Atlantic – Florence, Isaac, and Helene. Click the earth button at lower left and you can show wind at various heights — the hpa numbers. It’s really air pressure at various heights with lower pressure being higher up in the atmosphere. 1000 hpa is near the surface. 250 hpa is at about 36,000 feet – the very top of the troposphere, the zone in which all weather takes place. Above that, you’ll notice that there is little or no sign of the hurricanes.

Second, I took a plane ride with the Hurricane Hunters a few years ago into Hurricane Gustav. Every bit of that adventure was exciting, but on reflection, one of my favorite memories is of the woman who piloted one of the most macho vehicles in the world – a WC-130 Hercules outfitted to fly into the eye of a Cat 5 hurricane. We men sometimes need a reminder that women can do anything and everything.

These amazing pilots, crew, and scientists are in these hurricanes at this very moment trying to figure out the details of how they work and where they might be headed.

Cheers, Charles

Thanks this week go to Eric K, Glenda O,  Charles S and Conscious Leaders Everywhere!
Stay conscious, purposeful, connected to nature and may you find your joy in the most unlikely places…

Please Pay it Forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.”
Dr. Jonas Salk

This week marked the 17^th Anniversary of 911, National Suicide Prevention Week, World Suicide Prevention Day and International Literacy Day.

Let’s honor our past, confront the brutal facts but always maintain hope, as well as behave into the values and world we want to see and leave for our kids.

I get that most of us don’t want to talk about sex trafficking, suicidal thoughts, and other social ills, but we are only as sick as our secrets!

Bringing Out Our Best Self
How Bamboo Trees Will Bring Out Your Best Self with Les Brown:
https://www.facebook.com/goalcast/videos/1410646852413688/

Research Suggests At Least 10% of the World’s Population Fully Shares the Same Values
The Good Country: Human Race First & Citizens of their Own Country Second, More Govt. Cooperation & Less Competing- If Only Humanity Could Learn To Work As One

The Good Country is now much more than an idea, more than a TED talk and more than an Index: the Good Country is becoming a country. We’re not doing this because we want to build a better country, but because we need a new country to build a better world. Four years after Simon Anholt launched the Good Country Index at TED, our research has shown that at least ten percent of the world’s population fully shares the values of the Good Country.

That’s seven hundred million people, the world’s third largest nation. These are the people who, like us and perhaps like you, think of themselves as members of the human race first, and citizens of their own country second; people who’d like governments to focus a lot more on collaborating and a little less on competing; people who don’t mistrust or dislike other people just because they come from a different background; people who see a great future for humanity if only humanity could learn to work as one.

In just seven days, the Good Country becomes a country.

20,000 of our followers from 178 countries have already been in touch to say they want to be part of the first cohort of citizens when enrolment opens on our new website on September 17^th. We really hope that you will be among them.

We’ll be welcoming just 200,000 citizens before closing again towards the end of the year. If each of our existing followers invites just 10 friends to enroll, we’ll reach our first target.

We’ll then spend the next nine months working with all of you to get everything ready for our main launch in September 2019, as well as planning and executing our first projects designed to “make the world work better.”

In the meantime, please keep an eye on our interim site for further information and downloads.

We look forward very much to welcoming you home to the Good Country next week.

With our warmest regards,

Simon and Madeline

 

National Suicide Prevention Week:

National Suicide Prevention Week
September 9-15, 2018

World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10, 2018

If your life has been touched by suicide, we are sorry for your pain.

If you or a loved one has ever contemplated suicide, please know that you are not alone.  We hope the six strategies below will be a reminder of the supports available around you and within you.

1.  Please Get Help as Soon as Possible
If you are experiencing suicidal ideations, please reach out to someone (including a mental health professional) as soon as possible.  Sometimes those that you reach out to won’t know how to support you in the way that you need, so you might have to figure that out together and/or reach out to a few different people.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is available 24 hours a day.  If you get someone on the line you are not comfortable talking with, ask if you can speak to someone else.

2.  Create an Action Plan to Stay Alive

Create a realistic list of action items that you can follow in case the ideations intensify, and keep it readily accessible at all times.  Your list may include a few people you can try calling right away, a few places you can go where you can stay safe, and specific things you can do to try to deescalate the ideations.

Call 911 immediately if you are about to act on your suicidal ideations.
3.  Sustain Your Strength
Suicidal ideations can grow stronger when you don’t have the energy to counter them.  Even if you don’t want to eat, it’s crucial to give your brain and your body a consistent stream of nutrients found in fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy high-protein foods.  Practice eating mindfully and adjust your diet to what helps you feel better and gives you the most energy.

4.  Shift Your Mood with Your Body and Breath
Our body language reflects our mood, and the way we breathe reflects our emotions.  If your posture is slumped, sit or stand tall in a way to remind you of your strength.  If your breath is shallow, breathe in and out deeply to increase energy and mental clarity.

Try this Dynamic Mindfulness Practice to increase your vitality with the movement and breath:

 

5.  Give Yourself a Break by Disrupting Rumination
The overwhelming emotions and thoughts that accompany ideations can feel unbearably intense and relentless.  Give yourself a mental break by going outside for a stroll, even for a few minutes, and every time you see something beautiful or uplifting, take three deep breaths as you take in the moment.

You can also try this simple Dynamic Mindfulness Practice:

6.  Begin to See Yourself in a New Light
When experiencing ideations, our view of ourselves can become distorted.  As you engage in practices that nurture self-awareness, you can reframe the words you use to describe your experience so that you are not defined by your emotions.  Some possibilities for reframing include:

Please share this E-mail with anyone that could benefit from the strategies above.

May we always remember to see the inherent goodness and infinite strength in ourselves and each other.

With Care,

Rosalind Lwin
Training Director

If you would like to receive future Niroga Institute E-mails containing resources and learning opportunities, you can sign up here.

Empathy + Equity + Empowerment

Over the past 13 years, Niroga Institute has directly served 60,000 students in K-12 schools, and trained 12,000 educators from across the US in Dynamic Mindfulness, who have brought it to an additional 500,000 students. 
Join this community of leaders and build a movement.

 

Happy International Literacy Day!

Happy International Literacy Day!!!

Please join us as we celebrate the joy
and importance of literacy in the world and locally.

The San Diego Council on Literacy unites the community to
support literacy through advocacy, partnerships, coordination, and resources.
We represent a network of 27 literacy program partners
that annually serve 179,000 residents of all ages, at no cost.

If you are local…
Annual Global Empowerment Summit- Oct 6^th
Through the Annual Global Empowerment Summit, we hope to motivate and mobilize local and global change makers and utilize existing mechanisms to sensitize and create awareness for critical social issues, such as human trafficking. We believe involved people working together on issues of common concern can find pathways for change, build better caring and sustainable
communities, and inform our youth, women, and girls, enabling them to take positive action on societal issues.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-global-empowerment-summit-time-to-rise-tickets-48455209837

Pre-Summit Workshops including one I am facilitating: “Man UP!”- Oct 5^th
No more by-standing, it’s time for trans-formation…Redefining the role of men in eliminating violence against women.
If you are ready to model a new level of what it means to be a real man, build efficacy and agency around this new role, and be a part of the solution to eliminating the pervasive social ills of sexual assault, sex trafficking and other forms of violence and exploitation, this workshop is designed to help you honor, envision, and embody a new mindset, heart set, and skillset.
https://pre-summitworkshopstime-to-rise.eventbrite.com/

Power In Purpose: Advancing The New World Of Commerce + Cause- Oct 11^th and 12^th
Collectively, we deliver an impactful conference experience that inspires and empowers organizations to implement strategies for purposeful communities, businesses and growth.
https://www.causesd.org/

$1,000 Nonprofit Marketing Scholarship Available:
The San Diego Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA San Diego) and Chamber of Purpose will award $1,000+ to a San Diego County college student who has demonstrated exemplary application of business and marketing practices to help a local, regional or national nonprofit organization that is a legally recognized, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. This act of service should be related to the 2018 conference theme:
http://sdama.org/events/2018-cause-conference/#scholarship

Thanks this week go to Marlaine C, Elizabeth D, the Niroga Institute, the San Diego Council on Literacy, A4E, Chamber of Purpose and Cause Conference Volunteers!

Take care of Yourself and please pay if forward!
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.”
-John W. Whitehead

This week:

Wanted: Optimists. Must enjoy challenges, appreciate possibilities and possess a deep belief in your ability to master a situation.
Hope for the future a must, and confidence in that hope a strong plus.
If your motto is “try, try again” and your glass is always half-full, you’re perfectly set to make the most of this — or any — opportunity.

How to Raise Optimistic Kids in Pessimistic Times:

• Pay More Attention to the Positive and Help Your Kids do the Same
• Change the Language You Use to Describe Current Events
• Moderate Your News Intake
• Involve Yourself in the Community
  http://time.com/5370788/raising-optimistic-kids-pessimistic-times/

How Sleep Affects Your Relationships, According to Science:
Three ways sleep impacts relationships—and how to gain the energy to fight back…
http://time.com/5348694/how-sleep-affects-relationships/

“Find Your Passion” is Bad Advice, Say Yale-NUS and Stanford Psychologists:
Your passion isn’t out there, waiting to be discovered. It’s not a mysterious force that will—when found—remove all obstacles from your path.
In fact, psychologists argue in a new study that the pithy mantra “find your passion” may be a dangerous distraction.
https://qz.com/1314088/find-your-passion-is-bad-advice-say-yale-and-stanford-psychologists/

 

Speaking of Involving Yourself in the Community, If You Are Local…

Purpose-Driven Philanthropy Friday Sept 14, 2018

NCPC presents 

Purpose-Driven Philanthropy with
Keynote Speaker Neville Billimoria

Join keynote speaker Neville Billimoria to explore ways we can think and act differently in our work together. Neville will lead an engaging luncheon discussion on purpose-driven philanthropy to complement our morning workshop.

Neville is an effective communications and values leader, growing organizations through external marketing, media, and sales effectiveness, as well as internal organizational alignment, corporate communications and leadership development.

He brings experience, energy and empowerment to his leadership role as SVP Membership/Marketing and Chief Advocacy Officer at Mission Federal Credit Union where he has accountability for a strategic array of crucial outward facing functions including marketing, community relations, corporate giving as well as promoting Mission Fed’s public image and brand.

Neville serves on several boards including; 2018 National Philanthropy Day Honorary Committee Chair, AMA Cause Conference 2018 Co-Chair, Conscious Leaders Collective & Conscious Capitalism Roundtable member, Real World Scholars Board member, Alliance 4 Empowerment Board member, Ackermann Foundation Board member as well as Oceanside Promise and Leadership Board/Advisor.

After graduating from UC San Diego, Neville remains involved on the UCSD Alumni Board Executive Committee, and teaching martial arts, yoga and meditation on campus for over 36 years. He is a frequent speaker on topics including brand as culture, purpose-driven leadership, social capital optimization and civic engagement.

Join Neville and NCPC to experience ways we can
keep purpose at the heart of our work!

Friday, September 14, 2018
Morning Registration: 9:30 a.m.
Workshop: 10:00 -11:30 a.m.
Luncheon Registration: 11:30 a.m.
Luncheon: 12:00 Noon – 1:30 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO PAY ONLINE

Morning Workshop: $25 for members | $35 non-members
Luncheon: $35 for members | $45 for non-members

Attend both sessions at a discounted rate!
$55 for members | $75 for non-members

Please note space is limited for Workshop – REGISTER EARLY!

Contact: Sandra@ncphilanthropy.org or 760-729-6711 with any questions.

Location: Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa
(formerly Sheraton)
5480 Grand Pacific Dr., Carlsbad 92008

 

The Third Global Empowerment Summit 2018 “Time to Rise!” Saturday October 6, 2018:

Time: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Location: UCSD – Atkinson Hall (Voigt Drive & Engineer Lane)
This free, public event at UC San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute will include several prominent local speakers, global presenters from the United Nations and the World Bank, and survivors of abuse and trafficking who have risen above their adversity. The speakers will share their knowledge of social issues with global impact, such as human trafficking, and explore topics such as the power of collaboration, human triumph, and transformational leadership to solve societal problems.

There will be a vendor fair and international food catered by refugees, immigrants and survivors from different countries who now call San Diego home.

The most significant impact of the two previous Global Empowerment Summits has been the large-scale mobilization of local and global change makers. We believe dedicated people working together on issues of common concern can find pathways to change and build better, more caring and sustainable communities This creates a compassionate foundation from which we can build a better world. When we collaborate, we build bridges. The day’s events will encourage cross-cultural understanding, instill a strong sense of dignity and acceptance, promote problem solving, open doors to economic opportunity, and foster healthy growth within for all those involved.

Please join us! Together we can change the world!

Registration is free at:
www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-global-empowerment-summit-time-to-rise-tickets-48455209837

Note: I am also conducting a workshop on Friday Oct 5^th

It’s Time to “Man UP!” No more by-standing, it’s time for trans-formation…Redefining the role of men in eliminating violence against women.

Presenter: Neville Billimoria

Location: Atkinson Hall, Room TBA

Date/Time: October 5th, 1PM to 3PM

If you are ready to model a new level of what it means to be a real man, build efficacy and agency around this new role, and be a part of the solution to eliminating the pervasive social ills of sexual assault, sex trafficking and other forms of violence and exploitation, this workshop is designed to help you honor, envision, and embody a new mindset, heart set, and skillset.

This workshop is dedicated to the approximately 1.7MM homeless youth who are forced to leave their homes each year due to violence, abuse or neglect, where it is estimated that 38,600 are sexually assaulted, in the company of someone known to be sexually abusive or are engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money, food or shelter, and to the 425,000 youth who are victims of trafficking or feel the need to trade sex for food, money or a place to stay every year..

Registration is free at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pre-summit-global-empowerment-time-to-rise-workshops-october-5th-2018-tickets-49351014212

Please register if you plan to attend, and help us by spreading the word among your friends, your network and community. Thanks!

Warm Regards,
Naila Chowdhury & Feroza Ardeshir

alliance4empowerment.net

Thanks this week go to Peter D, Marlaine C, & A4E!

Please Pay it Forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”