History Awareness Date: Space Shuttle Challenger

(Via: NASA)

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that occured on January 28, 1986 not only affected everyone who may have lost a loved one that day but also traumatized those who watched in horror and dismay as the shuttle exploded.

Every January, NASA has a Day of Remembrance for those astronauts who sacrificed their lives for the advancement in aeronautics programs and space engineering , remembering the tragedies of Apollo 1, the Challenger, and Columbia.

Chinese New Year

Unlike the United States where New Year’s is celebrated on the same day every year, the Chinese celebrate their New Year based on the first day of the first lunar month, which happens to change year to year. This year that day falls on January 26th. Not only is the Chinese New Year celebrated for a full 15 days, but the days before, as well, are spent preparing for the holiday.

Since the holiday is a time for relatives near and far to come together, families prepare by cleaning their houses in a way to wash away bad luck from the previous year and make room for the good luck that they believe is coming. During the 15 days festival, the Chinese have elaborate parties in which they celebrate through fireworks and noisemakers as well as decorating themselves in the color red, red t-shirts work great, which symbolically reminds them of the myth about the monster Nian.

It’s the year of the Ox so show your admiration for this holiday with some strong celebrations and have a happy and healthy new year!

National Handwriting Day

During National Handwriting Day, a Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association sponsored holiday, you can re-discover the essence of handwritten communication. We are all used to sending out emails or text messages because these methods are quicker and at most times more convenient. But for National Handwriting Day today why not spend the time to WRITE out your letter or note especially when addressing someone you love or care about. A handwritten letter adds a personal touch to what you would like to say. Or why not give a really cool pen gift set to commemorate the holiday.

Explore the significance of handwriting this National Handwriting Day!

Thank Your Mentor Day

Today we celebrate Thank Your Mentor Day™.

Who in your life has inspired you, showed you support, and guided you to ensure that you would reach your greatest potential?

For Thank Your Mentor Day, it is time that you showed your mentor(s) your appreciation. Maybe you can put your photo in an engraved, personalized picture frame to show them how you have grown as a person and professional and/or a thank you gift, along with a letter telling them how they influenced you.

Thank Your Mentor Day is a great opportunity to inspire your mentor to continue being a positive influence for other young people.

International Quality of Life Month

Your quality of life consists of intangible physical and psychological state of well being. Your quality of life is determined by the amount of mental toxins (i.e. mental disease, constant anger, feeling like a failure, and hopelessness) and acquired pollutants (i.e. junk food) internalized. How are you ensuring your optimal quality of life?

Not only can you be an inspiration for yourself to take action for your health this International Quality of Life Month but you can also motivate

Giving positive reinforcement at the workplace like instilling rewards and incentive programs for your employees, positively changing your family’s eating and exercise habits, or volunteer with a non-profit organization. There are ways to celebrate International Quality of Life Month!

Obama's Inauguration

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This video is for those who missed Obama's inauguration speech or simply want to hear his inspirational words again! Enjoy!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Every third Monday in January, we celebrate the birth and monumental achievements and reverend, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born on January 15, 1929, Dr. King spent his life fighting for the freedoms of African Americans. His activist rhetoric highlighted ideas of unity, peaceful protest, and fighting against bigotry and injustices.

Dr. King became a cultural icon epitomizing the idea of freedom fighting. His achievements with the Civil Rights Movement, Peace Movement, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference etc. paved the way for African American people to gain equal freedoms as other citizens in the U.S.

His freedom and peace speeches are perfect lessons for individuals to read today. With the rise in police shootings, the recession, job losses, and decrease in morale, great inspiration can be taken from a man who died because he was relentless in fighting for his people’s freedoms. This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you can become a catalyst or motivation for social change, peace, and equality for your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, even complete strangers. Get Martin Luther King coloring books for the kids or volunteer with some friends to promote this great holiday!

Promote a motivational theme for 2009 to encourage non-violence, tolerance, peace, unity, and progession.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

National Poverty in America Awareness Month

(Via: Food First)

How does it feel to be deprived of the necessities of living like food, safe drinking water, housing, and clothing? How would be able to cope if you lived in squalor or poverty?

Many American families suffer from the plight of poverty; they don’t have enough food to feed their family, enough heat to keep themselves warm, they live without healthcare etc. All these tragedies are compiled into an overwhelming amount of personal and financial misfortune. Unfortunately, the people who suffer the most are our children; one in six children lives in poverty in America.

What can you do to combat poverty or to help those in need? You can raise awareness at the workplace about the poverty epidemic. Have a fundraiser for a local soup kitchen or shelter. If you are a non-profit organization promote National Poverty in America Awareness Month to neighboring businesses to raise money for families in need. Give everyone a chance to live.

Family Fit Lifestyle Month

(Via: Be Healthy)

Is your family healthy? Is your family plagued with stress? Does your family watch excessive amounts of TV and proudly claiming to be couch potatoes? Do you have a history of health problems? Do you make sure that your family gets the right nutrients and sufficient amounts of exercise? How are you helping to improve your family's health and well-being?

Although January is Family Fit Lifestyle Month, integrating healthy habits and becoming health conscious should be a lifelong endeavor. Promoting outdoors and sports activities is a great way of ACTIVELY hanging with the family. The whole family can try indoor rock climbing, capoeira, or related indoor activities.

Also being “fit” isn’t solely about eating better and exercising; being fit all includes doing activities that are intellectually stimulating. Play fun games like chess or sudoku with the family every Friday.

A family gets fit together means there can be much stronger and healthier unit.

International Creativity Month

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.— Alan Alda, American actor

January is International Creativity Month so let’s get creative! It is time for the world to get innovative and generate some new ideas.

Creativity is a process of unleashing your imagination and letting your uniquely original ideas develop. So how have you been creative today? Have you created a short story, prepared a new meal, found a great way to meet new people, or discovered a new way to put your kids to bed? What creative project do you have developing?

The best way to feed your creativity is through exploration! Take the time to voluntarily discover new places, new foods, new sounds, new people, and new smells in order to promote International Creativity Month.

An everyday activity for a mom or dad would be packing lunch for the kids. Instead of making a humdrum meal, make a themed lunch like Undersea Delight; bake cookies in shape of seahorses, split the hot dog to make octopus tentacles, shape the carrots into fish, etc. and pack it away in to a lunch container.

Get a children’s cookbook to help you.

So go explore and have fun promoting International Creativity Month!

Book Blitz Month

What’s your favorite type of book? Epic? Romance? Comedy? Thriller?

January is National Book Blitz Month!! So it is time to build up that book collection with some best sellers and personal favorites!

There are so many options for getting your hands on some really good reads. You can always read in the comfort of your home with a choice from your own assortment of literature. How about reading online or going to the library? Although going to the public library is an age old activity, it is still a fun filled adventure that the entire family can enjoy! You can also take a solo trip to Barnes and Noble for a latte and restful and relaxing reading session. Work in the education industry? Promote National Book Blitz Month by establishing a book club like a Goosebumps series organization amongst your students!

Thyroid Awareness Month

(Via: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia)

January is Thyroid Awareness Month.

The thyroid is a gland in the endocrine system that plays a significant part in the regulating the body’s metabolism. During Thyroid Awareness Month, promote a healthy thyroid.

Wondering how to prevent thyroid disease? Making certain lifestyle changes can ensure a healthy thyroid. Start with nutrition; a healthy thyroid needs healthy balanced eating specifically a source of iodine, selenium, and magnesium! Just remember too much iodine can also trigger thyroid abnormalities. Do you smoke? Smoking can damage the thyroid or exacerbate existing conditions. Also, de-stress with stress reduction exercises! Promote a stress reducing environment by putting together a yoga club amongst co-workers or your neighbors.

Promote health! Research ways you can minimize your chances of developing thyroid disease!

Cervical Health Awareness Month

(Via: National Cervical Cancer Coalition)

Have you been screened for cervical cancer?

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. For women who do not know what cervical cancer is, the malignancy occurs in the tissues of the cervix, which is the organ connecting the uterus and vagina. Since cervical cancer is a very gradual growing cancer, getting regular pap smears is crucial in detecting abnormalities. According to the National Cancer Institute, there were 11,070 new cases of cervical cancer and 3,870 deaths related to cervical cancer in 2008.

Promoting Cervical Health Awareness Month does not have to be an effort taken by the healthcare industry only. Inform the women in your life to get screened for cervical cancer. You may help save a friend, a mother, a sister, a co-worker just by promoting cervical health. Pass out informative pamphlets and promotional automotive products to remind women about Cervical Health Awareness Month and to raise public awareness of cervical cancer! Fortunately, cervical cancer can be found with regular Pap tests so set up an appointment with your gynecologist today!

National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month

(Via: USA Weekend)

January is National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month. This awareness occasion is dedicated to raising awareness about self defense and rape/assault prevention for women. Do you know who your best protector against assault is? YOU are! So the best way of protecting yourself is through personal self-defense education and training.

The American Women's Self Defense Association provides training services for instructors and loads of resources for women. Gather a group of family members and friends and sign up for some self defense classes today! Promote safety programs, neighborhood watch initiatives, and self-defense discussions in your area.

Learn how to be your best defender!

Financial Wellness Month

It is not the amount of money an individual earns that brings peace of mind; it is having control of his money. --the late N. Eldon Tanner

Protect that piggy bank!

With the struggling economy, you must make strong efforts to keep yourself afloat! Financial Wellness Month is that time to get financial education. Whether you are trying to get out of debt or to pay for your child’s education, recording your spending and being meticulous with the details of your finances will help you stay focused on the goal of changing certain habits to achieve financial wellness. Thinking of ways to promote financial health? Host a money party with your friends and family to facilitate discussion on how to revamp financial plans and how to save money and invest. Meet with the professionals. You might not find all your answers online so talk to a financial advisor.

National Mentoring Month

mentor:
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from Greek Mentōr
Date: 1616
1 capitalized: a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus
2 a: a trusted counselor or guide b: tutor, coach

(Via: Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)

January is National Mentoring Month, a month-long endeavor to increase public awareness of the need for mentors. Promote volunteer services that aid our youth!

What is it like to have the support of your family and friends, to have a constant voice encouraging you to reach your highest potential in your career, education, or even hobbies! If you have an older brother or sister, he or she may have been the benchmark to your success because you may have figured out what path you wished to take to reach your own positive success from your older sibling’s advice, triumph and mistakes. Feels good to know someone is always there, right?

How about expanding that supportiveness to the youth in your area to ensure a brighter future? During National Mentoring Month, organizations like Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service spearhead campaigns to get individuals, businesses, neighborhoods and the like to become mentors for our young people. Other programs that mentor youth are Big Brothers Big Sisters and NJSEEDS.

What can hinder the development (i.e. social, emotional, psychological, values): Lack of mental or physical stimuli, isolation, boredom etc. The youth needs mentors! So why not find a program in your area so we can ensure the youth who really need support, get support! Teach a young person something new. Become a mentor!

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

(Via: Businessweek)

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that results in gradual loss of eye sight. Most people do not know they have glaucoma that why it is recommended for people to get regular eye exams, which can help identify glaucoma in its early stages before irreparable damage occurs.

The Glaucoma Research Foundation funds research to find a cure to glaucoma. You and your company can aid in their endeavors by promoting prevention and educating your community about this condition reinforcing your message with promotional magnifying glasses. If you are living with glaucoma, there are support groups and resources that can help you cope with low vision.

Catch glaucoma in its early stages.

National Volunteer Blood Donor Month

January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month.

Why is donating blood so helpful? Donated blood is used to give someone hope for new life especially for someone with a rare blood type. Blood is either used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation to help someone fight off a disease or cancer.

Have you thought of donating blood? You can donate blood and/or encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to donate blood in order to help ensure someone a better life. Promote Volunteer Blood Donor Month at the workplace by giving away promotional blood drop stress balls or peculiar body parts stress balls!

National Birth Defects Prevention Month

(Via: Better Smarter Kids)

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. Birth defects range from mild to severe, genetic to acquired and some are more prevalent than others depending on the environment thus it is important to observe the trends of birth defects in order to strengthen preventative measures.

Organizations like the National Birth Defects Prevention Network or Birth Defect Research for Children, Inc. work to not only support parents with children who have birth defects but also to do research in order find trends in birth defects in order to develop preventative tactics.

You can either donate to these associations that specialize in dealing with birth defects or you can distribute awareness wristbands for your own fundraising effort in a campaign to support a child (or children) in the neighborhood with a birth defect. Show your support for our children by promoting prevention for the New Year!