Clearer Mission, Clearer Focus

It’s nearly Labor Day as I write this, with September almost here. As we move toward the autumn, I want to share The Humanity Project’s newest improvement. We have revised and more tightly focused our mission statement. This is part of our continuing effort to more clearly explain what The Humanity Project really is offering. Our vision and “How We Do This” statements also have been re-written. Here is the latest statement of our goals – offered in the hope that many more people will want to help us reach them. Thanks! And Happy Labor Day!
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Mission:

To teach individuals how to take practical action for the betterment of both humanity and themselves.

Vision:

To create world-wide acceptance of a practical philosophy showing that individual effort can serve the highest interests of the individual and humanity simultaneously, with programs and writings available to all children and adults.

How We Do This:

We are not religious, not New Age. Our cutting-edge programs, writings and other teaching tools encourage individual thinking and are empirically based. We teach children and adults to see themselves in a larger context, recognizing many more of the meaningful connections among human beings and then acting for the highest interests of all. This work includes an innovative, school-approved anti-bullying program for grades K – 5 and the Thousand Youth March for Humanity, conceived and organized by The Humanity Project, which will bring together more than 1,000 K – 12 students to help abolish bullying in South Florida schools. This website provides interviews, practical information and original modern fables in our podcasts and blogs. In essence, The Humanity Project teaches engaging lessons about the importance of focusing not on “me” or “them” but on “us.” Helping yourself, helping humanity at the same time. That’s The Humanity Project.
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Finding the “Us’ in Everday Life

I am sitting in sweaty gym clothes as I write this, just back from the gym. I know, I know. Not the prettiest image, for which I’m sorry. But I want to explain just how fresh the idea for this blog is. I thought of it 15 minutes ago at Gold’s Gym in Hollywood, Florida. I was working out on a stationary bike when I said to myself, “Ok, how would I apply The Humanity Project philosophy to this situation? Right now?” That philosophy essentially says that we live more meaningful lives as individuals by focusing our attention on contributing not to “me” or even to “them” … but to “us.” So the question was, “How could I contribute to us – both myself and others at the same time – while just working out at the gym?” Here’s what I came up with:

• I could smile. That really does make me feel better but it also improves the general attitude in the gym for others. It helps “us.”
  
• I could exercise harder. By being in better shape, I make myself stronger and healthier, which of course is good for “me.” But how can I view this as also truly being good for “us”? These were my some of my thoughts about that question:
  
  1) If I’m in shape, I’m better able to help others, including friends, in everyday life. I remember the time before I overcame my back problems. I had to have my then-spouse lift suitcases out of the car when we traveled. I couldn’t pick up things to assist friends when they moved or needed help shifting furniture around their houses. Or whatever. This is the kind of thing many of us are called on to do often, even if it just means hoisting a couple gallons of milk for an elderly lady at the grocery store or helping to clean our own home.

2) I’m stronger in case someone really needs my assistance in an emergency. This isn’t everyday stuff – but it’s not far-fetched either. Where I live in South Florida, bystanders routinely are called on to aid drivers whose cars have veered into one of our many canals. Any of us may be involved in, or be near, an auto crash or a fire or some other event where strength and confidence in our physical abilities is needed. Ask the people who survived 9/11 about that. God forbid any of this actually happens to us, of course. But it literally is true that we may be needed and that we’re a stronger, better prepared citizen if we are in good shape.

3) Exercise improves my attitude, self-confidence and health. This has many ripple effects for the good: It makes me a more balanced human being emotionally. It helps me cope with difficult people and situations more effectively. It frees more of my best at work, in social situations and everywhere else. I am less likely to suffer some physical ailment. Etc., etc. And all of those things benefit others in lots of direct and indirect ways.

• But working out with “us” in mind has a deeper, more far-reaching benefit too. It can help me to feel connected to my fellow human beings, lifting me out of a life lived in isolation, only for “me.” Try it yourself and you’ll see what I mean. By thinking and acting for “us,” rather than “me” or even “them,” I add a much greater purpose to everything I do, even something as ordinary as going to the gym. And that purpose gives my life a richer meaning.

I hope you’re starting to get the idea. Focusing my actions and thoughts on “us” offers me a very good reason to get out of bed every day – to live my life in ways that benefit both me and others at the same time. I stay motivated because it benefits me. I stay connected to others and find meaning in my life because it benefits my fellow human beings too, which becomes an additional powerful motivation for me. In turn, all of this improves society by improving the individuals in it, starting with me. Right now, at the gym. That shift in perspective is among the key goals of The Humanity Project’s program: finding a sense of connection and involvement with every other human being by living for “us.” We believe our unique program can teach anyone how to make and maintain that mental shift, adding purpose and meaning to our everyday lives. Even if we’re just sweating on a stationary bike at Gold’s Gym.

Giving Help, Getting Help

We have some great news for members and friends of The Humanity Project! Our innovative, entertaining anti-bullying program for grades K - 5 has been officially approved for the sixth largest school district in the United States. In Broward County, Florida, young students will learn our message that bullying hurts everyone in school, including kids who just watch. This ties in perfectly with The Humanity Project’s mission to teach children and adults that all people are intimately connected – and that we each can live in a way that helps both others and ourself. Also, The Humanity Project proposed and now will organize and lead a major public event: the Thousand Child March. On November 16, 2008, more than 1,000 schoolchildren from grades K – 12 will march through downtown Fort Lauderdale to support the campaign to abolish bullying. This event is now officially approved by the Broward public school system, which is aggressively doing something about the bullying that is a problem in schools everywhere. You’ll be seeing a lot in the media about The Humanity Project’s march as the date comes closer.

But to do all this, we need concrete help in many forms, especially volunteers and money. The first two champions of children and safe schools have stepped forward to give us their support. The Children’s Services Council of Broward County is a venerable, tax-supported institution in South Florida doing incredible work of all kinds to help kids. A great organization staffed by hard-working, committed people. We have just learned that the Children’s Services Council will donate $1,000 toward our $20,000 + budget for the march. A big thank you to CSC for this generous help! We look forward to a long and mutually fruitful association with that wonderful group!

Also, our longtime podcast sponsor, Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon in Fort Lauderdale, is doing more to help us now. Owner Jesse Briggs, along with his terrific daughter, Denise, and great lifelong partner, Flo, are backing The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying efforts. First, Yellow Strawberry has donation boxes around the salon for contributions to our anti-bullying cause. Second, they have posted signs offering a terrific deal to their customers: Donate $1,000 to The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying work and get a $500 Caribbean Dream Relaxer treatment – and of course, a significant tax deduction too. Caribbean Dream Relaxer is the safe, popular new hair straightening treatment created by Yellow Strawberry and available worldwide. So it’s a win-win for Yellow Strawberry customers, who can get a lot by giving a lot. A big thank you to Jesse, Denise, Flo and everyone at Yellow Strawberry! With friends like them and Children’s Services Council of Broward County, our anti-bullying campaign is sure to succeed!