“Life is not how to survive the storm, but rather how to dance in the rain”.

This quote was attached to an email I received at work this morning and it got me thinking. In America’s current rough, stormy, unstable economy, just about everyone is feeling the pressures of the crashing market. Throughout the entire world, people watch their life savings drain away, hear about mass job layoffs, and wonder how things could ever get better. In times like these, as they have in the past, the population’s reaction is to panic – sending things into an even deeper mess than before. We tend to react rather than respond and reading, hearing and watching the news it doesn’t take a genius to see why. Every day we read about some other bank that had to close its doors, another huge layoff of thousands in a market where jobs are already scarce. Depression and panic sink in and everyone scrambles to get their share of the pie before it’s completely dissipated.

Studies have shown that focusing on positive, optimistic thoughts or activities – something encouraging and uplifting – has a dramatic effect on our lives. Even more so does the act of giving to another person – thus, the ROAK (Random Act Of Kindness) movement. “Surviving the storm” is simply sitting back, watching tragic events unfold and stew in our worry and depression while we wait for things to get better. “Dancing in the rain” means getting up and finding the ray of sunshine in the clouds; searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, finding a beautiful flower in a field of decay and death.

To encourage my customers, readers, friends and family to spread the cheer, learn to dance in the rain, and help bring a smile to others’ faces, I would like to pose a challenge, and a contest of sorts.

For the months of October and November I would like you to do something for at least one person – if not a handful of people – to encourage and uplift them. It can be anything from baking some cookies, or sending a card, a phone call, buying a cup of coffee, a book, something that reminds you of them, or something completely random, childish and fun. The woman who writes the columns for my daily book club sends out “fun packages” filled with bubbles, silly glasses, streamers and other fun, cheesy toys to book club readers every couple of months.

I would like you to refrain from simply emailing someone. The things that will spread the most cheer are those that are tangible, not an email you can do in your spare time while watching a movie or cooking dinner, but something that forces you to sacrifice something of yourself and shows the person you were really thinking of them and that they truly are special.

If you commit to doing this, please email (carrielascano@gmail.com) me with your name and mailing address – and tell me your act of kindness or encouragement, whom the recipient was (you don’t have to tell me their names, just how you know them (i.e. coworker, friend, a transient on the street, family member, etc). In return for your act of kindness I will either off you a coupon on my etsy site, or send you your own special surprise. In your email, please let me know which you would prefer.

With everything going on in the world, nation and economy right now, don’t simply survive the storm and fear the future. But dance in the rain by celebrating life and others’ lives by impacting their world in a positive way.

Thanks for reading with me!

These are some cute, sparkly birthday cards I made this weekend too – they are posted for sale on my etsy site (www.L7designs.etsy.com)