The Empowerment Plan

It started out as a project for a college class. Instructed to design and make something that would fill a need, Veronica Scott walked into a homeless shelter to go to a direct source. She spoke with homeless people and asked them what they needed most. Most became anger by the the question, however, a few sat down and tossed some ideas. And that was when Veronica went home to work in her basement and design a coat that would keep warmth, keep out rain, and be able to expand into a sleeping bag. While researching the company I found the creator had been invited to do a Ted Talk! And as you know I love Ted Talks! For such a young person she has been able to do so much.

Max's Story  how The Empowerment Plan succeeded in changing lives.Here is an article about a woman who was finally released from prison and how Veronica's project did more than just keep one person warm. Veronica's open heart has not only created a coat that is functional but has actually succeeded in giving people lives back. With a steady job, a person can have a place to live and food in their belly.

Most of us see a homeless person and the street and judge them for their actions that led them there. This judgement is leads nowhere. Not only does it keep people on the streets but it shows us who we really are, selfish and small minded. We can't see past our noses. Understandable that we all have issues as well, but hearing Veronica's Empowerment Plan and how it creates jobs as well as helps the homeless, I can't help but be in awe of her natural brain process. Of course if you watch the video that introduced me to this fantastic idea, you'll see that everything just happened by chance. Even so, the idea and the process fascinates me. My hope is one day to meet Veronica in person and help in some small way. After all a leader who can be so young and so selfless is someone I wish to be near.

The Empowerment Plan for more information, this is their direct site.

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As always thank you for reading and I hope this motivated you to do something or create something for someone in need. If you know someone who could use a Empowerment Coat, please look up and see if it can be delivered to your area and I will pay for half of it. I love this idea and would like to spread this project worldwide.

Have a Sweeter Day than Yesterday 

Pizza Sex Metaphor

Ted Talks:Al Vernacchino

I love Ted Talks! I found them when looking for entrepreneur advice. There are a great deal of Ted Talks that are leadership and business influential. I honestly don't remember my first Ted Talks experience was, but I know I quickly became addicted to them. I love the thoughts and ideas the speakers bring to each of their speeches. They are all extremely different from each, none are alike. I've watched some on self esteem, on entrepreneurship, and now I've seen one on a new metaphor model for sex.

These talks are fascinating and I couldn't help but smile throughout the video. But there were other parts where I went into deep thought, remembering high school and being a confused teen. The speaker, Al Vernacchio, goes over a comparison of the typical Baseball model for sex and his own Pizza metaphor. I remember the boys talking in the halls Monday mornings, "Did you score, man?" I remember hearing girls even speak about the bases, "Really, you let him get to second base?" But there was something that hit me when the speaker claimed the Baseball metaphor implies a competition. Sports are competitive. If our sex metaphor is based off of a sport doesn't that imply that it is a competition as well? Maybe not right away, but for those who are struggling teens trying to be adults, sex suddenly becomes a goal that is a must reach because someone is going to beat you to it.

The speaker talks of how Baseball is a sport, which in some cases someone who is not extremely athletic can already feel singled out. And how talking about it like a sport is pushing teens to think of it as a goal or win once achieved intercourse. Creating a bad taste in some mouths while in other's a taste of how behind am I than everyone else?

The new model or metaphor for Sex should be Pizza the speaker suggests, because everyone loves pizza but you're not always in the mood for it. Perfect! All of a sudden sex isn't a must or goal, it has a time and a place. Pizza is when you are hungry, when you're ready. It's delicious and the toppings change based on the person you are dining with. No more First Base, Second and Third. Now it can be what everyone is comfortable with, and when.

I loved this talk and the idea of it. I plan on teaching it to my kids if and when I have any. The idea is simple and yet it could change a the way teens think about sex. I imagined myself as teen and thinking about the Pizza Metaphor, not only do I think I would have laughed hearing it, but I think I would have been more comfortable with idea of it. Teens are still going to talk about sex, they are still going to pressure one another, and they are still going to have it before they are ready. But the idea of taking your time about it. Especially with someone who shares your likes and dislikes, which also takes time to learn.

What do you think of this new Sex Metaphor? Do you would have thought about sex differently growing up?

Have a Sweeter Day than Yesterday