♥ Someone you haven’t yet met is already dreaming of adoring you.

♥ Someone is writing a book that you will read in the next two years that will change how you look at life.

♥ Nuns in the Alps are in endless vigil, praying for the Holy Spirit to alight the hearts of all of God’s children.

♥ A farmer is looking at his organic crops and whispering, “nourish them.”

♥ Someone wants to kiss you, to hold you, to make tea for you. Someone is willing to lend you money, wants to know what your favourite food is, and treat you to a movie.

♥ There are Tibetan Buddhist monks in a temple in the Himalayas endlessly reciting mantras for the cessation of your suffering and for the flourishing of your happiness.

♥ Someone in your orbit has something immensely valuable to give you — for free.

♥ Something is being invented this year that will change how your generation lives, communicates, heals and passes on.

♥ The next great song is being rehearsed.

♥ Thousands of people are in yoga classes right now intentionally sending light out from their heart chakras and wrapping it around the earth.

♥ Millions of children are assuming that everything is amazing and will always be that way.

♥ Someone is in profound pain, and a few months from now, they’ll be thriving like never before. They just can’t see it from where they’re at.

♥ Someone who is craving to be partnered, to be acknowledged, to ARRIVE, will get precisely what they want — and even more. And because that gift will be so fantastical in its reach and sweetness, it will quite magically alter their memory of angst and longing and render it all “so worth the wait.”

♥ Someone has recently cracked open their joyous, genuine nature because they did the hard work of hauling years of oppression off of their psyche — this luminous juju is floating in the ether, and is accessible to you.

♥ Someone just this second wished for world peace, in earnest.

♥ Someone is fighting the fight so that you don’t have to.

♥ Some civil servant is making sure that you get your mail; and your garbage is picked up; that the trains are running on time; and that you are generally safe. Someone is dedicating their days to protecting your civil liberties and clean drinking water.

♥ Someone is regaining their sanity. Someone is coming back from the dead. Someone is genuinely forgiving the seemingly unforgivable. Someone is curing the incurable.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
You. Me. Some. One. Now.

Posted by Patty Soffer under . . . . Heart-Based Branding & Business & Health and Wellness & Patty Soffer | a collec+ive & Spirituality & The Collec+ive & Uncategorized & Wonders of the World & giving | No Comments »

Note from Patty Soffer: Not long ago, Tony shared with some of us a preview of his new show and the story behind how it came to be. It’s amazing and inspiring, like everything he does.

Recently I was told that one of my “friends” was making fun of my taking “self-improvement” courses. Well, listen up people. Tony Robbins is to self-improvement what LeBron James is to schoolyard basketball. This guy is no motivational speaker. He is a FORCE OF NATURE and to commit to learning from him is to demand the best of yourself and nothing less. I am honored and grateful to be his student. Be sure to watch. July 27, 2010 on NBC.

Article courtesy of Beck/Smith Hollywood; 7.14.10

When motivational guru Tony Robbins debuts his powerful new NBC “Breakthrough With Tony Robbins” reality show July 27, viewers will see such astonishing stories as that of a man who broke his neck at his own wedding reception and became a quadriplegic – who discovers he can still have a full life through a string of challenges that includes skydiving over Fiji. He and his wife…well, have the Kleenex ready.

Robbins tells us that there was so much more story to each of the six hour-long shows he’s prepared, “We’re going to do a ‘Breakthrough’ Insider kind of site. These were 30-day journeys, and so much more happened than we can show.”

Indeed. Late legendary basketball coach John Wooden gave his final pep talk to a single athlete — Juaquin Hawkins, once known as the Oldest Rookie in the NBA, who in 2008 suffered a stroke that ended his career and left him unable to speak. Wooden’s meeting with Hawkins was part of Robbins’ plan to help him find his way to a new life.

“It was the last thing John Wooden taped, and it’s not even on the show,” says Robbins. It will be on the website.

So will the behind-the-scenes saga of the tragedy-touched wedding couple, Frank and Kristen Alioto, who are seen in the premiere, and their harrowing trip to Fiji. According to Robbins, it took some doing to even convince them to leave their house, she was so worried about his seemingly-fragile state. “They’ve become dear friends,” he says. “They sent me a message: ‘Guess where we are? Camping.’”

Not surprisingly, Robbins says he’s been approached numerous times about doing a reality show through the years. He warmed to the idea as the economy got ugly. On a “Today” show appearance, he found himself with three minutes to impart wisdom on how to cope. He wanted a better way.

“I’m not one for b.s. positive thinking, but showing people whose life is slammed, step-by-step how they can turn it around – no matter how tough your life is.” He has two executive producers from “The Biggest Loser” and one from “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” with him on “Breakthrough.”

With his crammed schedule of 50-hour seminars around the world, prison work and other service activities — in addition to 12 companies — Robbins says he’ll have to find a way to clear time to do more shows. “If the audience is there, we’ll do more next year.”

Posted by Patty Soffer under Philanthropy & Spirituality & Tony Robbins Date With Destiny & Uncategorized & giving & heroes | No Comments »

Recently, I had one of those very casual get-to-know-you conversations with a new friend who is probably 6 or 7 years younger. I mentioned some upcoming Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood/Santana concerts. The response I got was, “Boy. Those guys are old. And not relevant anymore.”

What was probably intended as a simple musical commentary (my friend is a lovely singer/songwriter) landed in my lap like an unpinned grenade, loaded with all the human uncertainty and pain feeding our universal existential crisis (just look around, people).

I know. Big reaction on my part. Overreaction. He meant no harm. I’m just at this time in my life. I hear and feel things much differently than before.

The sheer abandon with which the line was delivered hit that nerve that’s in us all at one time or another in our lives:

– What’s it all about? Why are we here? Do I matter? Does it matter?

I’m not the first person to ever ask this question, mind you. I’ve read everything from the early philosophers to Kenneth Burke thru Alan Watts and Tom Robbins, who knows that Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, and passionately devour musical lyrics, which I consider poetry. So we know the question is one for the ages.

If Eric Clapton et.al can commit their lives to creating and forever changing the way music is played - and be tagged as irrelevant - then what is relevant?

Is Bill Clinton still relevant now that he’s not President? Buzz Aldrin? I mean, really, that old fart walked on the moon 50 years ago. HE’S SO OLD. What about Tony Bennett? Abraham Lincoln? My father?

We are all part of the soundtrack of someone’s life. How can that not be relevant?

The universe is not a happy place these days. Perhaps it’s because we’re all too quick to toss things and people off, without even once considering the heart of the matter. Without making any attempt to really connect and feel each other.

No, I am not having a midlife crisis. I don’t want new boobs, a tighter jaw, jewelry, a rich-and-almost-dead husband, a new car or any of that stuff.

It’s not about the stuff.

It’s about the heart of the matter. It’s about making a difference. Like everyone, I want to matter. To somebody. For some value I brought to their life. For making a connection and contribution that nothing can ever take away. Even when I’m so old.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Family & Health and Wellness & Movies & Philanthropy & Spirituality & Uncategorized & giving | No Comments »

Yeah, we have been out there detonating bombs the past two years.

The economy made mincemeat of us, but here we are again, like David -v- Goliath, rising up against the best of the Miami advertising world. We have been on a forced sabbatical for the past 8 months, not because we are a bad business, but because it is a bad economy.

And still, we are winners.

We entered five projects in this year’s ADDY competition, which was all we had because we closed our doors in July ‘09.

From the five, we won four ADDYS. Not a bad average!

We won for the following:
GOLD ADDY
• Bluntzer Group / Corporate ID
• Poster Show®
SILVER ADDY
• Hotel Beaux Arts Brochure
• Perry Ellis/Manhattan Internal Flash Video for JCPenney

We are most proud of winning GOLD for Poster Show®, our annual charity art show, which is home to our contributory heart and soul. You will be hearing much about this again in the next few months. It is my personal passion. Poster Show® will become a powerful fixture in the Miami charity/art scene. Just you wait and see.

I want to thank the people of the Collec+ive, who believed in us and stayed with us to the bitter end and beyond. We are a true Collec+ive now, coming together as jobs warrant. All are always in my heart. Where I go, they go, if that is what they want.

David Rojas • Debbie Reznik • Manny Prieres • Kim Broder • AJ Ikourou • Diego Meeroff • Valerie Hockenstein • Diego Romero

I love you all.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Awards & Business & Philanthropy & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized & giving | 1 Comment »

Wow. Here is something incredible.

It’s from the heart, in humble, non-produced, bathroom/bedroom/closet/livingroom “studios.” Insanely creative. Clearly a labor of love.

There is nothing more powerful than raw passion. Bravo and thank you to everyone involved in this piece.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Design & Economy & Music & Philanthropy & Spirituality & Uncategorized & giving | No Comments »

Dr. Lynda Colaizzi, a South Florida dentist and children’s health care advocate, has donated 20,000 pre-pasted toothbrushes to the Alonzo Mourning Foundation for immediate distribution in Haiti.

Colaizzi’s company, N-Sta-Smile, produces disposable toothbrushes that are pre-pasted, non foaming (no water necessary, no spitting), non rinsing, recyclable, and cost pennies.

Colaizzi is committed to childrens’ dental health, no matter the location or economic standing, and has been in the process of developing strategies to work with Haiti and other challenged countries. The earthquake made it all happen much faster.

She is also committed to putting a disposable toothbrush on every child’s cafeteria tray in every elementary school in Dade and Broward counties. That’s for starters. Her ultimate vision is global in scope.

Dr. Lynda Colaizzi, DMD

Lynda’s toothbrushes were just used at a dental clinic in Biscayne Elementary School.
School health officials in Dade and Broward, elected officials and children’s grant programs all recognize the importance of the project. Dental health is imperative for a child’s general health and well-being.

N-Sta-Smile is aggressively seeking grants, government funding, foundation support and donations to make their passion for healthy children a reality.

Please call 305.761.6536 for more information on how to get involved.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Philanthropy & Uncategorized & giving | 1 Comment »

Brilliant. In all directions.
We can reverse the damage. We have to reverse the damage.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Art & Design & Economy & Family & Philanthropy & Politics & Spirituality & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized & giving | 1 Comment »

I’m not happy when my bulb is dim.

People like me need to be passionate about something - to be LIT UP.

We’re like children — always curious and always on a mission to do more and better.

So I’m taking a look at this strange new world of ours thru a new lens. I like some of it, and some of it looks like the same old same old.

Counterintuitively, the part I like is not necessarily where I will discover my next passion. There’s a really good chance that something in the same old same old will just hit me as finally intolerable and in need of someone’s passion to ratchet up its game.

That would be me.

And then my bulb will burn brightly again.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Business & Design & Economy & Philanthropy & Spirituality & The Collec+ive & The Collective & Uncategorized & giving | No Comments »

Here’s my Date With Destiny partner Frank Schnabel, the Costa Rican Harley-Claus with huge shoulders and a heart of gold.

Among his many gifts of gratitude are his annual Santa Claus holiday visits to the children in Costa Rica.

What a man, what a man, what a man he is.

BRAVEHEART!

Posted by Patty Soffer under Spirituality & The Collec+ive & Tony Robbins Date With Destiny & giving | No Comments »

The blessings and illuminations that came to me during my week with Tony Robbins are more plentiful than I can count. Tony’s general message was nothing new. His TECHNOLOGY is what made the delivery of that message more powerful than anything I have ever experienced in my entire life. It’s a big statement. Tony is all about big. It’s also true. He’s all about that too.

What resonated most is the necessity of and gifts from living an outward-focused life. It’s been pretty clear that our world of “all about me” has imploded. Thankfully. So we can either deploy our notoriously short memories and go right back to our old ways  - or we can get over ourselves, look around and see where we can have an impact that helps others.

This is not about being perfect. It’s about learning that life is not just about you.

Look at Elton John. At the height of this career, was a gay man married to a woman, was drug addled, drinking, nasty, resentful and destructive.  He was living completely out of his nature. It was all about him and who he thought he was in this world.

Today, he’s a different person.

CNN’s Alina Cho caught up with him at a celebrity tennis tournament benefiting his foundation.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(By Alina Cho / Courtesy CNN American Morning)

“Did you know Sir Elton John plays tennis,” she asked?

“I’ve got a good forehand,” he tells me. And he’s using it for a good cause.

The 62-year-old music legend says he wasn’t inspired to become an advocate until he met 14-year old Ryan White in 1986. The Indiana teen was expelled from his school because he had AIDS.

John became so close to the White family that he gave them financial assistance and was at Ryan’s bedside when he died.

“I never heard Ryan complain about having AIDS. I never heard him whine or be miserable; he carried everything with such dignity. It just taught me about humility, how my life was completely out of whack. About six months after Ryan died, I began to change my life.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We all know about John’s ongoing commitment to fight AIDS. It identifies who he is these days. Quite an improvement. The new year is a great time to take a good look at yourself and see where your focus is. Look around you and see who the givers are. You’ll spot them because they radiate.

Giving back is the gift that keeps on giving. Even though the Soffer Collective was in dire straits financially last year, our team was committed to Poster Show and the charity that our work would impact. In a year where we won 23 awards and then suspended business because of the economy, Poster Show is really all I remember now and the thing that stands as a testament to who The Soffer Collective really is - a group of outward-focused, committed, caring, giving people.

What a great year.

Posted by Patty Soffer under Awards & Business & Economy & Family & Philanthropy & Spirituality & The Collec+ive & The Collective & giving | No Comments »