The Caring Movement has the Spotlight!

Thanks to a recent article from an interview with Unified Caring Association President Lane Michel, in the series “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” (published in Authority Magazine and on Thrive Global), the Caring Movement has the spotlight! The Caring Movement is truly a work that needs to be allowed to “unfold,” with active participation from those people ready, willing and able to make a difference.

“Unified Caring is one of those big ideas having a huge impact on many thousands of lives…People are invited join the UCA membership community that helps them impart self-care and in turn give care to others. Together, we work to address urgent unmet needs for greater caring. UCA has a special knack for caring for the innocent beings needing so much more from us all: children, the elderly and animals.”
Lane Michel, UCA President

You are Invited to Care!

In true UCA form, the invitation above is a reminder for us to really think about what the Caring Movement is all about. It all comes down to asking

what is in your heart,
how you want to give back, and
how you can get outside of yourself to bring joy to others.

At its core, the caring movement is about being actively engaged in building caring communities that truly make a difference. In the long run, the UCA believes that we can be happier and healthier when we are connected to and serving others. Truly, becoming the humble custodian of such a movement gives grace to all of our lives.

Self-Care is Critical

At UCA we understand that caring for others and being of service also requires a level of self-awareness and care towards oneself. That is why we are a community where members are encouraged to practice self-care in order to become a stronger player in the art of caring for others. Members have a variety of self-care benefits they can choose from to begin a self-care journey. A great example is the Self-Assessment Tools developed for UCA members. Members in crisis can get quick help through their free 24/7 certified counselors hotline. And when they find they are ready to get out and have some fun being of service, our Volunteer Network is an exciting and easy place to get their caring feet wet!

More on the Caring Movement

To learn more about UCA’s Caring Movement, we invite you to now watch our YouTube videos.

From here to there, and everywhere in between, being a Custodian of the Caring Movement is just the beginning of a life-long journey of fulfillment. Hope to see you there!

We invite you to discover inspiring and effective ways to care for yourself and to serve others. Now more than ever, caring is what we all need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life now demands caring, resilience and compassion like never before. So, become a Custodian of the Caring Movement and help create the world we need right now, the world we want for our future generations.

UCA resources available to help include the Turbulent Times Resources Center, Virtual Volunteering, radio show, publications and online store offering members huge discounts and always free shipping.

May 14, 2021

Highlighting UCA’s Self-Assessment Benefit

It’s been an exciting year so far for Unified Caring Association (UCA) members. Now that Spring is here, we are in full swing with major new benefits! If you are checking your inbox, you may have gotten the news that UCA has partnered with the adventurous organization of “Dear God, Are We There Yet” to bring global virtual volunteer opportunities to our members. Additionally, we rolled out the exciting new benefit of Pet Wellness and Insurance Plans through Wagmo! You can read more about that in the article 3 Reasons Why Pet Wellness Plans are Important.

Yes, that’s right, UCA is here to support you in caring for others, including your furry friends! But we don’t stop there.

We know how hard it can be to put forth your best effort to support the people, causes, and pets that make up your community of caring. That’s why we specialize in helping you care for yourself too. Have you ever heard the saying, “You can’t give from an empty cup”? Well, there is merit to that statement, and we’ve got you covered.

You may be wondering if you are “good” at self-care. And, that is a great place to start. Why not take your self-care assessment to kick off your journey of filling your cup? The best part of the assessment is making 3 self-care goals and assigning an accountability partner!

One of UCA’s members shared,

“When I took the assessment, one of my goals surprised me. Sure, eat well/get more exercise and meditate for 10 -15 minutes every day being on my list were pretty predictable. But, it was my first goal which surprised me, and even more surprising that it was my first goal. I wrote “Buy myself new clothes.” I was honestly surprised at my honesty. It seemed so selfish and unapologetic. Then I thought about it more and read the secondary part to the goal (how I plan on fulfilling it). I recognized the sincerity coming from my inner voice. I said I would put aside money every week to save to be able to buy new clothes. I must really want this for myself! And it was true. Usually when I bought new clothes it was for my kids — probably a common thing for parents.

What I gained about this is self-care is about at least recognizing my personal wants and needs, and making a plan of how to fulfill them. By doing that, it keeps me out of a place of feeling lack. It helps me to plan for attainment and an abundant life.”

For UCA members that have already taken the self-assessment, we want to hear what you learned. Contact us here (write in the subject line “self-care assessment”) to share how taking this assessment may have surprised you and changed how you look at your self-care. Can’t wait to hear about it!

If you are not yet a member of Unified Caring Association, join us! There are so many benefits for memberships that start as low as $15 per month.

UCA resources available to help include the Turbulent Times Resources Center, Virtual Volunteering, radio show, publications and online store offering members huge discounts and always free shipping.

May 3, 2021

Let’s Be Loving and Kind

We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) feel that nothing helps a community come together like love and kindness. These forms of caring are something we all need in the world today. A community that cares comes together to help people in need.

Let’s be loving and kind.

Loving kindness can go so far right now. It can be a small act of kindness that makes a big impact. Think about kindness when we have to go out for supplies. Like, if you see there are only two items on the shelf of what you need, ask yourself, do you really need both? Or can you just take one and let someone else take the other? Perhaps someone else truly needs it, and having it makes their lives easier. Let’s face it, any bit that we can ease each other’s difficulty right now can make a huge difference. In a time when people are uncertain about major life issues, making it so someone does not have to worry about having needed supplies is a major act of kindness.

Let’s be loving and kind when we are home with our family.

Maybe you are able to work from home, and your kids are being tasked with distance learning. Also, maybe you are cooking three times a day and keeping up with cleaning up a well-lived-in house. So much to do! You may find you are not getting a lot of alone time or time for self-care. Stress of money or worry over the current state of things may be taking a toll. Kids may be crabby, and any structure you had is non-existent. Stress can put us in a position where it is easy to take out our frustrations with our loved ones.

Pause for Kindness

It may take some practice, but we can put a pause in. A pause to choose to be kind, even when we are at our wits end. No, it doesn’t mean let your kids stay up as late as they want, or let them eat ice cream for breakfast (I mean if you want to do that, go ahead!)… It just means, take a breath, pause, and remember you may not ever get this chance to be home and enjoy your family like this again. Prioritize kindness over demands. Prioritize love over productivity. Then, build in your new structure, new demands, your new normal. Build your life anew, and build it on love and kindness… The rewards will last long after the stress of this pandemic has faded from daily life.

We are all being called to do extraordinary things for the collective caring of our families, communities and the world in response to the unique coronavirus pandemic. Whether home bound or providing critical services, everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life is going to require new routines, resilience and compassion. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement to respond to local needs.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

April 9, 2020

Author: Lydia