Redefining Me – The Call of an Advocate

/ Advocating for Causes, Challenging You, Getting to Know Me, Motivating You, Redefining Me / By

Dear Ms Anonymous,

How’s your week been going? Have you been working on redefining yourself with #newwordwednesday?

If I’m being honest, my new words for this week had me reaching for the dictionary! And that’s not because I didn’t know what the words meant. But because they are so similar, I needed the definitions to understand the nuances between them. My 2 new words for the week are motivator and advocate.

Redefining Me - The Call of an Advocate

Becoming a motivator

So, let’s dig right into the definitions. First, “Motivator” – a person who promotes interest in or enthusiasm for something. I don’t think that’s the version of the definition that is really speaking to me right now. I prefer this one – something that provides a reason or stimulus to do something. While I don’t usually refer to myself as a ‘something’ – this definition is more of what I’m striving for in 2020.

There are a lot of people in my life who would already call me a motivator… maybe it’s because I know a lot of people who need motivating! Well, who doesn’t need motivating every once in a while!?! I would be hard-pressed to find someone who is a go-getter every.single.day! Maybe you are that way … Tell me your secret!

Here’s why I find myself in the motivator role – because I like to push people, to inspire them, to do their best. I find that when I’m inspiring someone, I’m also feeling inspired. It’s quite contagious, in the best of ways.

So tell me, what do you need motivation to do this year?

I’m sure being fresh into the new year you have a laundry list of resolutions … perhaps one of them is to actually fold and put away your laundry on the same day (that’s what my number 1 resolution needs to be!) And as the weeks and months fly by in the year, do you find yourself motivated to stick with your resolutions, or did you already give up after the first few weeks?

Maybe you need an accountability coach! Someone to help motivate you to stick with your goals/resolutions or whatever it is you are striving towards this year! Maybe Dear Ms Anonymous should be your new accountability buddy?! Perhaps that is why you are here. Great! (Sign up for some sessions with me today!!) Stick around because this is going to be the year you accomplish your goals! Let’s do it together!

Having an accountability buddy motivates you to stick with and accomplish your goals. Become an advocate for someone else.

Being an advocate

My second word is “Advocate” – a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. We all have a cause that is near and dear to our heart. What’s yours? I’ve always had a soft spot for the elderly and for children. As I said in Redefining Me – Adventurous Blogger, I became a foster parent in 2018. But that’s not where my youth advocacy passion started.

I continuously find myself involved in programs for disadvantaged youth. Going back about 12 or 13 years when I lived in Brooklyn, I helped found a non-profit for at-risk youth, called Voices in Power New York, where I ran the performing arts program. When I moved to NC I was a mentor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, followed by involvement with various youth programs with the YMCA.

What’s my cause?

But even though I was involved with all of those programs, I would not really have considered myself an advocate, until I became a foster parent. For some reason, that role was the first time I really wanted to spur others into action to help children in need.

Even though the experience was nothing like I ever imagined it would be, I know that the need for loving foster homes is so great. Thus, at every available opportunity, I have made it my personal mission to share the stories of successful placements for children of all ages and backgrounds.

And even though our first foster placement did not end in the happily ever after that I had imagined, I don’t shy away from telling people the truth about my experience.

One might ask, won’t you scare people away by telling them the truth about your foster care experience? I believe that in order for someone to be successful at something, they must know everything it entails. That means, the good, the bad and the ugly about what they are getting themselves into.

So many people either are afraid of the horror stories that they’ve heard about foster care. Others don’t know the first thing about foster care. Either way, the result is a lack of loving families for children in need!

With all of the people on this planet who have more than what they need, there is no reason for children to suffer. There should not be any child out there who doesn’t know where their next meal is going to come from, or if they will have a bed to sleep in! It just doesn’t make sense to me.

So I’ll continue to advocate, and attempt to recruit foster parents. The need is too great not to!

What are you passionate about?

What is that cause that once you start talking about it, it’s hard to stop? Is there a cause that you are so passionate about that you would dedicate your life to it, even if you don’t get paid?

How are you planning to make an impact on the world? What world problem are you going to use your voice to solve? Share your passion causes with me on Instagram and Facebook!

And as an extra bonus, I will feature 5 people who share the causes that spur them into action! So, if you’re running a fundraiser, or working hard at an organization, this is your chance to get noticed, and bring light to all that you are doing to change the world!

With love,

P.S. – If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, or learning more about how you can help children in foster care – check out the links below!