Spice-It-Up Challenge
When it comes to financial giving, most people fall into one of two camps:
It doesn't really exist
It's methodical and/or unemotional
I feel for those who don't have generosity in their lives. They don't know what they are missing! There's sincerely nothing better we can do with money than give it away. There are multiple reasons why people don't have giving in their life:
It was never modeled for them
They don't believe it's their responsibility to help others
They'd rather spend it on themselves
They are jaded because of a negative past experience
They think they can't afford it
If you fall into one or more of these categories, I implore you to give generosity a chance. Giving will change our lives more than the recipients'. It will rock your world!
On the flip side, many people give, but do so methodically....and largely unemotional. They may have their giving on auto-pilot, or at least know where, how much, and when their gifts will be made. Giving is a regular (or semi-regular) part of their life, but it's not given deep consideration. Some give out of guilt, others out of a sense of obligation, and some for more noble reasons. Whatever this looks like, however, it doesn't usually play a significant role in their day-to-day lives.
Givers, I think we need to spice things up a little. Giving should be the most enjoyable part of our financial life. If it's not, we're doing something wrong. I love that you give. Props to you for giving in the first place! But, and it's a big but, you deserve better! You deserve to find meaning, joy, and first-hand impact with your giving. You deserve to feel your giving.
So today, I have a challenge for you. Let's call it the spice-it-up challenge. Whatever day you're reading this, I challenge you to take $10 and find a unique way to give it away. It can be more than $10, but it doesn't need to be. How you use this money is up to you. Maybe it's a stranger you see at the grocery store, or the barista at your favorite coffee shop, or someone at church who's been struggling, or even a friend.
It can't be the same giving you always do. After all, this is the spice-it-up challenge......the name alone requires creativity and spontaneity. There are only a few prerequisites:
It has to be unique.
You have to care avou the purpose of the gift.
You must be able to experience the impact of your gift (which may require anonymity).
It has to make you smile.
This is a beautiful act to practice. And just like anything else, we get better with practice. This has been a regular part of my life for about seven years. If I'm having a crappy day, I stop what I'm doing and find an opportunity to creatively give to someone. It never fails; that ALWAYS turns my mood around.
Ready. Set. Go spice it up!