Do you have ideas for simple gives?
I've begun to compile a list of simple giving ideas below, and would love your help expanding it. This string can become a good reference for all of us on those days when we hit a "giving wall" and are having problems thinking of something to give. My suggestion for days when you feel a bit uninspired is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Every give doesn't need to feel monumental. You might even notice that the simple gives feel more powerful than the grand gestures.
Here are a few ideas for simple gives.
PLEASE REPLY TO THIS STRING AND ADD YOUR OWN IDEAS.
*Make a phone call to a friend and tell him or her you care.
*Write a nice note to someone and mail it.
*Buy a chocolate bar and share half with someone else.
*Exchange a smile or two with strangers.
*Open a door for someone.
*Pay for the coffee, meal or bridge toll of the person in line behind you.
*Put a little change in someone's parking meter.
*Give your left over dinner to someone living on the street as you leave the cafe.
*Send out some positive thoughts and prayers to others.
*Buy an extra sandwich at lunch and give it to someone on the street who is hungry.
*Decorate a Kindness Rock and give it away. Learn more about this idea here.
*Frame a meaningful photo and give it to a friend or family member.
*Make a greeting card and give it to someone you love.
*Email a friend a list of 29 things you love about him or her.
*Give a few sincere compliments to people throughout the day.
*Donate to a cause you care about online.
*Invite a couple friends to come over to your place for a Improv Potluck. Each person brings something they've got in their fridge, freezer or cupboards. No trips to the store allowed!
*Post some items on freecycle.org and pass the things you're not using anymore on to someone who will.
*Take your dog (or your neighbor's dog) for a nice walk.
*Give your cat some extra pets.
*Invite your neighbor over for tea or coffee.
*Do the dishes for your family (or some other small chore around the house).
*Read a story to your child.
Remember that the 29-Day Giving Challenge is intended to be a sacred ritual. It is your opportunity to cultivate a mindful practice of stepping outside your own story for a few seconds each day.
So what happens if you get through the day and realize you haven't given mindfully all day long? Be gentle with yourself and remember that this ritual is about progress, not perfection. Just do what my friend Eve did on a day like this. Sit down with your journal or at your blog and reflect on your day. Review the entire day mindfully and find the times you unconsciously gave so you can bring it into your consciousness. The truth is there is never a day that you don't give. There are only days that you don't acknowledge and remember you did.
If you have ideas for simple gives that you'd like to share with us, please don't be shy. Reply to this string and pass on some inspiration to your 29Giver friends.
Here are a few ideas for simple gives.
PLEASE REPLY TO THIS STRING AND ADD YOUR OWN IDEAS.
*Make a phone call to a friend and tell him or her you care.
*Write a nice note to someone and mail it.
*Buy a chocolate bar and share half with someone else.
*Exchange a smile or two with strangers.
*Open a door for someone.
*Pay for the coffee, meal or bridge toll of the person in line behind you.
*Put a little change in someone's parking meter.
*Give your left over dinner to someone living on the street as you leave the cafe.
*Send out some positive thoughts and prayers to others.
*Buy an extra sandwich at lunch and give it to someone on the street who is hungry.
*Decorate a Kindness Rock and give it away. Learn more about this idea here.
*Frame a meaningful photo and give it to a friend or family member.
*Make a greeting card and give it to someone you love.
*Email a friend a list of 29 things you love about him or her.
*Give a few sincere compliments to people throughout the day.
*Donate to a cause you care about online.
*Invite a couple friends to come over to your place for a Improv Potluck. Each person brings something they've got in their fridge, freezer or cupboards. No trips to the store allowed!
*Post some items on freecycle.org and pass the things you're not using anymore on to someone who will.
*Take your dog (or your neighbor's dog) for a nice walk.
*Give your cat some extra pets.
*Invite your neighbor over for tea or coffee.
*Do the dishes for your family (or some other small chore around the house).
*Read a story to your child.
Remember that the 29-Day Giving Challenge is intended to be a sacred ritual. It is your opportunity to cultivate a mindful practice of stepping outside your own story for a few seconds each day.
So what happens if you get through the day and realize you haven't given mindfully all day long? Be gentle with yourself and remember that this ritual is about progress, not perfection. Just do what my friend Eve did on a day like this. Sit down with your journal or at your blog and reflect on your day. Review the entire day mindfully and find the times you unconsciously gave so you can bring it into your consciousness. The truth is there is never a day that you don't give. There are only days that you don't acknowledge and remember you did.
If you have ideas for simple gives that you'd like to share with us, please don't be shy. Reply to this string and pass on some inspiration to your 29Giver friends.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Sharon D-29 Gifts Ambassador on -
Love this idea, THANKS!
-s
-
Permalink Reply by Cedi on -
eCards make great easy just-because type giveaways as well. (I'm a fan of the hoops & yo-yo cards that hallmark offers, but there are plenty of nice ones out there.) It's also easy to leave kind words or to send "gifts" on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace and the others.
-
Permalink Reply by Ricky Buchanan on
-
This idea came from a friend via email, but I loved it enough to share. For a home made "just because" card idea you can calculate how many days old somebody is and make them a "Happy Day" card - like a happy birthday card, but for the number of days old they are! If you're lucky, you might get near a day like 10,000!
You can calculate this with Excel according to my friend, or just use a website like http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html - according to that, I'm 12,755 days old today :)
-
Permalink Reply by Sharon D-29 Gifts Ambassador on
-
That's really cool!
-
-
Thanks :)
I just realised if you go to http://www.timeanddate.com/date/birthday.html and put in a birthday (you can skip the time of day if you don't know it) and set the "Frequency" box to "Slightly round numbers (most frequent)" it will tell you fun things like significant numbers of seconds/minutes/days/weeks/months old, and if you set the "Calculate" box to "Planet years" then it will tell you how old you are in mars years, venus years, etc. Those both give you more dates for each person!
-
Permalink Reply by Devaki Parks on -
Playing a song on a instrument for a special someone
Baking a treat that a friend really likes and then giving it to them
-
Permalink Reply by kimario on
-
*Leave the quarter in the coin return of a shopping cart for the next person shopping.
-
Permalink Reply by Southernly on -
For some reason, I never got around to this blog. These may have been mentioned, but just in case...
Secretly put a love note in your mates briefcase/purse/computer bag/etc.
Call your mom/dad and thank them for bringing you into this world.
Share gum with a co-worker after lunch.
Let somebody else go first (traffic, checkout line).
Print out smiley face clip art from your computer, make copies, and leave them on the desk of your office mates.
-
Permalink Reply by Sharon D-29 Gifts Ambassador on
-
These are all lovely suggestions! Thanks Southernly!
-
Permalink Reply by Wild4Stars on -
Every year I get a new Page-A-Day Calendar, some years more than one. Always something with positive, inspirational sayings. Each day when I tear off the page I cut off the date leaving just the inspirational saying and I carry them in my purse. When I am out and about I leave them places where people can find them. At the grocery store on a shelf somewhere, in the grocery cart, in a public restroom, on a windshield, in a theater seat, on the copy machine, I like to imagine that the right person finds just the right words they need for that day.
-
-
This is a brilliant idea!!! Congratulations :)
Now I am wishing I had a page-a-day calendar...
Support 29Gifts.org
READ THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING 29 Gifts Book
Visit the 29 Gifts Boutique for 29 Gifts Starter Kits and other gifts that give back
Thank You to Mbali Creazzo for inspiring the 29 Gifts Movement
NEW? Please Read First
COMMUNITY EVENTS
IN OUR GALLERY
PINCURL GIRLS
VIEW THE SHOW
Pincurl Girls by Jen Lukas-Landis encourage girls to avoid self-doubt by looking for happiness and expressing their artistic talents.
SACRED CIRCLE MANDALAS
Purchase art at sacredcircleart.com touchstonesofthesacred.com
TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Latest Activity
sweetpealarson shared a profile on Facebook
Lois55 wwt liked Deb~ Community Manager's profile
Let us pray for Frankie, Archy, Jess and Tim... Prayers bring miracles~
Status posted by Deb~ Community Manager
© 2012 Created by Cami Walker -- 29Gifts Founder.
