3 Ways to Give Beyond #GivingTuesday

'Tis the season for giving and in case you missed it, today, Tuesday December 2, 2014 was the official 'Giving Tuesday'. Maybe this can offset the Black Friday and Cyber Monday "getting" frenzies (though you could be "getting" for "giving" to others).

Did your inbox get flooded with "Giving Tuesday" solicitations for a kazillion charities? Mine sure did. And all the social media feeds were not very different either. #GivingTuesday was the top trending hashtag on Twitter. And just in case you don't really want to help others (channeling Scrooge), there are many studies and talks trying to convince you why you should, for example how to get happy giving money.

Maybe you were on the ball and had already figured out how much you're going to give and to whom and made it happen today - on Giving Tuesday. Then again, maybe you were super busy with the business of living and working and didn't have time to do so, or you just don't know who you'd like to give to, yet.

Not to worry, you can give any day of the year. Yes, there are matching grants offered on this day, but it doesn't really matter - announcing the matching is just a way to get more donors like you to hurry up and give right now. The 'match' donor is most likely going to donate the planned amount anyway.

I'm glad that I can give at any time, and I can give in three different ways.

1. Giving Money.

Much of Giving Tuesday is about monetary donations, which is understandable as non-profits need money to be able to offer services to those in need. The good thing is that they will take the money any time you can give it!

Figuring out who you should give money too takes a bit more effort. If you have money to give and you're ready to do so, you can do it for:

• A charity drive sponsored by your workplace
• A charity drive in your (or your kids') school
• A charity that a friend or family member is involved in
• A charity for a cause that you are intellectually/emotionally attached to

If you're picking your own favorite cause, take some time to check it out and make sure it meets your standards and it's legit. A quick look at http://www.charitynavigator.org/ would be help.  And if you're up to it (and not likely to be caught up on how it'll be used), go ahead and give some money to the panhandler on the street. It's all good!

2. Giving Time.

Otherwise known as volunteering, this is the one thing, other than giving money, that keeps non-profits running. When you donate your time, you are giving of yourself in more personal way, and, most organizations welcome that, especially if you have some specialized skills that they need.

Before donating your time to an organization (check them out first!), you may want to consider a few things:

• Do you want to do this just one-time or on a recurring basis?
• One-time may help you ease into it if you're just starting out in volunteering
• Can you make - and keep - the commitment?
• Thinking of mentoring after work each week? Consider if your schedule would allow it.
• Would you enjoy the other people you would work with?
• You're more likely to keep your commitment if you're comfortable your co-volunteers 
• Would you like the work you'd be doing? 
• Frankly, I'm not big on cooking large vats of food, so it's a good thing that soup kitchens often have more helpers than they need.

But, you're not limited to organizations. You may have family members or friends who need companionship or some help (lonely grandpas, aunts who don't drive) who would greatly appreciate your gift of time. And don't they say that charity begins at home?

3. Giving Spirit.

No, not 'spirits', but giving of your spirit. Of the three ways of giving, this is probably the most spontaneous and the least structured. It is nothing more than showing compassion and spreading some cheer, and you can do it as often as you want, to anyone.

Some examples of how to give of your spirit:

• Thank the barista who gets your latte with some genuine warmth, eye contact and a little personalization. As in "Thank you! You are fast, even with this crowd!" vs. a mumbled, face-averted "Thanks".
• Praise your coworker's effort, especially when no one else is paying attention to it. ("It was really nice that you stayed late to help John figure out the bug.")
• Give a meaningful compliment to a family member. ("You even got your introverted cousin laughing at the party last night.")
• Email a friend you haven't been in touch with for a while with a link or story she'd like.
• Say something nice to the person waiting in the checkout line with you.
• See something that makes you feel good on Facebook? Don't just 'like' it, be bold, and write an authentic comment about how you feel. It'll make more people feel the same way.

The funny thing about giving of your spirit is that it can be the easiest thing to do but also the hardest, especially when we're so wrapped up in our own affairs and can't remember to do things without prompting. And for some people, it also not easy to connect emotionally with those who are not close friends or family. But it does get easier the more you do it though, and best of all, it makes you feel good!

Giving Tuesday is over, for this year at any rate. Do you still plan to give?

Image courtesy of rakratchada torsap at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Never too late!

So, it's been eons since I posted on this blog.  There was always something else to be done. And since it didn't appear that any readers were having paroxysms of withdrawal symptoms because of the paucity of posts, there was no external pressure to do so.  I had started the blog mostly to get myself to write something which was not 'business-y' on a regular basis, which unfortunately is not a strong enough motivator for me to make the time. So when weeks became months and I still hadn't posted, I got to thinking that maybe it was too late to post and I should give up.

But, I do have another motivator - I don't give up, not easily.  If I were a canine, I'd be a bulldog (or is it a terrier?), sticking with stuff, growling and yapping long after a sensible creature, like a cat, would have walked away.  Anyway, what's the worst thing that can happen if I posted after a long hiatus?  Nothing more than spambots getting happy.

Plus, there was the bonus of having a ready-to-go topic to write about in my not-too-late post: it is never too late for most things in life. (Let's not get literal about this with a "it is too late to catch the train if it's already gone!" type of argument, though.)

Here's my random, very incomplete, list of things that get pushed way, way out to the background until it seems their time has passed, but they clearly belong in the  'never too late' category.

1. It's never too late to get in touch with an old friend
2. It's never too late to tell someone how you feel about them if it's good (if not, file it under 'things better left unsaid' - after all, you've managed to not say it for so long)
3. It's never too late build on relationships you care about
4. It's never too late to start a fitness program, or just start moving (if you want to keep it simple)
5. Expanding it a bit, it's never too late to start paying attention to your health and what you eat
6. It's never too late to start learning a new language 
7. Actually, it's never too late to start learning anything, as long as you have the basic capacity to do so (it might help if you first learn swimming before you try surfing)
8. It's never too late to end a bad habit (still smoking?) or build a good one (call your mom every week!)
9. It's never too late to start saving, even if you're a boomer who partied like there's no retirement
10. It's never too late to read the book you've wanted to for years (Shakespeare waiteth for thee)
11. It's never too late to start a new activity/hobby - like blogging :)
12. It's never, ever too late to be compassionate

What's special about a New Year

Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why is the first day of the New Year so special?  It's not just the good times and watching the ball drop in Times Square even when you're thousands of miles away in a different time zone, though when you're young, good times may be all that you care about.  But, as you get older, you want more from the event than just the ephemeral experience of partying.  It is because the new year promises a new beginning and we all want another chance, if not for 'do-overs', at least for 'do-betters'.

And new beginnings require changes and big efforts require big changes. If you're already on an fitness program, it is not difficult to add another 15 minutes or do another routine, but if your exercising consists only of clicking your TV remote from the couch, starting to exercise requires you to change.  Change is difficult for many of us who've been conditioned to aim for comfort and predictability and avoid any chance for failure.  But change is life and as we're all changing in small ways even if we don't know it, we might as well sign up for the big changes that we can consciously make to get us to where we want to be and who we want to be.

Considering a change in 2014?  Check out this post from James Altucher.  Wild and crazy, but totally on the mark in its message.  Vive la change!