My giving philosophy and how to make giving a habit …
Philosophy:
“Try not to focus on how much you can or can’t give, just focus on giving … life is more enjoyable when you give back”
Sounds a bit simple right? That’s because it is! I always feel better when I am able to give to a fellow human being. Sometimes I am able to give in the form of my time, advice, a smile, encouragement, or simply money. The bottom line is, giving doesn’t have to be a certain amount and it does not have to be difficult. Below are a few simple ways I started giving and developed a habit in the process!
What you do often becomes a habit … for better or worse!
I didn’t develop my giving philosophy or habit until I was in my mid-to-late-20s. Before that, I loved the idea of giving but I didn’t do it very often.
In retrospect, I had the mindset that I didn’t have enough to give; I thought I needed to have a certain amount of wealth or time in order to truly make an impact.
By the time I reached my late-20s, I had spent years moving around the country for work. I was working in Northern Arizona in a small town with no friends, no family, and no real personal community. It was at that time I started to have a desire to connect with people more and on a deeper level. But still, my idea of giving was very limited.
Small steps are still steps … developing a habit
Sometimes it is hard to know where to start, so I just started by:
Giving time — I volunteered to chop vegetables and bag groceries at community food pantries that fed the local homeless community members and those in the community with food insecurity. I also volunteered for multiple activities and duties at my local masjid. None of these activities took more than a few hours per month, but they were very helpful to the community and allowed me to see the impact that giving back has on the lives of others as well as the positive impact it was having on me too.
Giving Money — I started giving money on a regular basis to organizations and causes that were important to me. Sometimes, I would give as little as $1 because it was what I could afford. It made me feel connected. A good example of starting small with giving is contributing to a friend’s crowdfunding campaign in whatever amount you can. I’m sure they will appreciate the contribution and the thought!
Giving kindness — This is a little harder to measure or give advice on. But I think it is very simple to be kind to fellow human beings. Sometimes offering a kind word or a smile can make all the difference to a person. At LaunchGood we have the opportunity to give kindness when answering inquiries on the support desk or simply while coaching campaign creators to have a successful campaign. Kindness is free and abundant and generally has a 100% positive impact on the one giving and the one receiving.
We would love to hear from you! How do you give back or what is your giving philosophy?
