Turning 40 is a major milestone. But instead of celebrating this midlife marker with black balloons or a pity party, Tiffany Ogle, the co-host of "The Morning Blend" is choosing to make a difference.
When her birthday arrives on Nov. 18, Ogle plans to have completed 40 acts of kindness, a list she generated with the help of friends and social media. It includes acts of kindness to others and to herself (she's taking a painting class), because Ogle says if you don’t start with self-compassion, "your vessel is empty."
"I was thinking about the fact that I was dreading turning 40, and I didn't know if I should tell people or if I should keep it a secret and start lying about my age," says Ogle. "Then I thought, well, I recently spent a period of time of my life being a little bit more inward. Then I asked myself, what's the easiest path to acceptance and happiness? I think that's serving others. I want to just see how my life could change in those 40 days."
While Ogle already has her list compiled, she’s keeping it fluid to leave room for organic situations and moments. Her only rule is not to make the acts financially-based, because she hopes others will join in and doesn’t want to make this about money.
Her acts aren’t necessarily earth-shattering when taken one at a time. She plans on putting a note in mailbox to thank the postal carrier for delivering her mail. She also plans on a putting a note in a pair of jeans at the store, so when someone buys the jeans, they'll find a message saying, "You’re beautiful."
Ogle also plans on serving at a soup kitchen, writing a letter telling her brothers she loves them and volunteering at an animal shelter. She will also fill an old purse with hygiene essentials for a homeless woman, and pre-fill gum ball machines with quarters.
She is posting her stories on Facebook and Instagram and hopes that she will inspire others to join in.
Says Ogle, "A lot of people have said, ‘I want to join you. I want to do this.’ Clearly, they're not turning 40, as well, but they want to do acts of kindness to see how their life changes in the process."
Ogle says she’s always been a service-oriented person, growing up in a small town in Minnesota. She saw her mother volunteering in church and civic organizations, and she has continued her family’s tradition through spotlighting non-profit groups on "The Morning Blend" and emceeing charity events.
However, Ogle says that those events tend to be more of an "appearance-based volunteer opportunity." Now, she wants to get back into hands-on service. "That’s the root of happiness for me," says Ogle.
She hasn’t decided how she will wrap up her plan – there will be a party, of course – but Ogle says she’s considering taking $40 and splitting it up between a few people and asking them to do something good with it.
"It's not a lot of money, but it could do something for someone or someone else," she says.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
