Embracing a Gratitude Attitude

Read the P.S. to learn how to finish all of your holiday shopping with the click of a mouse!

Whilst flying back from California, I had the great good fortune to sit next to Rick Foster, author of How We Choose To Be Happy. He had just gotten the final proofs back for his latest book, Choosing Brilliant Health and I was honored to read it! Naturally, I shared the manuscript for my book, Soaringwords the Power to Heal: Ten Secrets to Conquer Life’s Pain and Obstacles with him. So there we sat, side by side, reading, talking, sharing stories and making a profound connection. It was a synchronistic experience. Rick always flies business class but decided to sit in coach in order to enjoy the empty seat next to him. Since I had gotten to the airport thirty minutes early, I was able to catch an earlier flight back to New York, snagging the empty seat next to Rick. By the end of the flight, Rick had agreed to write a sidebar for my book and to be interviewed on the Soaringwords Internet show on PalTalk which will be debut in Jan, 2008.

This month is all about embracing a gratitude attitude. Isn’t every month all about gratitude, when you really think about it?

Earlier this month, I was cheering on my dad, Charlie Honig, who volunteers at the NYC Marathon. I spent about three hours rooting for the runners as they entered Central Park at mile 24. A couple of weeks later, I was invited to meet with a running team to share Soaringwords’ hands-on team building physical fitness activities. We hope to announce a new collaboration with a racing club as part of Soaringwords’ anti-obesity initiative. Obesity is a trigger for many childhood illnesses and a lifetime of poor health. That’s why we’ve been sharing Soaringwords dance jams as part of the hands-on volunteer experiences with school children nationwide. There are opportunities for you to be a coach and train inner-city kids for the 5K. Co-workers, friends and students of all ages are invited to create a 5K team and also to join us in training for the NYC Marathon. I will be running to raise awareness and funds for the Soaringwords Hospital Outreach programs.

Photo: My dad, Charlie Honig, volunteering at the NYC Marathon

Speaking of someone who is always on the go, Dr. Margo Brilliant, an orthodontist in Aventura, Florida purchased SoaringQuilts® and SoaringPillows® to share with her patients and their families while they visited her office. The quilts and pillows went like hotcakes in the first week. In fact, several of Dr. B’s patients are hosting SoaringCelebrations with their children, their schools, their synagogues and church groups. Other orthodontists heard about the initiative and have started sharing the quilts and pillows with their patients too. Get in on the fun, share Soaringwords with your favorite doctors, schools, book groups or company volunteer programs today. In fact, we’ll be donating quilts and pillows to children at Miami Children’s Hospital on December 27. (Check out the calendar for more details and to RSVP).

This month, we led Soaringwords events at Ogilvy & Mather’s Corporate Service Day where we shared quilts and pillows with 75 employees.

Photo: Ogilvy & Mather’s employees

At the UJA Healing Conference, Soaringwords met many educators, youth group leaders, social service providers and religious leaders. Katie Hartman led a Soaringwords community service project at Temple Emanu-El. Kim Shechtman, a patient of Dr. Brilliant's threw a Soaringwords holiday party for all of her family and friends. Below (right) her gorgeous kids proud of their quilts and pillows.

Photo: Left-Students at Trinity Middle School. Right-Kim Shechtman's holiday party

We have moved the Soaringwords New Orleans Healing Mission to March 2008. Click here to get more information and sign up. Watch video footage and read testimonials from last years New Orleans Mission. One of the magical parts of the New Orleans experience will be mentoring thousands of New Orleans children -- at their schools and in the local hospitals -- to inspire them to “Never give up!” There will be a special awards celebration for all volunteers, working with children from the community, and fun activities in New Orleans. We’ve created a strategic alliance with JDate, one of the largest online dating services. If you know any terrific singles, please invite them to check out the Soaringwords New Orleans Healing Mission… a great way to meet new people, and enjoy some wonderful community service to inspire ill children to “Never give up!”

Special thanks to Goldman Sachs for hosting the Capacity-building Academy for Non-Profit partners. We attended all-day workshops and are looking for people who are interested in joining the Soaringwords Board of Directors. Please send me an email and I can send you the Board cultivation document.

Congratulations to Andy Berndt, Managing Director of new "Creative Lab", on being inducted into the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Achievement. I was in the “special Andy cheering section” at the awards luncheon.

Wishing you strength and soaringwords.

Much love,

Lisa Honig Buksbaum, CEO & Founder, Soaringwords

PS. Give someone a meaningful gift this holiday season. Purchase SoaringQuilts® and SoaringPillows® decorate them with messages and artwork to donate to hospitalized children. Give someone special a SoaringScarf® or SoaringTie®. 100% of proceeds will support Soaringwords Hospital Outreach Programs. Click here to start shopping.

Best of the Best

Bene Werle and Peg Maddock of Cisco Systems. Shelley Martin and Brian Barowsky at Cisco for running events with their teams; Lori Cary, Mahnaz Maqsudi, Joan Ai of Goldman Sachs for the Capacity-Building Academy for Non Profits; KC Cohen and Alan Gardener of Race with Purpose; Diane Cole, author, After Great Pain for sharing a sidebar for my book; Lynn Roer for sharing Soaringwords at the Ogilvy & Mather Corporate Service Day; Carol Evans, Working Mother Media for sharing a sidebar for my book and for promoting Soaringwords quilts, pillows, scarves and ties; Dr. Allan J. Hamilton, author The Scalpel and the Soul; Terry Healey author At Face Value and the dozens of patients and families from around the country who have contributed their stories to my book. Courtney Adams at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford; Grace Copeland at Miami Children’s Hospital; Katie Hartman for leading a Soaringwords event at Temple Emanu-El; Leah Pollack for being such a great volunteer; Brett Barndt; and last but not least Yael Landa and Stephanie Keating.

Previous Lisa's Monthly Letters (click on the month to read): January, February, March , April , May , June , July , Aug, Sept, October