Wednespiration: 31bits

Do you ever wish you could make a difference in the world? Of course! That was one of the main reasons I became an educator. Although these days, I've lost sight of a lot of the reasons why I went into the profession due to politics and budget cuts. That's a different story for another blog and another time. The budget crisis in California made me think about the difference between a job and a career. I came to the conclusion that a job is just something you do to make money and pay the bills-- a means to an end. Whereas a career is something you have a passion for. Something you love. You can't WAIT to go there. (Raise your hands if that's how you feel about what you're currently doing.)

What got me thinking more about this was when I was sitting at home and watching Oprah. The topic of her show that day was Inside Glamourous Dream Jobs. Her guests included Jenna Lyon (executive creative director of J.Crew), Buddy Valestro (aka TLC's Cake Boss), Jeff Leatham (artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris), and many others. Something that each person said that really resonated with me was to do something that you LOVE. If you really love doing something, you're not going to be watching the clock. You don't care what time it is or how hard it is, you'll do it because you love it. You can bet I was inspired!!

For today's Wednespiration post, I wanted to focus on this company-- 31 bits. I first heard of them at a church service but didn't pay much attention until I took a look at their website and realized what they did.

• 31 Bits began in 2008 when five college students from Southern California traveled to Uganda and met six amazing women. The girls saw there was a need for change: the women needed shelter, food, medication, school fees for their children, and the list continued.... The women attempted to provide for their families by creating hand-made jewelry, but due to the lack of market, their income was hardly sustainable. 31 Bits was formed when the girls knew they could make a difference; they had to do something to partner with their new friends. 31 Bits now works directly with the women in Uganda, enabling them to make a better life for their families by providing a market for their jewelry. 31 Bits has grown from partnering with 6 women to 35. (Source)

How AWESOME is it that these girls saw a need, decided to do something to make a difference and created a way for these lovely women to make a living. I was intrigued so I decided to go to the Seed People's Market to actually see these 31 Bits bracelets and necklaces. I was not disappointed! They were beautiful and well made. It's amazing to me that they are made of paper! YES, paper! Not only are they gorgeous and unique, they are environmentally friendly!

You can also purchase these on the 31bits shop.

Check out their blog for more information.

I love these bracelets but I love the story behind the bracelets even more. I admire these girls who did something about the need they saw instead of just feeling bad about it. What an inspiration to see these ladies helping the women of Uganda! And it seems like they are loving what they are doing from their blog and tweets.

Have you heard of 31bits? Would you purchase anything from them? Are you inspired by their story?