When I receive emails like this one, it is confirmation that people are ready for a new message of richness:

I spoke to you briefly after your recent presentation at the NECA convention in San Francisco. I was glad to hear of your organization and your stories about all the people who have done so much for so many. I can relate first hand what a wonderful experience it is to volunteer your time and talents to help someone who is less fortunate.

Our church, Sonrise, in Rotterdam, NY, learned about an organization called YUGO in Mexico. They needed volunteers to rebuild a local church in a poverty stricken village in Mexico, south of Tijuana. The pastor there could not afford to rebuild, and the people had no money. The old church had been torn down because it was unsafe. Our church sent a team of adults and teenagers to YUGO, which provided facilities to set up tents so we had a “home base” to operate from. Every morning our build crew, which I was a part of, drove in a van over twisting dirt roads through the worst poverty I have ever witnessed to reach the church site in the village. We spent a week there rebuilding their church, and the people started coming back even before we were done. They held a bible study one night in the main structure once we had four walls and a roof, they were so excited. The pastor was very pleased and appreciative of the work we had done. You could see his mood improving every day as the work was completed. While we were building the church, the teen groups were out visiting the nearby orphanage, playing with the kids and just showing them love and attention. My son was there, and the stories he told me brought tears to my eyes, to know they made such a difference in those kids’ lives, just by being there. He had the time of his life being there, and I know he will do it again, I was so proud of him. I make a good salary at my job, and I have had the opportunity to travel all over the country, and abroad. I never considered myself rich, but I never felt so good or had a better time than when I volunteered my time and energy to help those people who could not help themselves. I can’t wait to do it all again someplace else, our pastor said we may be sending a team to Africa next year, I’m already saving my money, I will be there, and I will encourage my friends to go as well.

God bless you and your organization for sharing your stories and motivating people to serve others, to “Love their Neighbor as they Love Themselves”.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

News Flash: Today (October 4th, 2007): Katrina Krewe Founder, and Richest People in America recipient Becky Zaheri, was one of the speakers at the 2007 for Women in Austin, Texas, hosted by Governor Rick Perry and First Lady Anita Perry. Keynote speakers: Elizabeth Vargas (ABC’s 20/20), Carly Fiorina (Former CEO of Hewlett Packard, AT&T), Nancy Giles (CBS) and Mary Wilson (Supremes, and author of Dreamgirl). Two years and two months after Katrina and Becky and her Krewe are still working… If you’d like to help Becky, join the World’s Biggest Blog Party and help Keep it Klean!

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

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I’m going public - I am now out of the closet. Yes I went to a casting call for a reality TV show No it wasn’t The Batchelor (I’m blissfully married to a wonderful woman and have been for over 15 years and she’s not going anywhere without me) and it’s not Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, or The Big Loser. While America’s Got Talent, Tim doesn’t and my Real World doesn’t involve a Wife Swap. My Dancing With the Stars is limited to dancing with my little girls ages 3, 6, and 8. I have three Big Brothers and when I cook it’s usually Hell’s Kitchen…just ask my wife. The casting call I went to was Oprah’s new show called The Big Give. The show plus the incredible success of Bill Clinton’s new book Giving demonstrate a societal shift toward focusing on things that matter. When I heard about The Big Give, I made a trip to Nashville for the casting call. Sensing that there might be a big turnout, I got there early and took a seat in line behind ten other people who arrived before 6:00 am for a 9:00 call. While waiting for the doors to open people in line exchanged stories of why they were there and what they were doing to make a difference. I met a guy who worked with home owners to pay their mortgage after natural disasters. I met a man who was working on a documentary on the impact of hurricane Katrina. Through his efforts, he wanted to raise money for Katrina victims. There was the young medical student who was setting up a clinic with his father in Nigeria. Part of his motivation was to help his country overcome the negative perception due to the many Nigerian email scams. There were people of all ages, all ethic and religious backgrounds and all with the feeling that they could make a difference through their actions. It seems that there are many waiting for the opportunity to give big. When a celebrity or person of influence makes waves about the importance of giving, it seems to stir up others too.

While I didn’t make it on the show (heck, I didn’t even make it through round one), I was glad to meet some inspiring people and know that in the Reality crazed TV world we live in, there is finally a show that just might be worth watching.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

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Apparently, my post on September 30th hit a nerve as I have been hearing about it! I guess there are lots of us who feel overwhelmed balance family, career, and dealing with all the technology that was supposed to make our lives so much easier and save us so much time (just curious, what are you doing with all your extra time?). Below is her UNEDITED email used with her permission (company info removed at her request). She is a the stage in life where time is more important than money. So like me, she is trying to figure out this work/life balance thing and still make professional contributions while making a living. Here’s her email:

Looking back I have made big changes-but things sneak in and my goals get off track and out of focus too easy:

• I reduced travel (I only make 3-4 trips a year)
• I am targeting a work week of 50-55 hours now (in 2006 the 70-80 workweeks were physically killing me)
• By June 30, 2010 (my husband’s b’day) I plan to go to a 3 day work week or seasonal role. Not sure how or where this will be but this is my target. The tricky part as you know is to find a way to maintain my income with the reduced work hours. Maybe I can find this in the book you mention (The 4-Hour Work Week for those just tuning in).
• Work only a max. of 4 hours on the weekend. I have taken myself out of a leadership role with no direct reports. I am now slipping back out of necessity-recruiting someone to help me so I can meet my 50-55 hours-looking for someone that will be able to work independently and maybe eventually be able to take my full time role. I recently started working from home two days a week to reduce commuting time/gain personal time. We put in a pool this summer so I could increase my exercise. WOW -it is breathtaking with the mountain views!

• We were able to cut my husband’s work to 3 or 4 days a week. We are getting used to this adjustment to our income and it has not been bad.

All the above has not been easy and I have made painful choices along the way to make it happen. After the completion of my projects in 2007 I expect to make another adjustment-have not been able to decide what that is-which is making me uneasy I usually can quickly identify next steps.

On the personal front, we have a new subdivision going in less than a mile from us (lots starting at 200k, they keep reserving the local airport for people to fly in on their private planes to consider purchase.) Our community could be in for a big change over the next 5 years as this community launches-when it sells out we may find our financial reward resulting in our next move. Not sure where.

**** Tim’s comments ****

The first step I made yesterday was to increase productivity by purposeful planning and reducing time on email. I scheduled two email reading times - one at 12:00 and the other at 4:00. NO READING EMAIL AT OTHER TIMES. I disabled the feature on my computer that automatically sends email as it comes in and now send/receive mail twice per day and will do this all month. It was a big step for someone who conducts LOTS of business online and MAY be an email addict. I may have to enter a 12-step program to wean myself off checking and responding to emails as they come in. “Hi, my name is Tim….I have a problem”

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

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