Thursday’s Small Step: Celebrate Your Generosity
June 24, 2010 ·
A weekly feature about taking small steps away from the myth of scarcity and towards the reality that there is enough for all of us.
Go get yourself some flowers.
I’m guessing that you’re way overdue for heartfelt acknowledgement from yourself for all the generous and loving things you do. This may sound like an odd idea, unless we remember that we truly and freely give only out of our abundance. The more joy, the more generosity.
I’d like to tell you about some generous acts I’ve either witnessed or heard about lately. If these kind people didn’t acknowledge themselves, let’s do it for them.
1. Last night, as a bad storm was approaching, my neighbor picked up the cat hanging out on her doorstep and took him to his house.
2. A friend regularly buys a few $5 gift cards from a local restaurant. When someone asks him for money, he gives them one of the cards.
3. This same friend always gives away his “get a free coffee, etc. card” when he gets all 10 punches.
4. In her blog Writing Roads, Julie Roads talks about a CEO with a Fear Jar on his desk. Whenever someone in the office says something fearful, they have to put $1 in the jar. His definition of “fearful” is comprehensive and includes unkind or negative words. The money then goes to finance the year-end holiday party.
5. Candace, from last Thursday’s post, brought doughnuts to the guys who fixed her car.
6. I know some kids who collected the family’s spare change for a few weeks and donated it to the earthquake survivors in Haiti.
7. Last winter, some unknown person often brushed snow off the windshields of neighboring cars in the office parking lot.
8. A mom writes her kids’ teachers thank-you notes every year for their great work.
9. Ok, this one’s a little different: go read the article about altruistic meerkats.
10. A former co-worker used to memorize really good jokes and tell them just to make people happy.
11. Now: please go to the “Comments” box and generously share some more stories. Things you do are especially welcome; if it makes you feel more comfortable, just don’t tell us you’re the one who did it.
12. Go get those flowers.
missannakay 