“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe”

― Simon Sinek

Underneath everything, I am a Girl Scout at heart.

I believe in kindness, perseverance, hard work, loyalty and honesty.  There is nothing that can convince me that tomorrow will not be another day, and every day the sun rises is another opportunity to do the best I can to make that day the best day possible. From making sure my kids have their favorite jackets, to calling a friend, to being extra nice to the cashier at the grocery store, to giving my last ounce of energy at the end of the day for something good.

I can even remember the Girl Scout motto after all these years: “To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”

These were the words I learned when I was a kid, and they stuck with me well into my adulthood. Even when life has been hard, when we have been worried about events, after we suffer losses caused by malice, or even when we witness horrible acts by individuals…I sincerely believe that overall, the people of our world want it to be a better place, too.

So when I found out about Giving Tuesday, I was all over that.

 

“#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.”

Before we start the holiday season, let’s begin by giving.

1. Giving Tuesday.org

https://www.givingtuesday.org/organizations#block–join-the-movement

Giving Tuesday began in 2012, “Created by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impactat the 92nd Street Y—a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around the values of service and giving back.”

They utilized new tools, such as social media outreach, in order to join individuals, families, nonprofits, businesses and corporations through the gift of giving.

2. Give Local.

https://www.givingtuesday.org/whats-happening-near-me

Giving globally is a great way to extend your reach of love, but we would all love to give to our communities as well! This is a great opportunity not only to give locally, but also to see what unseen needs there are around you!

3. Give With Your Heart, But Be Smart

https://8bitdigi.com/2016/11/25/charities-gamers-could-support-on-giving-tuesday/

Giving is one of the foremost tenants of happiness in life, but being foolish about giving doesn’t help anybody.  Throwing money to the wind won’t fund the new playground for children, or provide hot meals for the homeless. Be smart about how you give. In particular, give to what means something to you. For example, when I was a kid I broke my leg pretty bad and was stuck in the hospital for a good long while. Those hospital walls get tedious after a few minutes…which is what Child’s Play seeks to conquer. They are an organization that provides video games and gaming support for children who are staying in hospitals. The gift of childhood should be available for every child, and this is one way to give it back.

4. #GivingTuesday

https://twitter.com/hashtag/givingtuesday?lang=en

Twitter is such a megaverse of a place. I may be a little old-school, because sometimes I don’t even know what is happening on Twitter until the 5 o’clock news tells me that President-elect Trump has posted his life story on there. Nevertheless, Twitter is an amazing resource for our new day and age. Hashtag GivingTuesday is a great place to get started with ideas for giving.

5. Don’t Know Where To Even Begin?? Try Searching Your Favorite Actors…They’re On It!!

https://storify.com/unfoundation/celebs-get-out-the-give-on-givingtuesday

Honestly, I live a pretty small life. I raise my kids, I go to the store, I tend to my gardens…it is hard to see what is happening in the bigger world around me sometimes! Celebrities are fantastic at connecting homebodies like me with bigger campaigns out there!

I mean, how could I not be interested in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Giving Tuesday ideas…

https://twitter.com/Lin_Manuel/status/803512414994046976