Talk is cheap.

Words are plentiful, but deeds are precious.

Your beliefs don’t make you a better person, your behavior does.

We’ve all heard the sayings, and we know they’re true.

Most of us want to make a difference in the world and to help our fellow man, but it’s hard. There’s so much that needs to be done, but so little time to do it. It’s ultimately very easy to give lip service to big plans. It’s the follow-through that is trickier.

When you see someone who not only talks the talk, but also puts those words into action, it makes an impression. Those people stand out.

They are walking the walk.

These amazing people are being celebrated by The Advil Relief Initiative. The Advil Relief Initiative seeks to recognize people who use their strength to help provide relief to others. As part of the initiative, a portion of the price of participating Advil bottles will go to Habitat for Humanity International and the Wounded Warrior Project.

That’s a pretty great way for Advil to honor people who are walking the walk. People like my friend Kat Crawford.

Kat is a great friend. She’s also a very talented hair designer. In fact, she happens to be *my* hair designer. (Note: If you’ve seen me out and about with my hair a mess, it’s not her fault! Kat is fantastic. I’m just kind of lazy in the day-to-day glamour department.)

Kat is one of those people who is easy to like. She’s warm and friendly, and really, really funny. I look forward to every appointment I have with her, not just because she will have me looking fantastic, but because it’s a real joy to spend time talking to her. Sometimes I laugh so hard from her stories other clients look over and want in on the fun! She’s just that kind of person.

She’s also the kind of person who cares deeply for others. A few years ago, she knew she wanted to do something-something to serve others and to make a difference in their lives. She felt called into action by her strong faith and beautiful heart.

But what could one young woman with a talent for hair design do to make a difference? It turns out a lot.

Kat founded an organization called Soul 139.

The concept is simple, yet revolutionary. At Soul 139 their mission is to pamper and empower those less fortunate than us. Men, women, and children who have no means to pay to have their hair professionally cut, are welcomed into a salon and spend some time being cared for and being the center of attention.

These are folks who are going through a hard time. They have sought help from various relief organizations. Some are homeless. Many haven’t had professional haircuts in a long time-even years. Most haven’t had the feeling of someone pampering them in a long, long time.

You know how great you feel when you come home from the salon? You walk out feeling awesome and ready to take on the world (and totally hoping you run in to everyone you know). Well, Kat and the other awesome hair designers who volunteer for Soul 139 are giving that feeling to people who *really* need it. For some of them, it’s been years since they felt that kind of confidence.

But it’s about so much more than the hair.

Having your hair done is an intimate thing, a personal thing. Someone has their attention and energy focused completely on you. They are talking to and physically touching you. They are making a connection with you.

Often times when people hit a really rough patch and find themselves struggling, they feel so alone and disconnected from the rest of society. They feel marginalized and low. People don’t look them in the eye. They feel like an “other”, not part of the community.

At Soul 139 they are telling people, one chair at a time, that they matter. They are special and are worthy of being cared for and served. They count. They are not “other”. They are one of us.

When a guest comes to a Soul 139 event, they are matched with a SOUL Mate-a volunteer who accompanies the guest throughout the event and develops a relationship with them. They talk and laugh. They follow up afterward with personal notes, prayers, and encouragement for each guest, too.

Does a connection like this really make a difference in someone’s life? Let’s see…

Kat works on her feet every day. This is no small thing, as any of you who have ever worked on your feet know. But it’s even more amazing because Kat has had several foot surgeries over the years. At times she has been in a lot of pain. Instead of taking her free time to put her feet up as 99.9% of the population would do, she uses her talents and free time to make a difference in the lives of other people.

Kat is the very definition of walking the walk…even when her feet are tired.

If you’d like to find other fantastic people like Kat who are making a difference in the lives of others every day, just follow @ReliefinAction on Twitter and Instagram and like Advil® on Facebook. You can even share your own photos of Relief in Action using the hashtag #ReliefinAction. Visit http://www.advil.com/reliefinaction to learn more.

We are participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by Advil® as part of the Advil® Relief in Action campaign. Wereceived compensation for this post. While all opinions stated are our own, we make no claims about Advil® as a product or its effectiveness.