Love, serve, and give and you will always be happy.

Finding happiness can be tricky, since it is always right there to be captured and so often not seen by so many. Also, at times we may find ourselves pursuing happiness in ways that will not give such results. However, if we were to focus on loving one another, openly, humbly, and compassionately or having a loving outlook full of gratitude, we may simply find ourselves in the realm of happiness. Just like that. In addition, serving and giving can bring great joy to us. How amazing is the feeling when you are able to serve as a volunteer in your community for a neighbor in need or when you give a donation to a meaningful charity, family or cause in need. Focusing on all 3 areas of loving, serving, and giving brings joy and happiness to the heart, soul, person, and community.

In a time when we are facing economic instability and still coming to terms with natural disaster Super Storm Sandy, it’s easy for us to turn inward and feel unable to help others when we ourselves can’t see the light. How can we give, if we can’t make ends meet? How can we help others, when we are also struggling with no home from the storm? It is especially important during these times that we do give and serve instead of falling into our own pity. And by doing so what we receive is our true richness, our happiness.

Giving a little means a lot. Small and local businesses are now coming up with creative ways to support their community. It’s no longer about writing a check. Many of us don’t have the dispensable funds to write out a check or also realize that it may not be as rewarding as we would like it to be. Instead, consumers can find satisfaction in working with companies, businesses, and organizations that help make it accessible to give back. For example, some retailers may sell items that give a percentage of the sales to charity, or others may be doing a coat drive for a local shelter.

For those of you who are new to our studio, while we recently opened in September 2012, in November we were offering a weekly community Yoga class that was complimentary if you brought in a nonperishable food item for the Rutherford’s Food Pantry. My family and I, like many were displaced from our home in Hoboken for two weeks due to Super Storm Sandy and we came every day ready to open the studio immediately after the storm and especially for the community classes we were offering. It was important for me to be here for others who needed to work out and find a place to release their stress.

Dancetuary focuses not only on providing a place to move our bodies through dance, fitness, and yoga, but also on giving back to its local and national community. Along with creating sales and promotional goals we also write out our giving goals. We feel that through giving one receives. Being a new studio owner giving is a lot to take on. However, I strongly feel that it is essential for us to serve and give to others.

We found creative ways to form community contribution. In addition to November’s community yoga classes we hosted a couple Zumbathons® (Zumba® classes in which proceeds go to charity) for Rutherford High School’s Project Graduation and Nancy Coleman’s Breast Cancer Foundation. We also hosted a willPower & grace® plank challenge where women and men held their plank as long as they could and raised money for the American Red Cross. And we finished the year by collecting toys for Toys for Tots. We are looking forward to more Zumbathons®, community classes, and other creative events to bring awareness for families, organizations, and special causes.

Dancetuary offers an opportunity to work out, dance, or practice while giving back to its community. In our yoga classes we often talk about taking our practice off the mat, and by doing so is by loving, serving, and giving in our community.

Remove the “I” from any equation and the result will always be the same=Happiness. And so as consumers, residents, neighbors, friends and family you can always find ways to serve and give. One powerful way is by reaching out to your favorite local shops or place of service and ask if they are open to supporting a charity or organization in need. All you need to do is give a little, but definitely still give. When you think you are down, there is usually someone else worse off that can really use your support. We are Jersey Strong, and we are also Jersey Happy.

Below is a rough, not limited to, list of all the charities, organizations, and causes that we will support in some form or fashion. By all means, you can see that this list small compared to all those in need, so if you know of a cause, charity, family, etc. that can use our help, please, let us know.

Best in health,
oxox

Abi

Dancetuary’s (Incomplete) Giving Goals:

·         January: ALS

·         February: American Red Cross

·         March: PSP, Rutherford High School's Project Graduation

·         April: Parkinson’s’

·         May: MS

·         June: Bloomfield Animal & NJSPCA

·         July: to be determined

·         August: Rutherford Education Fund

·         September: Global Mala

·         October: Breast Cancer Awareness

·         November: Rutherford Food Pantry/Alzheimer’s (Forget me Not)

·         December: Toys for Tots

To be scheduled: Off The Mat and Into the World and many more...