The Power of Giving 1.  There is more to giving than the exchange of gifts! Greetings! For most of us it is traditional to give gifts to family and friends during the holiday season. But how many of us extend our giving to those outside this close circle? Recently I came across the book The Power of Serving Others, by Gary Morsch and Dean Nelson. Gary Morsch is a physician and the founder of the Heart to Heart Organization which provides relief to people around the globe. Dean Nelson is a journalist. Gary and Dean’s message is: You can start where you are! 1.  Everyone has something to give. 2.  Most people are willing to give it if they see the need and the opportunity. 3.  Everyone can do something for someone right now. There are MANY benefits for those of us who serve others. For instance, giving to others, in whatever way we can, gives our lives meaning.    Scientists have been busy studying the effects of giving on human health & behavior. In fact scientists are now discovering that “serving others is part of our genetic code”.  In March an article in Science reported that “people who spend more of their income on others are happier than people who spend more on themselves”. There are numerous ways you can give to others: volunteering and donating to charity are two of the most common, but there are other opportunities to make a difference. Kiva is a microfinance organization that is making it possible for us to transform the lives of people by giving them “micro loans”. In fact you can support someone by lending them as little as $25.00. This is possible because Kiva helps us to connect with others who are also interested in “micro lending”. Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. This organization makes it possible for us to lend small amounts of money to entrepreneurs around the world. You won’t get a financial return on your money but your original investment will be returned and you will have made a huge difference in someone’s life. There is very little risk involved as the majority of loan recipients repay their loans. You can find out more by checking out Kiva’s website below. Finally, if you still need a reason to do something for others this holiday season, another research study has found, “that people who focused on themselves were more likely to have coronary heart disease, than people who focused on others.” Remember, you can do something right now!  As you make plans to celebrate the upcoming holiday season think about one small thing you can do to help someone else. Gumboot Rules These wonderful rules for life come from the Gumboot Garden Café in Roberts Creek B.C.: ·       The best things in life aren’t things ·       Never judge a day by the weather ·       Tell the truth—there’s less to remember ·       Speak softly and wear a loud shirt ·       Goals are deceptive—the unaimed arrow never misses ·       Age is relative—when you are over the hill you pick up speed ·       There are two ways to be rich, make more or desire less ·       Beauty is internal—looks mean nothing…and for those of us living on the wet, west coast…NO RAIN…NO RAINBOWS This month’s favorite websites: www.kiva.org This organization provides micro loans to people around the world who live in poverty. These people are entrepreneurs who need small loans to become self-reliant. I have been supporting KIVA for years. If you are travelling on the Sunshine Coast you really must stop in Roberts Creek and experience The Gumboot Café! This post was originally written for my coaching website and appeared as e-Newsletter #9, November/December, 2008 Lesley at www.thedynamicintrovert.com