While I feel I'm a very opinionated person, I generally try to stay away from preaching on my soapbox. However, if there's one thing I'm passionate about and want to spread the word on, it's volunteering for good causes.

Trust me. I know how easy it is to say you don't have time in your schedule, and you have other important things to tend to. Hell, even if they're not that important, I get how your own life activities may take precedence over volunteering. I'm guilty of it too. Waking up Saturday mornings to volunteer at Feline Rescue is a challenge most weekends. But once I'm there, knowing my seemingly measly 2 hour shift can help make a difference, I'm happy I woke up and went.

There are so many organizations and good causes out there that need help. Even if you can only spare 1 hour a month, it can do a lot of good. I deeply encourage everyone to take a look at



This site directed me to Feline Rescue, and also opened my eyes to the many volunteer opportunities around the Twin Cities. You can enter in your location and keywords to find organizations. It can be for animals, the environment, food pantries, battered women's shelters, etc. You name it, you can find it.

You don't have to stop there. If there are causes you know you'd love to help with, reach out to someone in that organization. I went to the Make A Wish website on my own, and am now a wish granter. While I haven't turned in my application for the Ronald McDonald House Charities yet (procrastination at its finest), I do simple things like collect pop tabs. (It's real folks. As someone who has stayed at one of their houses before, I can tell you it is an amazing charity. I could slap every person who laughs at me and says it's not "real".)

Random tangent aside, please see if you can fit a little volunteer work in your schedule. You'll be surprised how great it feels to help out. :)

I know I'm not the poster child for happy. Find me in the morning and you will most likely hear me say I'm wearing my crabby pants. Usually a lack of sleep or a weekend gone too quickly will cause my sour mood.

But all of that aside, I know it's important to recognize how blessed I am. I wish i could remember where I heard of this idea, but it's the "3 a day" rule. It's simple, and I think everyone should do it. Whether you're happy, sad, mad, or indifferent, take a moment daily to recognize 3 things you're grateful for. It doesn't have to be something big or grand. You can be grateful for good conversation with a friend. You can be grateful that you remembered your umbrella on a rainy day. (And for me, I'd be grateful it didn't flip inside out in the wind a la the movies.) By all means, be happy for the big things too! For your health, the means to provide for yourself, your education, you pets, whatever! That's the great thing about this little exercise, and about life in general. You can appreciate your blessings in all sizes! :)

This pretty much always improves my mood. What's there to be crabby about when you realize how good you have it? (Trust me-you'll find that you don't have it nearly as bad as you thought. And if you still feel you do? It can only go up!) Something else in my feel good arsenal? Brett Dennen's "Blessed". Try to listen to this song and not smile. I dare you!

I welcome the sun
The clouds and rain
The wind that sweeps the sky clean and lets the sun shine again
This is the most magnificent life has ever been
Here is heaven and earth and the brilliant sky in between
Blessed is this life and I'm gonna celebrate being alive
Blessed is this life and I'm gonna celebrate being alive
I dwell in the darkness
I let in the light
I sleep in the afternoon and become the noise in the night
I trespass in temptation suffer in sacrifice
But I awake each day with the new sunrise
Blessed is this life oh, and I'm gonna celebrate being alive

Take your moment to find your 3 a day!