WEBVTT - Find your cause 

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to find your cause. The world has

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<v Speaker 1>so many needs and it's hard to know how to

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<v Speaker 1>make a difference. One approach is to do what you

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<v Speaker 1>can anytime you receive a request. But I'd encourage you

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<v Speaker 1>to be a bit more strategic. Finding one cause to

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<v Speaker 1>go all in on can feel more rewarding, which means

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<v Speaker 1>you'll wind up giving more generously than you would otherwise.

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<v Speaker 1>If you already have a cause you're devoted to great,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd encourage you to go deeper. Can you double your contributions?

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<v Speaker 1>Could you make a bigger volunteer commitment once a week

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<v Speaker 1>or more? But if you're not yet sure how to

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<v Speaker 1>direct your giving, keep listening. Think about what gives you've

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<v Speaker 1>most worked up. What topics can you talk about and

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<v Speaker 1>read about for hours? It might help to think about

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<v Speaker 1>topics that have always interested you but aren't directly related

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<v Speaker 1>to your work. For instance, I'm drawn to issues of

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<v Speaker 1>healthy eating and food insecurity, even though these aren't topics

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<v Speaker 1>I write or speak about. I know a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>people are moved by the cause of anti racism, or

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<v Speaker 1>maybe children's well being in the face of a pandemic

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<v Speaker 1>response that has taken so many protections and supports away

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<v Speaker 1>from children. Once you've zeroed in on something that makes

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<v Speaker 1>you want to learn more, research organizations that are doing

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<v Speaker 1>good work on the issue. I'm partial to ones that

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<v Speaker 1>are involved in your local area because you'll be able

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<v Speaker 1>to get more personally involved, but there's a good case

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<v Speaker 1>for looking at organizations that do good work on a

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<v Speaker 1>national or global scale too. Look at the ones you've

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<v Speaker 1>heard about, but google articles on the topic and see

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<v Speaker 1>who else is listed as well. Then visit their websites,

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<v Speaker 1>read about their missions and programs. Check out the board

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<v Speaker 1>lists and donor lists. When you see that individuals or

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<v Speaker 1>institutions you respect or support the organization with time and money,

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<v Speaker 1>that's a vote of confidence. You might also consult their

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<v Speaker 1>I R s for or the Profile and Guide Stars

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<v Speaker 1>nonprofit directory. After you found an organization you think could

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<v Speaker 1>be a good fit, get involved, sign up for their newsletter,

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<v Speaker 1>make a donation, and I really think this is important, volunteer.

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<v Speaker 1>As you do, you can get to know the staff

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<v Speaker 1>and other volunteers and those who benefit from the organization's work.

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<v Speaker 1>If you do this over time, you will probably find

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<v Speaker 1>yourself giving more and more of your time and money

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<v Speaker 1>to support the organization, even telling your friends about it

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<v Speaker 1>or serving as a volunteer leader or board member. It

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<v Speaker 1>is satisfying to provide significant support to an organization that

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<v Speaker 1>you believe is doing good work, and by concentrating your

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<v Speaker 1>efforts and gifts on a single organization or at most two,

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<v Speaker 1>you're able to see more of an impact than if

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<v Speaker 1>your support is more dispersed. Some families get involved to

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<v Speaker 1>gather maybe you and your adult siblings or you and

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<v Speaker 1>your kids. Some faith communities and workplaces support particular organizations,

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<v Speaker 1>and you might find it rewarding to volunteer alongside people

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<v Speaker 1>you're already connected with, or you might enjoy the new

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<v Speaker 1>relationships and experiences you have through an independent connection to

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<v Speaker 1>a nonprofit. It can be a great way to expand

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<v Speaker 1>your circle now I know. There are various utilitarian arguments

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<v Speaker 1>about giving to the places where you know a dollar

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<v Speaker 1>will go furthest which tends to be relief for health

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<v Speaker 1>organizations working in developing countries. There's also the question of

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<v Speaker 1>why our own satisfaction and sense of meaning should guide

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<v Speaker 1>giving it all. Perhaps It sounds selfish that we want

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<v Speaker 1>to see actual impact, and yet the world will always

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<v Speaker 1>have more problems than any of us can solve. None

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<v Speaker 1>of us can solve everything. Choosing one cause inevitably means

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<v Speaker 1>not choosing others. But when we feel more connected to

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<v Speaker 1>a cause, we feel compelled to do more. Making real

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<v Speaker 1>impact in one small space is worth celebrating whatever other

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<v Speaker 1>causes still exist. So what's your cause? You can tell

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<v Speaker 1>me about how you got involved and the impact the

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<v Speaker 1>organization is having on its beneficiaries and on you. You You

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<v Speaker 1>can reach me at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart

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<v Speaker 1>media dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod

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<v Speaker 1>that's the number four then Breakfast p o D. You

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<v Speaker 1>can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast

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<v Speaker 1>at i heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is

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<v Speaker 1>spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I

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<v Speaker 1>look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of I Heart Radio For more podcasts from I

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<v Speaker 1>heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.