In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day coming up on Monday, I am sharing one of my favorite quotes of his. I think we all have the desire to make a difference in this world, and we have an endless amount of opportunities to do that every day. Every small act of kindness we perform has the potential to make a huge difference in someone’s life.
How will YOU be the light in someone’s day today?
Giving brings meaning to our lives. It makes us feel useful. When we contribute to something we are passionate about, it makes us feel like we are making a difference in the world. It makes us feel like we matter. As Brendon Burchard says, “At the end of our lives, we will all ask: Did I Live? Did I Love? Did I Matter?” When we give, it makes us feel like we matter. It makes us feel alive! And I think that is what Winston Churchill means by his quote above.
It is December! ‘Tis the season for giving!
We all give of ourselves in some ways every day, but how often do we recognize all that we give and how it makes us feel when we give? How often do we give out of love vs. out of guilt or obligation? When we give out of love, we are giving because we feel a connection and we want to help others and brighten their day, and it feels so great! When we give out of guilt or obligation (because we feel like it is expected or required), it only causes stress and makes us feel resentful because we are not being true to ourselves.
I think giving means so much more when it is authentic and done out of pure love, and that is how I want to give of myself. To help me with this, I have set a challenge for myself to keep a giving journal for the month of December. Each day this month, I’m going to track what I give, whether it be time, money, kindness, or even a simple compliment. I will state whether it was given out of love or obligation, and I will note how I felt when I gave. I am hoping this challenge will push me to give more out of love every day and spread a whole lot of love in the process.
I’ve never kept or heard of a giving journal before, but I did a little research to see if anyone else had. I came across a very informative e-book on the subject by Frank Agin. To find out more about keeping a giving journal and all the benefits associated with it, you can download the free e-book by Frank Agin, The Giving Journal.
Have you ever kept a giving journal? If you have, I’d love to hear any ideas you may have. 🙂