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Youth, teenagers, young people of today, tomorrow's leaders. 

What are the needs of todays 10-20yr olds? Wow! Parents may say money, self worth, mentors, loving leadership, acceptance, education, resources. This list could go on forever.

I remember as a teenager growing up in suburban Australia we had so much time to hang out with our friends. We would play sport, work at our part time jobs, and get in to trouble testing the boundaries of society. Time wow, this is the thing most adults desire most. MORE of it!!!

From my experience as a secondary teacher, I believe that if kids had mentors or teachers to help them to set their own greater goals in life and to help them make a start on these and support them rather than just hanging out with mates they would utilize their teen years to pursue life goals and get into 'less' trouble.

Next Step is a new not for profit organization in the Central Coast, NSW, Australia which provides innovative, strength based programs that empower young people to take steps towards a BRIGHTER FUTURE.

How will they do this? Through fun bi monthly programs including: a FREE BBQ with live music performances and workshops on:

• Break dancing workshops
• Cultural Awareness programs
• Mental Health Awareness
• Living Skills

Next Step aim to to connect young people with positive role models and inform them about what local support services are needed if they need extra support.

By supporting our youth and helping them to achieve their dreams and goals through love, guidance and support our nations can only become GREAT nations of valued citizens. 

Next Step's Board of Directors is a very talented and experienced group of people who aim to better youth services in the Central Coast Area.

We take our hat off to you for creating a resourceful, supportive and FUN service to young people in the Central Coast Region.

Other youth empowerment programs I highly endorse are:

1. Free Spirit Girl- a beautiful program by Katie Pitsis aimed at girls and teen girls to live fully, stand strong and shine brightly!
2. Magic Moments Youth Leadership and Finance Summit- An Amazing Life Changing Workshop which cannot be more highly recommended by professionals in the youth leadership area.
3. Anthony Robbins Global Youth Leadership Summit (Amazing! and American based)
4. Empower You - By Tomorrows Youth (For Teenagers to develop the mindset and motivation to create a successful future)

It makes me so happy as a parent to know that such amazing, supportive programs exist for our children. Thank you to all of those motivated enough to really care. 

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Wow Wow Wow!

How to describe the Bali Spirit Festival to someone who has not yet had the supreme fortune to attend this festival themselves....... YET.

 I say yet because if this post inspires you even a little you WILL be there in person some time in the future.

Our beautiful product partner we'ar yoga clothing make organic, ethically and environmentally friendly stylish yoga clothing in Bali initially inspired me to attend this festival. They took some great footage at the festival and with The Yoga Barns founder Charlie Patton. You can see this footage on last years blog post about the Bali spirit festival with film maker Jason Moon.

Upon arriving in Ubud I had to visit we'ar signature store on Hanoman street, Ubud. Their unique signage and stylish decor cannot be missed, their location opposite and slightly north of the well known clean eating cafe KAFE, also known as the food subsidiary of The Yoga Barn.

The festival itself was a 5km scooter ride out of town at an amazing grassed location Purnati Centre of the Arts, Batuan.

This venue had 7 independent areas for a very broad schedule of classes to take place and a large swimming pool also blessed the location.

This year the festival dates were March 20th til March 24. The extensive timetable began at 8am and closed at 5pm each day with a HUGE array of spirit classes ranging from yoga, Qi Gong, sound healing, Capoeira, self development master classes, singing, african drumming, conscious being and many others. The teachers are experts in their fields from around the world.

The night celebrations began again in Ubud at ARMA(Agung Rai Museum of Art) a beautiful location in the city of Ubud, so could be easily reached on foot from most hotels. World re known artists and bands united to deliver blessings through some kirtan and music for the ears. Some of these included Kevin James, OKA, Medicine for the People and new comer Dustin Thomas, a brilliant up and coming talent from Hawaii who blessed us with his easy to learn lyrics and unique uplifting voice.

I could write an extremely long post about all of the parts of The Bali Spirit Festival that touched my heart and uplifted my spirit.

Here are some of the highlights of my experience there this year:

• The people of Bali being so peaceful and gracious
• The approachability of all mentors and teachers
• Amazing CLEAN food
• The healing huts- chiropractors to clairvoyants to help with any necessary healing.
• Seeing we'ar yoga clothing being worn and loved all over Ubud and as a key outfit at the Bali Spirit Festival
• Classes I was fortunate to attend which have made a lasting impression on my spirit are:

1. Les Leventhal Vinyasa Flow Yoga- USA (Ganesh is Fresh) www.yogawithles.com
2. Michiko Minegeshi (Vinyasa Flow Yoga- Japan) http://www.yogaaid.com/michikominegishi
3. Eoin Finn (Yoga surf and Blissology)- Canada www.blissology.com
4. John Weddepohl, Self Knowledge Yoga- South Africa www.theyogaco.com
5. Charlie Patton Sunday Dance- USA www.theyogabarn.com
6. Graduado Noko- Capoeira- Indonesia/Brazil www.capoeirabali.com 
7. Jamie Catto Inspirational Speaker- UK www.jamiecatto.com;
8. Igor Olivier Ezendam from Holland and Italy www.feelingsound.com

I highly recommend any of these instructors DVD's practices and knowledge to anyone looking for direction, instruction or mentoring. 

Will I attend Bali Spirit Festival again????? ABSOLUTELY!!!! It is a very refreshing, soul/physical nurturing, experience with AMAZING people.

Thank you Thank you Thank you to ALL of the organizers of Bali spirit Festival! With much love and Blessings 

Charlie Patton, Fenti from we'ar and Belinda fro GoodieDo

 Belinda's husband Adam showcasing Muchacho(tshirt) and we'ar it  moving through the yogi crowd

 Another lover of we'ar yoga clothing ordering super healthy nutritious food

 Charlie Patton's Sunday Dance with we'ar yoga mens freestyle shorts at Bali Spirit Festival

The night concerts at ARMA!!!

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 "For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.” Sam Levenson

Where did your purchase come from?

We hear that question a lot.

Where did you get those designer jeans?

No, I don’t mean from which department store. I mean which factory sewed those hems? Was it fair trade and produced in a safe, ethical work environment?

It’s a good question. Here’s another.

Where is your purchase GOING?

They say the Internet is pulling us apart, isolating us, driving us further from each other.

I say the Internet has created a world in which we can reach out and connect with each other like never before.

Take Roma Boots, created by Romanian born Samuel Bistrian in 2010, after he spent years watching impoverished children braving the elements with little more than flimsy, broken shoes to protect their feet, assuming they had shoes at all. Many suffered frost bite in the colder months, losing toes and experiencing foot deformities as they aged.

Bistrian himself struggled as a child growing up without adequate footwear in a small village marked by snowy weather and extreme poverty.

“When I was six years old, I received my first pair of rain boots, which were actually passed down from three older siblings. It was such an exciting moment for me because I knew I could actually go outside and play in the snow or in the mud and not worry about my toes freezing.”

Though he later moved to the United States to work in the fashion industry, Bistrian kept the memory of his home and people close to his heart. Then one day he had an idea, one that would change his life and the lives of thousands forever.

His mission? To infuse fashion with charity, passion with compassion, to create Roma Provisions (Roma Boots), where every pair of rain boots sold, a second pair is donated to a child in need. 10% of each purchase also goes to the Roma for all Foundation. For more information, watch this.

This fashionable charity is all about spreading the LOVE; it's etched in every fiber of the products they sell and give; it’s even in their name!

Roma=Amor
Amor=Love
Roma Boots=Love Boots

Roma is also the proper name for the poor gypsy population, the primary group this charity has helped equip with boots so far.

Roma Provisions takes on-and outdoes!-Santa Claus in its quarterly boot drops to distribute the shoes "... on the streets, in schools, parks or inside specific facilities. It is a joy to see the faces of these precious children when we fit them with their new Roma Boots!" Watch this!

Their love and generosity of spirit is bursting from every seam. The boots, made of natural latex rubber, a quick dry cotton lining, and a three layer insole, are produced in a fair trade factory that is routinely monitored for sound labor practices and conditions. Now that's some boots made for walking...and stomping all over poverty!

Roma Boots doesn't stop at protecting feet; they're also about nourishing young minds. In addition to donating a pair of boots to a child, every order includes SCHOOL SUPPLIES. Roma Boots believes education is the most powerful weapon for breaking free from poverty, and they want to give children the tools to step out from under the heavy hand of poverty for GOOD.

With every step you take in your Roma Boots, know that a child is out there taking a step in his or hers. With your purchase, you have opened up new roads of travel that would have once been out of reach, which would have been an impossible dream, but that YOU made possible.

Now that's fashion that never goes out of style!
Feel the connection.
Roma Boots. Good for the sole.

Ready to start splashing in some puddles?

Find out where to buy boots here.

Want to step it up a notch and take part in a boot drive?

Wish granted! Send them an email at partner@romaboots.com.

Learn more about Roma Boots here.

P.S. Have YOU fashioned forward?

Justine Bronfin- Justine authored this blog. Justine just graduated from the University of Washington Bothell and has recently joined the GoodieDo team as a social media intern. Look out for more posts by Justine!

This blog post is about GOOD people doing GOOD things

SHOP for GOOD

Australia

Hong Kong

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What a great concept! 

AIM: To raise awareness and start conversations about the benefits of economies based on sharing.

Post Growth Institute an international network that explores and inspires alternative paths to global prosperity came up with this great idea. 

Global prosperity without economic growth....hmmmm sound interesting?

How Free Money Day works:

• People from around the globe take any amount out of their pockets and give it to a complete stranger; on the street, in the park, in a cafe,supermarket, on the bus or on a plane. 
• The only instruction is for that person to then share HALF of the amount to another person.

"One of the biggest myths that we believe is that there is not enough to go around", says co- founder Dr Donnie Maclurcan.

The 2nd international Free Money Day was hosted on September 15th across 6 continents.

Post Growth Institute are all about the end of BIGGER things for the start of better things.

Post Growth Institute have some great Action steps , Tools for Change and Personal Steps based on their starting principles, some of these include:

1. How to host a zero waste event
2. When I buy new things I try to buy good quality items that last a long time
3. Buying local with seasonal eating

Here is a short clip about Free Money Day. Even though this years official date has passed Free Money Day can really be any day.

 If you are feeling like you need a boost of GIVING antioxidants. You know that feel good ZING you get from putting a smile on someone's face?
Then give a few coins from your pocket to a stranger and tell them to give half to someone else then tell us about it below.

Here's to creating a better quality way of living for ALL!!!

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Because it FEELS GREAT!

Today I said 'Goodbye and happy travels' to a massive box of baby boy clothes. 

This box of clothing had serviced my son Jude very well and is now on an adventure to clothe children of Uganda.

It gets even better than that! 

The beautiful, wonderful, talented girls at Love Mercy Foundation- Caitlin Barrett and Australian Olympian Eloise Wellings working alongside Ugandan Olympic Athlete Julius Achon have achieved a milestone dream of building a health centre in Otuke County, Uganda.

The centre to be named Kristina Achuma Clinic in memory of Julius' mother who perished without adequate medical attention when shot by the Lord's Resistance Army in 2004- Now Better known as KONY's army of children.

Prior to the building of this centre the nearest medical centre was in Lira 42 miles from Otuke County. And the vast majority of Otuke residents cannot afford transportation to Lira or the care offered there. As a result many suffer of die needlessly due to a lack routine preventative healthcare or emergency medical treatment.

The Kristina Achuma clinic will officially open in August with a massive town celebration.

The Love Mercy Foundation have raised funds in Australia in excess of $150,000 to build, employ staff and cover the ongoing costs associated with running a health centre.

A large proportion of the fundraising has come from the annual Sutherland to Surf fun run of 11km. With kids, mum's, dad's and dogs gaining sponsorship from friends and family to participate in the run and raise money for the Love Mercy Foundation. (Eloise pictured centre of picture with participants from the 2011 Sutherland to Surf run)

Sutherland to Surf will be run Sunday the 22nd of July and Love Mercy have already surpassed their fundraising goal of $50,000. It is so fun to watch the fundraising meter click higher and higher. Participants running for the Love Mercy Foundation will be treated to a breakfast in Cronulla at the end of their run.

So Bye Bye baby clothes 'Hello' that ZING I was talking about in my last blog.

Picturing little Ugandan babies decked out in warm cuddly outfits Jude used to wear gives my heart a warm ZING!

You can jump on the bandwagon too

1. Participate in the Sutherland to surf. Create a fundraising page and raise funds for Love Mercy Foundation. There is always 2013 if it is to late for this year.

2. Just donate on Love Mercy's Home page

3. Watch Love Mercy's fundometer tick over and share this story and your excitement with a friend

4. Contact the girls at Love Mercy and see if you can volunteer in their health centre if you are traveling to Uganda. (they may not be able to answer this until it opens)

Whatever you decide to do. Just jump on the Doing Good bandwagon because it feels GREAT!!!!

Have a super week finding your ZING!

This bog post is about GOOD people doing good things for communities. 

Shop GOOD for communities HERE Australia or HERE Hong Kong.

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It is said that feeling of ZIING!!! when you do something GOOD for someone is really GOOD for your health.

HOW CAN THIS BE?

Let me introduce you to Goodiedo's newest fundraiser GOOD RETURN.

Good Return provide micro loans to women in South East Asia who are actively bettering their own lives to start or build a business. These women have already taken the initial necessary steps to create change. 

THE PROBLEM: Elma from the Philippines needs $300 to buy more piglets to breed and sell for a small profit to send her children to school AND you need some ZING!
HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND GET YOUR ZING?

OPTION 1: Buy a gift for someone you love or yourself from Good Returns fundraiser page and 30% of your purchase will go toward Elma's loan for piglets. (knowing the product is good for the planet, good for communities and good for giving) 

OPTION 2: SHARE Good Returns fundraising profile on facebook (choose a thumbnail you like) and comment about what you would like someone to buy for you and a wish to Elma. For the chance to win a $50 gift certificate from Good Return to give toward Elma's loan or any other women you choose from Good Returns loanees.

Good Return even offers lenders to partially fund a loan. E.g. $20 could go towards someone growing crops for their family. The BEST thing with Good Return is YOU GET your money back if you WANT. When the loan is paid back by the lender; 99% of lenders pay their loans back and then take subsequent loans OR you can choose to redonate it to another loan or to Good Return for training and education of loanees.

Get your ZING factor by Giving and RECEIVING more than you give. That feeling of helping another to live a better life is more valuable than coins in your wallet.

Or do the shopping you were going to do anyway and get your ZING knowing 30% of your purchase is going to Elma and the rest is going to other good global causes. i.e empowered, ethical employment, enviro friendly production, building schools in Uganda or a myriad of goodness. (A peak at some products to choose from below)

Step1: FEEL GOOD- Share a message to Elma and your friends on facebook- to win a $50 gift voucher from Good Return

Step 2: FEEL AMAZING and Buy that gift you have been meaning to and have it posted straight to your friends door through GOOD returns fundraiser profile and GoodieDo donate 30% of your purchase price to Elma for pigs.

Choose either step and you will be sure to get your ZING for the day!

Wishing you Great health and lots of ZING always!

Belinda

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You can help disadvantaged women who have been trapped in a cycle of poverty to financially provide for their families and pave the way to a BRIGHTER future by purchasing these gorgeous handmade gift cards by Bebas cards.

It takes guts to move to another country, see an opportunity for others to live a better life. Commit to and carry out a project that empowers others. 

Bianca Zietsch at Bebas cards has done just that! 

Moved to Bali, fallen in LOVE with the people, seen their every day financial struggles, witnessed the unfair labor of women sewing beads on garments tirelessly all day to be paid $1 for their labour, while the garment is sold overseas for over $100 and decided to DEDICATE her efforts to helping women like Ibu Komang.

Ibu, her husband and daughter Dia lived in a koskosan( a small building housing many poor families). She has recently had to return to her village to help her sick and blind elderly parents. There is little work in the village and her husband makes a measley $70 a month. Ibu is very grateful to make some extra much needed funds through the Bebas card project to help look after her parents and start a small business raising ducks on her village.

Stella Adler once said 'Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one'

'An artist cannot fail, it is a success to be one' - Charles Horton Cooley

Bebas cards are helping hundreds of people affected by poverty find meaningful well paid work which helps entire communities.

Help yourself by purchasing a pack of 5 cards for $22aud or one for only $4.50aud 

Know that this card is made from recycled cardstock and has made a massive difference in the artists life.

I bought a stack of Bebas cards for myself. When you touch and feel them you get a tingle inside. So sending them with a special message to someone you love that feeling of giving is multiplied a million times!!!

These beauties hit ALL of our DO GOOD CRITERIA

GOOD for Women

GOOD for the Earth

GOOD for Communities

GOOD for Cultural preservation

GOOD for Giving

Buy a pack of 5 today for $22aud or $176hkd to give you peace of mind knowing you have gorgeous gift cards handy.

Or buy one for your EXTRA SPECIAL person for only $4.50aud or $36hkd

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Described as a Kindness Revolution

Kindness toward ourselves, each other and the natural world

Their mission is simple: To WAKE UP the best part of yourself! To stop living like a zombie just going through the motions of life.

What or Who is 

A growing group of a few thousand people in Sydney who are anonymously doing kind things for others.

And thanks to Jono Fisher the founder of wake up Sydney this group is now exposed to inspirational live events

Uplifting speakers + film + meditation + musicians

Inspiring you to live your best life!

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"The problem is that we are not eating food any more we are eating FOOD 'LIKE" PRODUCTS and they are made to look better and smell better so that people are ATTRACTED to them"

The only problem with these FOOD LIKE products is they make you LESS ATTRACTIVE. "The marketing essentially LIES to you, because it presents you with the promise 'You are going to be sexy and popular and cool but in reality you're going to be OBESE and MISERABLE and SICK" 

Care about your health?

Care about your well being not only now but the for the future?

Want to maintain your ZING?

It might be my age, that mid thirty bracket where you have a couple of kids and life is busy, or crazy sometimes. With little mini me's demanding more more more attention and love every second of your day. And you notice that your ZING isnt quite the zing it used to be. Everything is done quick these days, just to stop the crying or "Mummy can I have?'  You are already sleep deprived with little ones waking you up at night anyway and you just relate it to being a parent. You tell yourself "This is what it must be like for ALL parents?"

UNTIL you hit the wall! Or in my case are brought right back to reality of what life is meant to be about by watching FOOD MATTERS.

It is FREE to view until March 31st! Get instant access to watch it on the FOOD MATTERS website.

For me this movement has been life-changing, a slap to wake up and really LOOK AFTER myself.

In terms of :

• Food
• Sleep!!!! In bed by 10.30pm latest!
• Nutrient Supplements
• Outdoor activity/exercise
• Healthy habits : Tea and Coffee is now herbal teas or an occasional brewed Chai tea

We have bought the Food Mattters Cookbook by Mark Bittman and cook or prepare raw food from it religiously. Preparing nutritious food is now FUN and EASY!

The kids temperaments have made a change for the better.

We have implemented many healthy snack rituals including:

• Eating a carrot at bath time each night
• Apples on a drive/ walk somewhere everyday
• bananas, nuts, sultanas, flax crackers- homemade, popcorn- homemade
• black strap molasses in milk instead of milo
• parsley and coriander in the kids morning fresh juices
• broccoli Tuesdays - as my daughter Chloe calls it- we just tell her it is Tuesday at least 3-4 nights a week

"We might as well be rolling up the kids sleeve and putting in heroin because it is the same" 

says best selling women's health author, Dr Christiane Northrup.

I love the controversial issues surrounding our nutrition, there is constantly more and more great information linking ALL of today's modern diseases back to our food. And the best bit is, the CHOICE is completely up to you to take on board or to dismiss it.

To me it is a bit like saving for the future. If you do something now you will never have a drought. If you choose not to you will wish you had.

Steps to Better ZING!

1. WATCH the NEW FOOD MATTERS Film  NOW while it's FREE! And make changes NOW Before you are really SICK! 
2. Buy a copy for someone you think will benefit greatly from it, you might just SAVE THEIR LIFE!
3. Organize a RAW food dinner party with friends you love. Try serving freshly squeezed almond milk instead of beer....it is super tasty!
4. Thank yourself for taking the time to actually CARE about yourself and your health

Wishing you loads of ZING, health and vigor!

This post is about GOOD people doing good things for communities and giving

Click HERE to shop for DO GOOD products

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Not a simple challenge like giving up coffee for a day or a week.

But a real physical, psychological challenge to stretch your own limited ideas about the necessities in life AND raise funds and awareness for a cause FAR bigger than yourself.

Would you choose to cycle 500kms in 7 days across undulating terrain in Cambodia to raise funding and awareness to stop the human Trafficking of women and children into sexual slavery?

Two extremely motivated and passionate women, Alison Price and Sue Beer, have joined forces with Project Futures Global- the company organizing the cycle to raise funds for the Somaly Mam Foundation. 

A non profit organization set up by former child prostitute Somaly Mam. This is a woman with real courage and LOVE to make a difference in the world she sadly grew up in. Mam deserved to be voted Hero of the Year by CNN in 2006 and one of Time Magazines most influential people in 2009.

Alison Price Sue Beer  and   Somaly Mam uniting women globally!

The ride will visit the AFESIP Shelters set up by Somali Mam to support victims of human trafficking. And will coincide with International Women's Day- This year theme: 'Connecting Girls and Inspiring Futures'

A few disturbing facts about Sexual Slavery

• Third largest criminal industry in the world. 1. Arms 2. Drug Dealing 3. Human Trafficking for slavery
• Estimated revenue U.S. 9.5billion dollars.
• Girls as young as 3 are sold into sex slavery for as little as $50US
• Men are raping 5 and 6 year olds. Pimps are stitching them up and re-selling them as 'virgins'.
• 1-2 million children will be sold into prostitution in the next 12 months

Today Mam has rescued over 6000 girls, she continues to raise funds to build more shelters, buy food, pay for rescue operations and to reintegrate victims into society with enough economic and emotional strength to face the future with hope. Sue's and Allison's fundraising efforts of $11,000 will be donated to this foundation.

Spots are limited with 20 places available for this ride.

Sue and Alison are community leaders in their own right as an International PreSchool supervisor and founder of 'Women in Charge' - an online business promoting women business owners. Both training  hard to take on a challenge beyond their current experience level to raise awareness and funds to unite the plight of women globally.

HELP to bring an END to Human Sex trafficking by:

1. Leaving a motivating comment for Sue Beer and Alison Price and donating a couple of dollars toward their campaign.
2. Register to do the Futures Global Ride for next year
3. Share Sue and Allison's campaign pages with friends and relatives to raise awareness for this brutal human activity.
4. Support the Somaly Mam Foundation

Get and Challenge yourself for GREAT causes! The world NEEDS YOU!

This blog post is about people doing good things for Communities, and Women

Click HERE to shop GOOD for Communities

Click HERE to shop GOOD for Women

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