In Case You Missed It: The Season of Giving

As I sat down after dinner last night to write some notes for this post- (I usually write in longhand before I begin to type.) I glanced up at some of the commercials for holiday sales. Some of them were funny and others were just plain annoying.

It got me thinking about this season of gratitude & Thanksgiving, and of the 'season of giving' in general. I thought our attitudes about how we approach the giving not only of material gifts, but also of our time, hard work and creativity.


As I see it, there are 4 tiers:

• Giving and feeling like we have been taken advantage of
• Giving  and feeling really good about it
• Giving, knowing that our gift will improve the life of another-and feeling exceptionally good about it
• Giving, knowing that our gift will not only improve the lives of  many others, but will provide us with valuable knowledge, insight and skills that will enable us to support, educate & inspire those who need it most...and feeling better than you could ever imagine.

In the last few months I have been focused on ways that I could reach that 4th tier-make more good things happen and have a larger positive impact on my local community. To that end, I have implemented our charitable giving program, "S.M.Art for a Cause".

We all have a cause we are passionate about: one that makes it easy for us to give our time, our talent and our financial support. My passion is supporting, motivating & inspiring young people with special needs and the families and teachers who love & work with them. I do this through quality education: interactive programming, professional development workshops, consulting, distance programs, this blog and my other published books and materials.

In this charitable giving program, you support our partner organizations by attending fun and educational 1/2 day workshops hosted by the school or community group, and in many cases, even earning continuing education credits.

The organization benefits from your participation by receiving a generous portion-(50%-75%) of the registrations.

You benefit by taking an active part in supporting the organizations mission as you gain new knowledge and marketable skills.

The benefactors benefit by having continued services & support from the collective efforts of all involved.

If you belong to a local school or organization and are looking for a cost and stress-free opportunity to raise community awareness in addition to much needed funds, click here to learn more . 

They say it is better to give than receive but I think that when we do give, it should be to make a difference, even if in a small way. There are many way to do this: sometimes the best way you can give is to just listen, and other times its to buy that box of girl scout cookies, and support those little girls standing outside the store, (even though you are trying to avoid sweets. You can always give them to someone.)

This season, I urge you to explore how and in what ways you give. No matter how hard economic times are,or how rough things are for us personally, we all have something to share. We don't have give to a state, neighborhood or country on the other side of the world, we can choose a local school or project in your own community. Be selective and choose something that is personal and near and dear to you. A small local project can make just as much impact on a community as a larger national one. Either way, a little thought behind your giving goes a long way. 

Have a great weekend!

~Barbara

Related Links:

S.M.Art for a Cause-Workshop Fundraising Program

Thinking About Giving, Not Receiving, Motivates People to Help Others

Rethink the Season of Giving

The Psychology Behind Gift Giving and Generosity

Teaching Children to Give

The Gift of the Magi - (O. Henry)





Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com