A New Year’s Toast To Yourself

December 28, 2009

Grouvia’s Topic of the Week is called “New Year’s Toasts: A Five-Step Formula for the Perfect New Year’s Toast” by Joanna Fuchs.  We found it on a free article directory, as we do all our weekly topics.

It was written in 2005 (I hope she doesn’t mind that we changed the dates to post it) and contains a timeless bit of advice to help folks write a poignant, if not wholly memorable, New Year’s toast.  And it also contains a lesson for all of us, even if we aren’t giving a toast this year.

What the advice boils down to is simply this: Be Appreciative.

Here are the things Joanna points out that we should all remember to appreciate, as we move from the old year to the new:

  • Lessons learned
  • Fortunate or memorable events
  • Our friends and family
  • What we have that others don’t
  • A hopeful future

Hear hear, Joanna.  Thank you for reminding us.

We should appreciate these things all year long — especially right after a hectic holiday season, as we gear up to Spring and face all the possibilities for good times ahead.

So let’s try to pause for a few minutes and think about the past year, and wonder about the year ahead.  Let’s ask ourselves: What will we do this year to make a difference in someone else’s life?  To have a positive influence?  To lift someone’s spirits or help them get through a tough time?

How will I try to improve myself?  What next step can I take to get that promotion or start that small business I always wanted?  Will I try to lose weight or quit smoking?  Do I want to just get a little less aggravated at the too-long red light or supermarket check-out line?

Whatever it is, it’s unique to each of us … a special gift we can each give to ourself.

A toast to us… Happy New Year!

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Posted by Lisa Pecunia

The Psychology of Groups

December 21, 2009

I recently rediscovered this interesting post about groups on a UK blog called “PsyBlog.” The article talks about various studies that provide unique insight into the psychology of group behavior.

I recommend you read the full post yourself, but here are some interesting points that might surprise you.

  1. Being a part of a group helps define a person’s identity.  Human nature drives us to be part of something useful and worthy and we place more value on a group we belong to than on one we don’t.  This is seen clearly in sports teams, but it’s true of every type of group.
  2. Group rules are usually followed very carefully by all members.  Once we have identified with our group, it is natural for us to conform to it’s rules.  Maybe we even fear being ostracized, or shunned.  Whatever the reason, studies show that it’s unusual for group rules, even unwritten or unspoken ones, to be broken.
  3. All group members have a role.  In some cases this is by formal arrangement, but many times it occurs naturally.  Beyond just having one person emerge as leader, others will also fall into certain patterns of behavior after a period of time.
  4. Being part of a group can help us improve as individuals.  For example, athletes who train in groups find that they improve their performance to a significantly higher level than when they train alone.  This is especially true if the athlete’s performance is not merely tied to the team’s overall performance, but has its own recognition and merit.
  5. People in groups are much more competitive than when alone.  Studies have shown that an individual will behave in a competitive manner almost 50% more often when the people present are in groups.  The study indicates this is because the individual believes that the other group(s) can’t be trusted, and not so much because of the “safety in numbers” factor.

One thing seems clear: groups are powerful and can change our behavior as individuals.  We may not even be aware of this when it happens, because it can happen so naturally.

The next time you are in a group situation, observe the people in the group and you’ll probably notice some of these behaviors at work.

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You can become a member of Grouvia and create your own group in 5 minutes or less.  Join the beta site at http://www.grouvia.com.

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Posted by Lisa Pecunia

Lights, Camera, Action Groups!

December 14, 2009

Are you a member of an Action Group?  If so you are part of a long-standing grassroots movement in America.

Action Groups are one of the best ways to get involved in your community and your government.  Action Groups can make amazing things happen.  They are like the small businesses of the Non-Profit world.

There are several different kinds of action groups.  Here are a few:

  • Political Action Groups
  • Community Action Groups
  • Consumer Action Groups
  • Education Action Groups
  • Social Action Groups
  • Environmental Action Groups

Wikipedia says action groups are “a group of people joined temporarily to accomplish some task or take part in some organized collective action.”  They are generally formed because a couple of people were talking about an issue, and somebody said “We oughtta do someting about this!”

All it takes to start one of these groups is an idea and some passion.  Give it a good dose of leadership and coordination, and soon enough it turns into a cause.  Action groups have even been known to make such big changes happen that it evolved into a “social movement.”  The point… action groups can be amazing organizations, created by ordinary people.

In many cases the action group is only together long enough to accomplish a specific goal and then it disbands.  Some examples of these short term goals are…

  • Clean up a neighborhood.
  • Elect a candidate into office.
  • Raise money for a sick child’s medical bills.
  • Plan an eco-adventure trip for a large group.
  • Encourage a local politician to draft a new policy.
  • Establish a non-profit organization.

People who join these groups do so because they care deeply about the cause and desire change strongly enough to do something about it.  They do not get paid for their participation, but they do get the satisfaction of being part of a cause for change.  As humans, we find this far more rewarding than money.

One of the most well known Action Groups is Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).  Candy Lightner founded MADD almost thirty years ago, when her daughter was killed by a drunk driver who was out on bail.  MADD is a huge success story in the non-profit sector, and has a long list of major accomplishments.

Some other well-known action groups are Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), and American Association of Retired People (AARP).

Not all action groups get as big as these.  In fact, most action groups are just small groups of local people who want to get something specific done.  For example an action group can be created to clean up your local park or even get a traffic light installed at a nearby dangerous intersection.  Pick up any local newspaper and you’re likely to find one or more examples of groups of people coming together to accomplish some goal.  In fact, check out the Grouvia twitter feed for almost daily examples of the numerous accomplishments of local groups across the country.

Becoming part of an Action Group couldn’t be simpler.  If you know of one that has a cause you care about, simply email the organizer and tell them you want to help.  If you’re really passionate about something and you can’t find a local group about it, start your own Action Group.  It only takes a few people to create a catalyst to make major changes in your environment.  You’ll be amazed at how much you can do, and so glad you took that first step.

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Do you enjoy reading these posts?  Subscribe to the RSS feed of The Grouvia Groove.

You can become a member of Grouvia and create your own group in 5 minutes or less.  Join the beta site at http://www.grouvia.com.

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Posted by Lisa Pecunia