How to find a cause you love and get involved

[Photo by hobynye]

You probably see my many posts on Facebook and Twitter about Dress for Success Miami - that's my cause. Volunteering and getting involved with a cause is a great way to help others, meet new people and add some life into your work/life balance.

But where do you start? There are thousands of causes out there, all with good intentions. How do you select the one that's right for you? First, think about the following:

Your heartstrings
What pulls at you? It could be injustice, poverty, animal welfare, homelessness or any number of things. But if you are going to spend time and energy in cause, choose one that you feel personally drawn to.

Your experience
What have you done or been through that can help others? Perhaps your days as a food server in college can be channeled in a soup kitchen. It could even be a match of professional skills – I started volunteering with Dress for Success Miami by offering communications, writing and marketing services pro bono (and I still do).

Your time
Be realistic here – how much time can you commit to helping out? Is it once a week? Once a month? For certain events? It could even be taking on administrative projects you can do on your own time or in your own home. Knowing this beforehand will keep you from getting in too deep too fast and not enjoying the experience.

Now that you've picked a cause, ask around or do a search on Volunteer Match or Idealist to find an organization close to you. Contact them to get an overview of the organization and get to know the people running the place. If your gut doesn't feel good about it, it might not be the right organization for you, but don't get discouraged.

Some easy ways to get involved:

• Volunteer. Most nonprofits, especially local ones, have more demand than capacity. Find out how you can help out as a volunteer, whether it's helping deliver services (like mentoring or tutoring), staffing events (a personal favorite of mine), doing manual labor (think Habitat for Humanity) or helping out in the office (like data entry or answering phones).

• Donate/Fundraise. Time is valuable, yes, but some things do require money. Can you donate some funds? You can even help organize a fundraiser or 

• Pro bono services. If their needs fit your professional expertise, consider offering pro bono services. This is common for areas such as public relations, accounting and legal services. It helps to define a scope and set some expectations.

What does it mean to be on a nonprofit board of directors?
To be honest, I knew very little about nonprofit boards before I joined one. First and foremost, board members serve as ambassadors for a cause – representing the organization, spreading word about their good works and building relationships and good will. Most nonprofit boards also provide financial oversight and accountability for the organization. For philanthropic nonprofits, such as charities, arts organizations and those that thrive on donations, a large part of a board member's duties will include fundraising.

Are you involved in a nonprofit or volunteer cause? How did you pick one and how are you involved?

On seasonal dressing (or not)

[My seasons are all mixed up. February | August]

Seasonal dressing  usually comes more out of necessity than of fashionability. But some things are purely aesthetic, and personal tastes and temperatures can vastly affect what is wearable at certain times of the year. Add to that useless fashion "rules" based on time or month, and really, who can keep it all straight.

Some common conventions or rules based on season or time, many of which are outdated now. These are some I've heard of/observed, not conventions that I follow or advocate.

• No white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day.
• No sequins in day time.
• Espadrilles for summer only.
• Boots are for fall and winter only.
• Lace is for evening (or summer weekends).
• Florals are for spring and summer.
• Wooly fabrics and tweeds are for fall and winter only.

With temperature control nearly everywhere (and not in a bad way—watching baseball in an air-conditioned dome is awesome), seasonal dressing doesn't mean the same thing it used to. My arguments against seasonal dressing:

Changing times
Lace and sequins are everywhere nowadays, from pencil skirts to otherwise demure flats and pumps. Though it may be temporary, the rules governing those items just aren't the same right now. It's just the nature of the beast.

Cultural norms
In Miami, white is acceptable year-round (though it might be because our winters are still warmer than summers in San Francisco). As are open-toed shoes and slightly shorter skirts. Many style conventions evolve or become moot due to a specific culture or climate in an area.

Indoor climate
Sure, it may be extreme outside, but indoor temperatures rarely vary from season to season. For those of us that spend the majority of our time in temperature controlled buildings, there is much less outdoor time to account for.

Personal preference
Everyone takes to climate differently. Some are comfortable in t-shirts at 60 degrees, others not until the temp hits 85. Some people can't bear to have their toes constricted in the summer, while others wear sneakers or boots year-round.

Perhaps I'm a little sensitive about this because I am always cold. Even in the summer (especially when there's a/c). Even in Miami. I spend as many summer days in pants and sweaters as I do in shorts and a tee and am just as likely to wear boots as flip flops with my shorts. I change out of my work clothes in the evening into sweat pants and a sweat shirt (yes, in the summer). Does that make me stand out? Sure. But at least I'm comfortable, and that's more important to me.

What does seasonal dressing mean and look like to you?

Summer Staples: The one-piece swimsuit

This isn't really a work staple, per se, but it's hard to go a summer without putting on a swimsuit at least once. We've touched on swimwear and business before, but what about purely social events where coworkers are present? Pool parties, lake sports, beach bonfires—what's a lady to do?

One-piece swimsuits tend to harken Speedo, but they are making a huge comeback with new and retro styles. As a child, I remember my mom always looking glamorous by the pool in a fuchsia ruched halter suit (almost exactly like the Eliza from Rey Swimwear). I took the plunge and grabbed a one-piece last year, which I've used for situations that need a little more coverage and that are a little more sporty (like kayaking).

Things to look for in a one-piece:

• Movement. Run in place in the dressing room, sit down, get up. Does your suit stay in place? Having to constantly adjust is more than just annoying—it can also draw unwanted attention to the uncomfortable areas.

• Coverage. When it comes to swimwear, you have to think beyond just covering the mid-section or too much cleavage. Make sure the color isn't light enough to see through, and that there is enough coverage on top if you're prone to fripplage.

• Rewearability. Have fun with your one-piece, and you may find yourself wearing it more often. Plus, confidence always looks good.

• Tankini. If you prefer, a tankini can mimic a one-piece in coverage. If your top and bottom are different sizes, or if you have a long torso, this is a great alternative to common one-piece problems.

Some fun one-pieces (and a tankini) from around the web:

1. Tommy Hilfiger, $48 — 2. Merona, $35 — 3. Gap, $30 — 4. Land's End Canvas tankini, $90

Do you keep a one-piece handy? What do you look for in a swimsuit?

8 things you can do mid-week to unplug

Weekends are for rest, and because of that, we slave away Monday through Friday. Though it feels like a work takes up a whole day, most people have anywhere from 4-7 hours between getting off work and hitting the sack. That's 4-7 hours that you can call your own and that you should grab with both hands. I'm as much of a fan of weeknight television as anyone, but crime dramas don't often help fight stress, and sometimes it's nice to change things up.

Here are 8 weeknight breaks to help you unplug—warning: you may never want to fall back into the TV rabbit hole again. Several of these overlap (it's hard to be glued to a computer if you've got a honey mask on your face), but I hope you will run with these ideas and find some go-to midweek breaks on your own. All of these can be done with minimal planning, too.

1. No-tech night. Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, put on some music and pick up a book, magazine or project. Do anything EXCEPT for stare at a screen.

2. Girls night. Get the girls and some supplies and get to relaxing. Some fun home-spa things you can try: manicures/pedicures, sugar/salt scrubs, facial masks and hair masks. Bonus points if someone has a hot tub.

3. Movie night. The average movie is anywhere from 90-120 minutes long, which fits into your evening with plenty of time to spare. Why wait until Friday to catch the latest blockbuster? Lines are probably shorter on weekdays, too. 

4. Craft night. If you're a weekend crafter like I am, you know how frustrating and slow progress can be when you only give it a project a few glances a week. Pick a small project or a simple step within a large project that takes less than two hours, and get it out of the way.

5. Game night. Board games, video games or bowling, a mid-week game night with family or friends is a great stress buster (and I have the bowling injuries to prove it). Check out your local bowling alley's weekly specials—you'll probably find some great deals for a few hours of old school fun.

6. Book club. Create your own or join one, even if you gab and gossip more than you actually discuss the book. My last book club also included themed food (fair fare for Devil in the White City and pierogies for The Master and Margarita). Bonus: you could *gasp* learn something!

7. Supper club. Whether it's cooking with your live-in or some friends, picking out a recipe and making it can be a fun experience (and you get some yummy grub out of it). If you're doing a group meal, let each person pick a course and bring ingredients (and any special tools to make it) and cook together. Note: this is much much easier if the person with the biggest kitchen hosts. Just sayin'.

8. Date night. The last year I lived in California, K taught a late afternoon class on Mondays just a few blocks from my office. He got into the habit of taking the train there (a reimbursable expense for him), and I would pick him up after work and check out a different restaurant each week. Mondays were so much fun (and the restaurants were way less crowded).


How do you unplug and relax mid-week?