You’ve probably noticed that our economy has been in a tailspin for quite some time. While folks continue to throw blame around and argue about whose fault it is, I’ve been trying to find ways to do my part to reverse this trend of economic instability, environmental degradation, and spiritual malnourishment. I believe we DO have power as individuals to enact change, and that the small gestures of many can make a big difference. Just ask Obama. Or Haiti. 🙂

Anyhoo, there’s a movement sweeping the nation right now called Move Your Money, which I think is freaking genius.

Part of the reason our economy is constantly on the brink of collapse is because we have all our proverbial eggs in one basket. In too many sectors, the power/wealth/resources are in the hands of few, and those few are not making decisions that are in the best interests of the greater community. One example of this problem is the bloated banking industry. Arianna Huffington and Rob Johnson co-authored a fabulous piece examining all the different ways big banks contributing to the economic collapse:

I’ve always been skeptical of the rapid proliferation of technology. I’m the girl who still has cassette tapes and actually listens to them. The girl who still tapes her Soaps on VHS and fast forwards through commercials (just like in the good ole days when MTV actually played music videos). The girl who actively resisted getting a cell phone for YEARS, because I just had no desire to be that accessible. I used to think it was insane that people kept the only copy of all the important phone numbers in their lives on a PHONE. Until I became one of them. That’s where my suspicion of all things tech begins–it breeds a dependency on things that I feel is totally unnatural. And irrational. And expensive. Don’t even get me started on this hyper-upgrade culture we’ve devolved into, where we are convinced to buy this overpriced-but-essential piece of of technology, only to get sucked/forced into upgrading every couple of months or years. I would boycott upgrades on principle if the updates in question didn’t render my previous version completely useless (don’t you hate that?!) But I digress. I’m actually writing this post because, for the first time, I want to celebrate technology. I have finally found a practical application for this thing called “texting”.

I’ve never been a big texter. Sure, its convenient if you want to ask someone a question, and need a quick response. But I cannot stand it when people try to initiate full on conversations with me via text message. Seriously, if you have time to type everything that happened with so and so last night, you can call and leave a message. But whoever thought of the idea to collect DONATIONS via text message was a genius. In 30 seconds, from the comfort of my own chair, I was able to send a text and donate money to the relief efforts in Haiti, charged automatically to next month’s cell phone bill. SO easy. And the most genius thing about it is that donating $10 is not a big deal for the average person (especially the average person with a cell phone). But several million people donating $10 sure adds up fast. Records are being broken the money is piling up so fast. So much props to relief organizers for harnessing the power of mass communication, the phone companies for facilitating the transfers of funds, and the folks who took the time out of their busy days to practice a random act of kindness.

All this buzz got me thinking, why can’t we utilize this technology to raise money for other causes. When Barack Obama was in pursuit of the presidency, he also raised millions of dollars through virtual and viral fundraising campaigns. People are willing to dig into their pocketbooks for a worthy cause–they’re proving it over and over again. So why can’t we set up fundraising campaigns for education, or saving state parks, or the other social services that are being cut as budgets are slashed? Maybe if people had more confidence that their money was being used for the purposes intended, they’d be more generous, more often. Just a thought.

We all need to take responsibility for rebuilding our world, and every little bit helps. If you haven’t already done so, please consider jumping on this bandwagon.

TO DONATE:
Haiti Text-To-Give Numbers, via Gigaom and Mobile Giving Insider
•Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross
•Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to International Rescue Committee
•Text HAITI to 45678 to donate $5 to the Salvation Army in Canada
•Text HAITI to 20222 to donate $10 through the Clinton Foundation
•Text HAITI to 864833 to donate $5 to The United Way
•Text CERF to 90999 to donate $5 to The United Nations Foundation
•Text DISASTER to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion International

God Bless.

On January 12th, a devastating earthquake rocked the island of Haiti, and the people are going to need a lot of help to recover and rebuild. If you are in a position to do so, please donate to relief efforts. I strongly believe that if our world is going to survive, we have to reconnect with our humanity and learn how to take care of each other (as opposed to destroying each other). Every little bit helps, even if all you can manage is a prayer.

This article on the Huffington Post contains a lot of information on how you can help.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people, and anyone else with a connection to the region. The level of suffering is just heartbreaking.

Well, it is the first new moon of the new year and time to lay out my goals for 2010. Some of you might think I’m a little late for New Year’s resolutions, but I’m actually right on time. December 31st was a Lunar Eclipse, which in astrogical circles, signifies endings. The window of opportunity for new beginnings and initiations occurs on the New Moon. For those of you that are believers, right now is the best time of the year to voice your deepest wishes and aspirations. You’ve got powerful energy at your disposal, and nothing but fertile ground.

The New Moon on January 15th is even more powerful than normal because it is a Solar Eclipse. In Capricorn. I’ve written quite a bit about Eclipses before, so I will refer you there for more on what to expect when an Eclipse comes your way. I want to focus now on my own personal meditations for 2010, and the things I want to bring to fruition in the coming year. Every thing that you will ever accomplish starts as a thought. A desire. A want. The first step to making your dreams come true is really as simple as making a wish…

With that in mind, here is a snapshot of my much meditated upon resolutions for 2010 🙂

— The successful launch of my Publishing Company (more on that later!)
— Seeing my book in print and published in 2010
— Prosperity and Abundance (for the good of everyone involved)
— Making tangible steps towards the acquisition of my dream house
— Continued job security and the bolstering of my professional reputation
— An active travel schedule to uncharted territory, as well as re-visits to some of my favorite places
— Practicing sustainable living and reducing my carbon footprint
— Maintaining my ideal weight so that I can remain healthy and fertile 🙂
— The deepening of love, devotion, and commitment between me and my better half
— Utilizing the Law of Attraction to call in only what I want, with positive thinking and clarity of intention

2009 was a hard year for a lot of people… for our world. Shoot, 2010 has certainly started out on the intense side. All around us is chaos and war and things falling apart. But I am convinced that even in the darkest hours, there is a moment, after the smoke has cleared, when we are presented with an opportunity to build anew. If you have suffered loss, believe in the possibility that the loss occurred to make room for something better, even if you can’t see it now. Sometimes all we can do is walk on faith. And when the tide turns (and believe it will), be ready. Know what you want. Have an idea of how to get there. And with any luck, the stars will align in your favor 🙂

With an early January birthday, I’ve found that I tend to do my New Year’s resolutions on my birthday. January 5, 2010 marks the start of my 34th year, and I decided to take some time on my birthday eve to reflect on 2009. In addition to it being a suitable retrograde activity (FYI-Mercury is Retrograde from Dec 26-Jan 16), taking stock of recent changes really helps me clarify the next steps in any particular journey. Seeing how far I have come also provides inspiration, as forward momentum perpetuates itself. I encourage everyone to take some time out for quiet reflection. Even in the darkest of times there is a lesson to be learned.

2009 was a year of massive shifts-globally, locally, and personally. Some changes inspired hope; some inspired fear. But in various ways, the old crumbled to make way for something new. That’s the surprising up side of loss and destruction-it really does clear the slate for something new to be born in its place.

Miraculously, most of the change I encountered in 2009 was positive in nature, and I give thanks for my blessings every day. In an economy that continues to contract, I was able to secure an awesome new job at the University–right before the hiring freeze went into effect. Not only was the move a significant promotion, but I really, truly love my work. It’s interesting, challenging, and my co-workers rock. Considering the amount of time we spend at our day jobs, I know this kind of job satisfaction is priceless. I give thanks every day.

The other major change on the Steph front is the change in my living situation. After over a decade of living alone (and loving it), I traded in my single girl lifestyle for domestic bliss. In August 2009, after three years of long-distance love, James retired from the Navy and relocated to Santa Cruz. It doesn’t get much more major than that peoples 🙂 To celebrate his retirement, we embarked on an epic, three-week Retirement Road Trip, before returning to Santa Cruz to merge our lives, belongings, and futures. The transition wasn’t without its bumpy moments, but now that I’m on the other side of it, I can honestly say that my life has changed for the better. James is an awesome partner and with him on my team, it really does feel like the sky’s the limit…

As we settled into our new routine, I turned my focus back to my writing career, which had been on the backburner most of the year due to all the transition-related chaos. After much soul-searching and research, in November I made the decision to go ahead and self-publish When Love Isn’t Enough in early 2010. Invigorated, I dove head first into the process, doing one final revision on the manuscript, shooting the image for the cover, hiring a designer. Then I was approached by my good friend and Kindred, Omar, with a proposition — what did I think about joining forces with James and himself to start our own publishing company? Hmmmm, you know what, that sounds like a GREAT idea!

So that’s where I find myself at the start of 2010–gainfully employed, madly in love, and on the verge of starting a business with two of my favorite people in the world 🙂 These are exciting times, and I can’t WAIT to see what 2010 has on tap. I have a feeling it is going to be quite a ride…