Happy Soul Food Friday!

It is National School Counseling Week!
“School Counseling: Helping Students Realize Their Potential,” is celebrated from Feb. 6-10, 2017 to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Thanks for all you do outside of the classroom helping us with our psycho-social, whole-person skills!

The United Traits of America: What traits ultimately define us as a country and as humans beyond just red and blue states?
What have we really learned in school and life?
This vid might spark a response
Stand for something, or fall for anything!

Love Has No Labels:
My heart doesn’t see race, gender, religion- just your soul…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnDgZuGIhHs

Rethink Bias
We are all created equal…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWDZCVejcZQ

Creating a Personalized Connection with EVERY Student:
This Fifth grade English teacher in North Carolina has an elaborate, personalized handshake with every one of his students, inspired by their personality, “that brings them excitement and pumps them up for a high-energy class.” http://abcn.ws/2kiaieL
https://www.facebook.com/groups/parenting2.0/permalink/10154341086038061/

What if Money Does Buy You Happiness?

How to Get as Much as You Give (#447)

WHAT IF . . . Money actually really does buy happiness?  It does, but not in the way you might think!  RESEARCH SAYS: Charitable giving is scientifically proven to benefit the giver as much as the receiver. It works just like a positive feedback loop: giving makes people happier, and happier people give more. And it’s not just about money. Anytime you give—whether it’s your time, your affection, or your creative resources—your brain rewards you with a shot of feel-good hormones, and a bright new outlook on life and love.

TRY THIS: Think about what your greatest talent is. Do you excel at a particular skill—creative, athletic, mental, relational? Identify a person or group who could really use the resource you have to give. Give it and tell us how you feel and what you learned. Read Will’s latest leadership/career blog post: Three Super Bowl Life Lessons for All of Us

“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life!” – Henry David Thoreau

If you are local-
Do You Vote with Your Feet and Frequent Organizations that Align with Your Values?

The sunshine is calling and so are your friends!

Earn $40 each when you Refer a Friend to Mission Fed

Sharing is caring

Be sure to tell all of your friends and family members about this great offer, and have them bring the coupon from our website with them when they visit the branch. There’s no limit to how many people you can refer!

Start your savings with a splash—tell your friends to open an account by March 31, 2017!

Plus, we’re giving back $1 Million to our members in 2017 with Mission Fed Money Match. Are you next?  Visit MissionFed.com/Refer-A-Friend for Full Rules.

Thanks this week go to Mehrad N and the Conscious Leader Collective, Trish H and the SDSU Ed team, Julia N & Marlaine C and the Parenting 2.0 team, Will M, the Mission Fed team, school counselors everywhere, and all you soul-filled people making our world better!

 Pay it forward
Love,
Neville

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

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”— Benjamin Franklin

This week:
Globally:
For those precious few who prioritize understanding over brevity, this heady piece wherever you stand politically is a wakeup call that we sure ain’t in Kansas anymore Toto…

Anti-Globalist Conflict? This is Not Ordinary Politics!
We are clearly going through a phase change in the global political situation as evidenced by Brexit, other nationalistic sentiments and most close to home with the “Trump Insurgency”.
Viewed through the lenses of Communications Infrastructure, the Deep State, Globalism, the New Culture War, & Collective Intelligence we find ourselves in the middle of an existential conflict between two entirely different and incompatible ways of sensemaking. Note: If you don’t have the time to go through the whole piece, do scroll to The War for Collective Intelligence section…
PDF Copy: situational-assessment-2017-trump-edition-deep-code-medium

Locally:

Mission Fed TV Commercial Debuts During Fox 5 Super Bowl Pre-game on Sunday Feb. 5
While football fans all over San Diego are getting ready for the big game, they’ll be treated to a new Mission Fed commercial during the pre-game coverage. This new commercial asks people all over town, “What matters to you most in a bank?” and shows how they can find what they need at Mission Fed!

Watch for us during these pre-game shows:
7-9am Fox 5 Morning News Super Bowl Special
9-10am Road to the Super Bowl
3-3:30pm Super Bowl Pre-Kick
Your Success is Our Bottom Line

Personally acting Locally and Globally:
In the past week, I was privileged to be on the inaugural Real Talk San Diego 2-1-1 show and Facebook live, keeping our attention on creating a community based on courage, compassion and connection. 2-1-1 plays an integral role in our community connecting real people with real help. Enjoy!

Masterpieces of the Human Spirit: Enjoy Some of the Most Beautiful Churches in the World!
What is your Fav?

The most beautiful churches around the world ~Some of them took over 500 years to build.

The neo-Gothic Las Laras Sanctuary sits perched on a bridge spanning a deep river gorge in southern Colombia — one of South America’s most dramatic churches. 34 years to construct

Notre-Dame Basillica of Montreal

Barcelona’s and Antoni Gaudi’s, LaSagrada Familia Construction commenced in 1882. Estimated completion date: 2026 144 years

The soaring pillars and rainbow-hued stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia’s interior.

Asis Church, Taos, N.M.

Cadet Chapel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The 150-foot tall Cadet Chapel……17 spires.

Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, AZ.

Borgund Stave Church, Norway

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Washington Island, Wis.

Duomo in Milan
Construction commenced 1386
Completed 1965 579 years

Greek island of Santorini

St. Vinzenz Church, Heiligenblut, Austria.

Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome

Interior of Saint Peter’s.

St. Michaels Cathedral, Kiev, Ukraine

Cathedral-Basilica, New Orleans.

Church of Assumption, Bled Lake, Slovenia

Church of Our Savior, St. Petersburg, Russia.

St. Peter’s interior.

Chapel of the Rock, Estes Park, Colo.

Heddal Stave Church, Norway

St. Bartholoma, Lake Konigssee, Germany

Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady Aparecida, Brasilia,Brazil.

Brasilia’s interior.

St. Basil’s, Moscow, Russia.

Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, Dinant, Belgium

Lutheran Church of Hallgrimur, also known as Hallgrimskirkia, Iceland

Chapel of Thanksgiving in Dallas, TX.

Our Lady of Covadonga Cathedral, Spain.

Salisbury Cathedral, Britain Construction: 1220 – 1320

Yosemite Valley Chapel, Yosemite National Park.

Nuestra Nenora de Gracia, Cuenca, Spain

Stowe Community Church, Stowe, Vermont

Santuario Dom Bosco, Brasilia, Brazil

Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, San Diego, CA.

Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, Canela, Brazil.

St. Charles Cathedral, Vienna

pogost , or enclosure, of Kizhi in the Russian autonomous region of Karelia dates back to the 18th century and includes two wooden churches — one with 22 wooden domes — and a wooden clock tower.”
The UNESCO-listed pogost, Kizhi, Russia.

Crystal Cathedral, Grove, CA.

Sacre-Coeur Basilica, Paris

Church of Panagia Paraportiani, Island of Mykonos

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow, Russia.

Basilica of the National Vow, Quito, Ecuador

Church of Dmitry on Blood, Uglich, Russia.

Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ, Shipka, Bulgaria.

Notre-Dame-du-Huat, France.

Notre-Dame-du-Huat Interior.

Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe, Puy-en-Velay, France

Thanks this week go to Karina L, Cliff P & Jordan G, Robin M, Donna H, Terri M & the Mission Fed marketing team, John O @ 2-1-1,  and to Cathy S & Meg M for keeping Soul Food Flying!

Pay it forward
Love,
Neville

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

“The champion wins first, then walks into the arena.

Everybody else walks into the arena and then tries to figure out what to do.”— Jim Fannin

We have much to learn from within,
but it is easy to get lost in the labyrinth
of the inner life.

We have much to learn from others,
but it is easy to get lost in the
confusion of the crowd.

“There was a time when farmers on the Great Plains, at the first sign of a blizzard, would run a rope from the back door out to the barn…
Today we live in a blizzard of another sort. It swirls around us as economic injustice, ecological ruin, physical and spiritual violence, and their inevitable outcome, war. It swirls within us as a fear and frenzy, greed and deceit, and indifference to the suffering of others.
We all know stories of people who have wandered off into this madness and been separated from their own souls, losing their moral bearings and even their mortal lives: they make headlines because they take so many innocents down with them”—Parker Palmer

One way out- or back as the case may be- is to reconnect with our soul (hence my commitment to Soul Food Friday’s for over half a decade)

This week:
An Inspirational vid about the Power of One Person to make a Difference
Responding with Soul to the Blizzard of the World with our Hidden Wholeness
The Paradox a poignant poem by Sarah Kay

Don’t think one person matters?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPeeZ6viNgY

The Blizzard of the World
“The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold
              and it has overturned the order of the soul.” – Leonard Cohen

Esteemed singer, songwriter, musician, poet, novelist, painter and artist of life, Leonard Cohen passed away in November of last year
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen

Those of us that care can be healers in a wounded world.
Our fastidiousness for living a moral code with integrity (the state or quality of being entire, complete and unbroken) is a testimony to the power and relevance of the time-worn wisdom traditions and our opportunity to contribute to a better world.

In the martial arts we tie our uniforms with belts, and even this tradition every time we “train” reminds us to pay attention: “are we the same person on the inside as we seem to be on the outside?”
Both ways of tying the belt; whether the inside and outside are unified at the knot at your center, or the alternative way that actually creates a Mobius strip where there is no inside or outside but they both keep co-creating each other, remind us of our yearning to be “centered”.

All the great spiritual traditions want to awaken us to the fact that we co-create the reality in which we live…

We have much to learn from within, but it is easy to get lost in the labyrinth of the inner life.
We have much to learn from others, but it is easy to get lost in the confusion of the crowd.

If you are genuinely interested in understanding the paradox of both honoring your inner teacher, never living apart from one’s self, and at the same time never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other, then you need to create circles of trust in your ecosystem.

If this resonates, you might enjoy A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life by Parker Palmer
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Wholeness-Journey-Toward-Undivided/dp/0470453761

 

The Paradox by Sarah Kay

When I am inside writing,
all I can think about is how I should be outside living.

When I am outside living,
all I can do is notice all there is to write about.

When I read about love, I think I should be out loving.
When I love, I think I need to read more.

I am stumbling in pursuit of grace,
I hunt patience with a vengeance.

On the mornings when my brother’s tired muscles
held to the pillow, my father used to tell him,

For every moment you aren’t playing basketball,
someone else is on the court practicing.

I spend most of my time wondering
if I should be somewhere else.

So I have learned to shape the words thank you
with my first breath each morning, my last breath every night.

When the last breath comes, at least I will know I was thankful
for all the places I was so sure I was not supposed to be.

All those places I made it to,
all the loves I held, all the words I wrote.

And even if it is just for one moment,
I will be exactly where I am supposed to be.

Thanks this week goes to the  Eric K & the Conscious Leader Collective for the introduction to Parker Palmer’s wisdom, Kurt C for the sublime poem and the GameChangers team for the inspirational vid.

Pay it Forward!
Blessings & Hallelujah!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q

Love,
Neville

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

“Afraid that our inner light will be extinguished or our inner darkness exposed, we hide our true identities from each other. In the process, we become separated from our own souls. We end up living divided lives, so far removed from the truth we hold within that we cannot know the “integrity that comes from being what you are.” –Parker Palmer

This week:

• Rather than lamenting those that did in the past, or those that might in the future, could YOU be the person this world has been waiting for right now?
  • 4 Truths to Unleash the Creative Genius Within You

• The Politics of Social Change:

• How can I create some measurable social value for the people that I’m trying to help?”
  • 4 Evidence-Based Principles for Creating Measurable Social Value:

• 10 Illustrations that show just how much the internet has changed our lives:

Could YOU be the Person this World has been Waiting for?
4 Truths to Unleash the Creative Genius Within You from the 4th Annual Artie Awards Presentation – 2017 Mission Fed ArtWalk & Featured Artist Reveal
This week I had the opportunity once again on behalf of Mission Fed to co-host the Artie Awards at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego along with Kristen Cusato, former KUSI anchor, now at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Here are the remarks that seemed to resonate for the crowd and avid supporters of arts and culture in San Diego and might resonate for the “heartist” in you…

Happy New Year 2017 me (He)arties!
It’s another run around the sun & this one year finds us sandwiched between MLK Day and the Inauguration of a New President with significant implications for our country and the planet. Maybe closer to home and our own personal canvas, maybe we have new aspirations for ourselves?

“You can judge an artist by the size of the problem s/he tackles. While other people cope with the waves, it’s their job to watch the tide.” (Anthony Jay).

Along with this interesting sociological sandwich (MLK & Trump), San Diego has just experienced a unique alignment of sun, moon and earth to create a King Tide and today, I hope we can both understand and ride that King tide.

Don’t doubt that “One individual can begin a movement that turns the tide of history. Martin Luther King in the civil rights movement, Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi in India, & Nelson Mandela in South Africa are great examples of people standing up with courage, compassion and connection to bring about needed changes.” (Jack Canfield)

But could that individual also be you?

Could you be the person this world has been waiting for?

When we create distance between the Kings, the Gandhis, the Mandelas and Mother Theresas. Or the Da Vincis, Picassos, Rembrandts, and Van Goghs and when we put these great ones and others like them on a pedestal, do we preclude our own greatness and our own creative spirit from manifesting?

What world view and what view of ourselves do we hold near and dear? What are the implications of these beliefs for our own activation? And what do these mindsets mean for our future- personally, professionally, globally?

Artists are critical to our future, helping us see differently and they use creativity to shape the innovation economy. Their desire to improve the human condition and see beauty or wonder or possibility is universal.

Today, we walked around and asked people to self-report as risk takers then invited them up to create art with us in the first person.

Why? To give both you and them an embodied experience…

We all value creativity & innovation yet often fail to understand the sequencing of competencies that go into fostering innovation- which is both a process and an outcome (in other words both how you do something and what you get from that something) Innovation cannot occur without a culture that embraces Risk taking.

Fear of risk taking and fear of failure prohibit innovation, yet most of us are spit scared of expressing our creative selves!

Risk taking can only happen in a highly collaborative culture. Even the sole creator needs an ecosystem to ensure their success- those that taught them their craft, those that provide feedback along the way, those that help promote it, those that choose to buy it or otherwise support or sponsor the artist and those that emulate them to launch their own body of work.

And most important of all, a collaborative culture will NOT manifest without the core value of trust at its base.

Trust begets Collaboration. Collaboration begets Risk Taking. Risk Taking begets Innovation.

Today we proudly celebrate our featured artists and this year’s winners of the Artie Awards. As amazing as each and every one of them are in their own right, they are also symbolic and representative of all of us that; practice our craft, take risks, create climates and cultures of collaboration and embody trust -and as a result make our world better.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support of ArtWalk, arts and culture in San Diego, and “voting with your pocketbook” by frequenting organizations that align with your values and support your community.

Mission Fed has been a proud sponsor of Artwalk for nearly a decade, and Mission Federal ArtWalk has become a mainstay in our community thanks to your heartistry!

Over time we will all experience the ebb and flow of the tides, and even the strongest among us will doubt ourselves…

For those of you that are faint of (he)art and even for those of you that are not, here are some closing words of encouragement to unleash that creative genius within you:

1. You matter! You are incredibly capable, creative, worthy, powerful and valuable. If your life script to this point has suggested otherwise, rewrite the damned script.
2. Trust deeply in your self-efficacy! YOU got this! The two things that really matter are your belief in yourself, and the systems belief that it can positively impact and bring out the best in each of us. Let’s ensure these are non-negotiables in San Diego as we behave into America’s finest city and America’s kindest region
3. Identify your unique creative strengths and design a life that capitalizes on them!
4. You don’t have to go this alone! Surround yourself with kindred spirits and fellow travelers that share the same values, aspirations and have got your back on this incredible journey as you have theirs. No one of us is as wise as all of us. (Remember: smart people think they know everything, intelligent people know they don’t know everything, and wise people realize how little they know)

 

In a world of coders, (he)artists serve as the de-coders and sense makers, seekers and shamans, mystics and madmen that with courage, compassion and connection hold the creative space and design the compelling model to unleash our people’s & planet’s greatest potential and possibility.

So back to the tides…

“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” — Kristin Armstrong &

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

And the Artie goes to…
YOU!

The Politics of Social Change:
Involved with a Nonprofit? Here is something that might benefit you on Wednesday January 25^th…

Dear Friend and Ally,
As we welcome in 2017, I find myself thinking about what lies ahead for our sector and the people it serves. Many nonprofit organizations will face a new set of challenges with the incoming administration. There will be shifts in policy and philanthropy that will make the fundraising landscape more competitive, and attention will be focused on organizations that stay in the hearts and minds of stakeholders.

Nonprofits will need to create strategies that address the pressing needs of those who will be affected, within the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency and beyond. While doing so, they will also require a new framework that clearly emphasizes the stakes of the moment, in order to protect and sustain progress.

Over the past few weeks, I have had a number of conversations with nonprofit leaders who have wanted direction about how to best navigate this new climate. I have decided to host a conference call this coming Wednesday, January 25th, from 1:30pm-2pm EST/10:30am-11am PST, to candidly discuss the challenges and opportunities organizations may face within our rapidly changing landscape.

It is my hope that the 30-minute call will help organizations assess how they can participate in the national narrative to be heard, amidst an unsettled and frenzied news and philanthropy landscape.

Since 2003, I have served as a trusted advisor to organizations around the country that are focused on social change. While much uncertainty lies ahead, I believe that my deep knowledge about the politics of social change, and mastery at advancing the efforts of nonprofits, will add value as you ponder next steps.

The political shift we are experiencing will have far-reaching effects on underserved and marginalized communities, requiring a greater urgency for organizations to be seen and heard by key decision makers. While nonprofit organizations have always been on the front lines of social change, in this new day, they will need to represent their mission in ways that are consistent with the current state of affairs.

To register for the call, please RSVP to Jennifer Lynn at jlynn@thewakemanagency.com. You will receive the access credentials for the call upon registration. 

I look forward to speaking with you on the call.

In solidarity,

Vanessa Wakeman
Chief Executive Officer
The Wakeman Agency 212-500-5953 x110
http://thewakemanagency.com/
New York – Silicon Valley

 

How can I create some measurable social value for the people that I’m trying to help?”
Four Evidence-Based Principles for Creating Measurable Social Value:
http://rescueagency.com/four-evidence-based-principles-for-creating-measurable-social-value/

On a Lighter Note…
10 Illustrations that Show Just How Much the Internet has Changed Our Lives:
https://brightside.me/creativity-art/10-illustrations-that-show-just-how-much-the-internet-has-changed-our-lives-190355/

Thanks this week go to the Mission Fed ArtWalk and Artie team, Vanessa W and the Wakeman Agency, Jeff J and Rescue, and Vinny R and team Aoinagi

Pay it forward. The time is now. YOU are the one we have been waiting for…
Love,
Neville

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

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King

This week here is a little push to help us enjoy the wisdom of the old, & the wisdom of youth, reminding us that there is wisdom everywhere!

Here is a nice start to your day:

Huston Smith:  The Arc of Life:
Huston Cummings Smith (May 31, 1919 – December 30, 2016) was a religious studies scholar in the United States. His book The World’s Religions, originally titled The Religions of Man, sold over two million copies, was translated into 12 languages, and is still one of the most widely used college textbooks on comparative religion. Smith believes the role of what he calls the world’s “wisdom traditions” is a simple one: to help us behave decently toward one another.. He died on December 30, 2016
https://youtu.be/4Peq5Gd2KMg

For more, check out this article on the World of Religion according to Huston Smith:
Smith has devoted his life to the study of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism. He believes in them all…
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1997/11/world-religion-according-huston-smith

NOW is the Time for Compassion:
Do you want to improve your life and the lives of those around you through compassion, self-compassion, and mindfulness? Do you want to join others in the quest to make our world a better place?

If you answered “yes” to either of those questions, we hope you’ll join our newest program and become a COMPASSION IT ADVOCATE.

We created the new COMPASSION IT ADVOCATE program to support you in creating a life filled with kindness and compassion.

How does it work? Once you sign up as a COMPASSION IT ADVOCATE, you’ll receive an email from me each month which contains a video lesson on compassion, a guided meditation, my favorite compassion-related resources, heart-warming stories about COMPASSION IT’s impact, special offers, and more.

Learn more and sign up today at http://compassionit.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=19b47ac39ed366b9316739186&id=0149e131a4&e=28d1ba074f.

With enthusiasm!
Sara Schairer
Founder & Exec. Dir.
COMPASSION IT
http://compassionit.com/

 

Thanks this week go to Peter D and the Conscious Leader Collective, Sean and John C, Sara S, & Larry H.

Please Pay it Forward!
Love,
Neville

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

“Love your enemies and you won’t have any…”

Happy First Soul Food Friday for 2017!

The Boarding on Flight 2017 has been announced……🎤

⛄Hope you have checked in only the best souvenirs from 2016 in your luggage…. 🎒💼👜📦

✂The bad and sad moments ⌛if carried, must be thrown away in the garbage on arrival …..✂

✈The flight will be 12 months long. ⛄↔
🔁So, loosen your seat belts, jingle and mingle. 💑
🚧The stop-overs will be :  ❤Health, 😍Love, 😃Joy,  😴 Harmony,  🙏Well-being and ✌🏻Peace….
⛽Refueling will be at 💓Giving, 💞Sharing and  💗Caring…..
👮🏻The Captain 💒(God or belief of your choosing) offers you the following menu which will be served during the flight…..✈
🍹A Cocktail of Friendship 👫👭
🌹A Supreme of Health 🌹
💰💴A Grating of Prosperity 💷 💶 💵
🍜A Bowl of Excellent News 📰🔛
🍎🍋🍒🍇🍉🍓🍌🍐A salad of Success🎰
🎂 🍰  A Cake of Happiness 💃🏻🎼🏆💝
👏🏻All accompanied by  bursts of laughter….😂
👉🏻But remember, you will enjoy these meals and the journey better if you talk 🌜🌛 share ⛄ smile 😊 and laugh😅 together….👯
🙊Sitting silent and sullen 😌 will make the flight seem longer⌚
💐Wishing you and your family 👪 an enjoyable trip on board of flight 2017…..

💥✨💫💃🏃👫💑👯❤💖💌💍☔⛄🌊🌈🌁🌴🌹🌷🍀

Before the Flight 2016 ends….
Allow me to Thank All  my Amazing  Friends Who Made 2016 Beautiful For me and my family
We Pray that you all be Blessed With an Awesome Year Ahead….
😘😍💝🎁🎊🎉🎈⛄

2016 Retrospective- The Year In Memes:

Memes are no longer slightly embarrassing internet in-jokes but essential and omnipresent expressions of culture. For every day in 2016, Select All has picked one meme that either originated, broke through, or reached its height on that date, and done its best to explain it. The result is a collection of the best memes of 2016 — the funniest, weirdest, most outrageous, and most viral objects. It’s also, for better or for worse, a portrait of our collective unconscious: the story of our attention, and the things that managed to hold it, even briefly, throughout the year.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1QGeoR/:1O02-f6wM:mSbL_q5X/nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/best-funny-memes-2016-harambe-arthur-dat-boi-joe-biden.html

20 Tips for a Positive New Year:

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.
2. Take a daily “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less foods manufactured in plants.
4. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself and feed your mind with words of truth and encouragement.
5. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed.” Gandhi said, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”
6. Be a great team member. When you help your team improve, you improve.
7. Don’t chase success. Decide to make a difference and build meaningful relationships and success will find you.
8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.
9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
10. You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great. Look for opportunities to Love, Serve and Care.
11. Live your purpose. Remember why you do what you do. We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.
12. There’s no such thing as an overnight success.  Anything worthwhile takes time to build.
13. Trust that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.
14. Implement the No Complaining Rule.  If you are complaining, you’re not leading.
15. Read more books than you did in 2016.
16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead live with love, passion and purpose and happiness will find you.
17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.
18. The next time you “fail” remember that it’s not meant to define you. It’s meant to refine you.
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

The Uncommon Decision That Will Make 2017 a Great Year:

Living your best life most likely requires you doing something extraordinary. Few of us maximize what’s possible by just doing what we’re already doing. The big breakthroughs; the big improvements come from making big decisions.

What is the big decision your life has been asking you to make? The clue to answer this question is to inquire of your deepest self “What have I settled for?”  Put another way, the question I most often asked my clients is “If nothing changes, what will your life be like a year from now, or two years from now, or five years from now?  Is that okay?”  If it is, nothing will change. If it isn’t okay then you’re in need of a big decision.

Big decisions are often risky. But safe decisions or no decisions at all will dull your mind and numb your heart. So how do you make big decisions without being reckless?

It’s simple. Every decision you make should be leading you toward the vision of the life you want to live. This isn’t as common as it sounds.  Many times we make decisions to avoid stress. Being clear on what you don’t want is much easier than being clear on what you do want.  But stress avoidance isn’t a vision.  And your personal vision is absolutely essential to your ultimate fulfillment and deep life satisfaction.

So what big decision would lead you to greater happiness, health, love, work and joy?  Do that.

Don’t be impulsive. Don’t be selfish. Be both brave and wise. Plan carefully. Prepare yourself and others who might be affected by your big decision for the worst that can happen . . . then act. Learn what’s working and what’s not.  Be flexible, but have the grit to sustain your direction. Unless you’re planning to skydive without lessons you can survive any setback . . . and you will have setbacks. All big decisions unleash some surprising consequences but nothing you can’t handle if you’re committed to your vision.

The best advice I ever received is to just start living the way you want to live.

That’s it . . . just start.

That’s what I am doing.

Gratitude- An Attitude AND A Practice- Why and How to be Thankful:

Gratitude is a foundational element of grit and of leadership. Gratitude means being thankful, showing appreciation and returning kindness. Gratitude counterbalances the urge to complain and blame and reinforces the reality of independence and accomplishment; when we feel grateful, we appreciate what’s already present in our lives, even as we strive for more. It strengthens engagement and empowerment. Be a leader whom people want to follow with the simple act of gratitude.  Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year… Enjoy the video and share your gratitude!

https://zc1.campaign-view.com/ua/viewinbrowser?od=11287eca4d432c&rd=1d1c09133dc5f7a&sd=1d1c09133dc005f&n=11699e4c37f4b4d&mrd=1d1c09133dc0053&m=1

 

Holiday Flashbacks:

8 of the Best British Christmas Video Ads of 2016:

You may not have seen these circulating on our side of the pond, but Christmas ads in the UK are a big deal. Top store brands pull out all the stops with major productions, heart-touching stories, and a pretty light touch on selling. Here are some of the top ones from 2016. What is your fav?
http://tubularinsights.com/best-british-christmas-video-ads/

If you want to keep that holiday cheer flowing, enjoy this rendition and keep sharing the love!
USAF Band WWII Holiday Throwback
<https://www.youtube.com/embed/khQN5ylb3H0?rel=0 > http://www.youtube.com/

 

How An Unexpected Friendship With A Wolf Transformed A Whole Town

Despite their incredible beauty and their obvious similarities with our considerably tamer canine companions, everyone knows not to play with wolves. So when wildlife photographer Nick Jans and his Labrador encountered a wild wolf behind their home, adrenaline started pumping through them both.

When the wolf approached the Labrador, Nick could only stand helplessly by and watch. But what he didn’t know then, on that cold winter day of 2003 was that that encounter was the beginning of a relationship that defied all logic – and fundamentally transformed an entire community. During the winter of 2003, a jet-black wolf showed up on the edge of suburban Juneau, Alaska. But this wolf didn’t bear his teeth and growl aggressively. Instead, it seemed to long for companionship. Wildlife photographer Nick Jans was on his back porch when he saw the wolf for the first time. Despite the danger, Nick’s Labrador went to meet the visitor.

Nick, who had photographed and tracked wolves for years, immediately knew that the wolf was wild. So he was shocked when his Labrador suddenly started to play with him. He hurriedly grabbed his camera, and began to capture the unexpected moment.

After a while, the wolf returned into the wilderness, but it wasn’t long before he returned. The wolf would come to Nick’s house to greet him often and sometimes it even followed Nick when the photographer went skiing. And the wolf was always gentle, says Nick.

“This wolf was downright relaxed and tolerant from the start, as if he had dropped out of the sky like a unicorn,” the photographer told National Geographic.

Years passed and Nick spent much time documenting the wolf. He eventually named the wolf Romeo. At first, many of the small town’s residents didn’t trust Romeo, but they soon realized that he was a wolf unlike any other.

Romeo soon became known by everyone in the area. People took their dogs to Mendenhall Glacier Park so their dogs could meet Romeo. There were never any serious incidents.

Not only did Romeo make plenty of dog friends in and around Juneau, he even sometimes interacted and played with humans.

“The wolf would bring out toys that he’d stashed. One was a Styrofoam float. Romeo would pick it up and bring it to [my friend] Harry to throw. He clearly understood the same sort of behaviors that we see in dogs,” Nick said.

“The amazing thing was Romeo’s understanding. It wasn’t just our understanding and tolerance. It was the combination of his and ours and the dogs. We were these three species working out how to get along harmoniously. And we did,” said Nick.

Romeo lived on the outskirts of Juneau for six years. He became an ambassador for nature and a powerful symbol for the entire community.

“He was a pure wild wolf. He was not a pet, as some suggested, that had been released, because then he would have been coming to us for food. He was his own gatekeeper and came and went as he pleased. Sometimes he disappeared for weeks. He clearly was catching and eating wild food with great skill,” explained Nick.

After six years, Romeo’s time in the community ended. He passed away in 2010, but residents will never forget how he transformed the village. “The average life span of a wolf in the wild is three years. Romeo was already full grown when he showed up, and then he lived among us for six-plus more years. So he was at least eight years old at the time of his death,” Nick says.

Shortly after Romeo passed away, the city of Juneau commemorated the wolf, creating a special plaque to honor him. The plaque is installed by the lake he used to frequent.  What a beautiful touch!

That three such different species were able to live alongside peacefully and in complete harmony is so inspiring. It really shows you how wonderful the world and nature can be!

If you are local…
Consider the Epic Mastermind Experience Jan 13^th and 14^th to kick off 2017 with some verve!
http://www.epicmastermindexperience.com/

Thanks this week go to Emily D, Larry H, Will M, Erik K, & Robin M
HNY 2017 and please pay it forward…

Love,
Neville

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

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King

Happy Final Soul Food Friday for 2016!

This week:

The World’s Countries Swapped According to Their Population:
This should trip you out…
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/9IOoyk/:q+.usbTN:p3AU01CK/mentalfloss.com/article/88695/worlds-countries-swapped-according-their-population

15 Sayings from Around the World that are Sure to Refresh Your Vocabulary:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/4SSRdY/:1B88y$vVI:fjSIwZj5/www.upworthy.com/15-sayings-from-around-the-world-that-are-sure-to-refresh-your-vocabulary

 

THE MANY ROADS OF LIFE AND A FEW WORDS OF WISDOM..

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD:

 

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats..
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always Catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food..
6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair..
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandma’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jello to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3) Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD:
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:
At age   4 success is . . . . Not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . . Having friends.
At age 17 success is . . . . Having a driver’s license.
At age 35 success is . . . . Having money.
At age 50 success is . . . . Having money.
At age 70 success is . . . . Having a driver’s license.
At age 75 success is . . . . Having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . . Not piddling in your pants.

Thanks to all that contributed, benefited and practiced soul-filled living in 2016.
Happy New Year!

Love,
Neville

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

“LOVE is our Soul Purpose”

This week:

Are we entering the Post Truth Era?
The Post-Truth Era is Just What Nietzsche Predicted…
http://theconversation.com/the-post-truth-era-of-trump-is-just-what-nietzsche-predicted-69093

Some People are Born on Third Base, and Think They Hit a Triple!
Meet the Guy Corralling Billionaires to Fight Inequality:
This author discusses growing up in the 1 percent, and his unusual approach to fighting economic inequality…
http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/meet-the-guy-corralling-billionaires-to-fight-inequality-20161205?utm_source=YTW&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20161209

Reconciliation is the Reason for the Season
How do we transform conflict into cooperation?
Is it possible to bridge the gap between rich and poor?
After a horrible hate crime, how do you not hate back?
This radio hour will remind us of our humanity…
http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/

Returning Kindness Continues:
The giving continues with free food and drinks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-H1JGADRTs&feature=youtu.be

Mission Fed Community Moments
This new edition of Mission Possible is filled with the people and programs that are part of Mission Fed’s community engagement.

200,000 Member Milestone Means “Return Kindness.” The perfect way to spread our attitude of gratitude for reaching our 200,000 member milestone was through our Return Kindness program. In the spirit of giving, our Community Relations Team set good examples all over San Diego County by surprising people at coffee shops, stores, restaurants and other venues and paying for their purchases. Via TV, radio spots and social media, we shared these stories and encouraged all San Diegans to return kindness to someone else as part of our ongoing efforts to make San Diego not just America’s Finest City, but “America’s Kindest Region.” Thank you for your loyal membership and continued support throughout 2016.

Through their BBB Torch Awards, the Better Business Bureau^® of San Diego, Orange and Imperial Counties honors local businesses that demonstrate the highest ethical and customer service standards and community involvement. Mission Fed was proud to be not only a BBB accredited and A+ rated business, 2015 winner of the BBB Torch Award for Ethics, category 250-499 employees, but also served as a sponsor at the 2016 awards. We’re committed to providing ethical business practices for members and our community.

These Community Moments are just some of the ways that we give back to our membership and San Diego—and your continued loyalty makes that Mission Possible.

 

Photos that need no words or comment just reflection…

After reading this, please stop  for a moment and hold some space for those in harm’s way all  around the world…  

Thanks this week goes to Ron M,  Larry H, TED, Equity Designers, and Peaceful Warriors Everywhere!

Pay it forward
Love,
Neville

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

 

“Mission Bells Ring, Are You Listening?”

This week:
The Bystander Effect and its Opposite, The Helper Effect
If you think one person’s decisions and actions don’t matter, this will change your mind!

The first vid is instructive in understanding the Bystander effect, & the TED talk that follows discusses that and then goes beyond to the Helper Effect.
It’s uplifting to remember that there is good in human nature, and how personal leadership can prevail, releasing the good over the bad in people.

The Bystander Effect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSsPfbup0ac
and The Helper Effect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufs8cKyzLvg

What’s Your Social Purpose? Here is a KUSI TV clip featuring our social purpose work in this community
Mission Fed and yours truly start around the 7:30 mark, ending at around 14:30, so if you just have 7 minutes you might care to check it out…
http://www.kusi.com/story/33918285/san-diego-people-celebrating-philanthropy-by-giving-back-to-the-community

A stranger walks into a school and pays off all overdue lunch balances…
What a great idea!
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/09/health/iyw-secret-santa-school-lunch-trnd/index.html

Advertising Sells Peace Not Products:
A refreshing twist on the power of authentic communications to transform lives and shift fear and terror to prosocial behaviors
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-colombia-advertising-to-sell-peace-not-products/
The 60 minute story…
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/benjamin-netanyahu-the-new-colombia-lost/
starts at 14:50 into the video

If you are local…
Work for a Nonprofit?
Mind Answering this short 8 question survey to help move the needle on the social sector?
Small or large,  nonprofit directors and support staff/volunteers. This will further research for a master’s program!
Simply click this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CKHDMJ6,
Thx so much!!

Thanks this week go to Ruben H, Ron A, Cyrus B, & Shannon Mc!
Peace on earth, good will towards all, and please pay it forward…
Love,
Neville

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

“To live is the rarest thing in the world.
Most people exist, that is all.”– Oscar Wilde

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

A Cartoon that will Touch Your Heart:
An experience that reminds us that journeys are short, can change a life, and possibly did yours too…
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/plane

Returning Kindness Continues:
Let’s pay it forward 200,000 times…
https://youtu.be/KRoU7rT0x7o

Practicing Random Acts of Kindness for the month of  December Calendar:
This will make it easy and fun!

Happy Pictures to Brighten Your Week:

There’s so much bad stuff going on in our world today,
we need to periodically stop,
take a deep breath & consider what’s truly important & then

smile!!!

Thanks this week go to Elaine T, the Kindness team, Leora L, Larry H and You for reading and living a soul-filled life!

Pay it forward…
Love,
Neville

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

“Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop.”
— Usman B. Asif