I am a win-win sort of person, always believing that there must be a way for multiple people to benefit in most situations. All it takes is for us to think outside ourselves and find solutions that deliver more than what we want or need.
Our family is a busy one. Soccer, swimming, 4h club and theatre classes. We have 2 dogs, 3 rabbits and 39 chickens, not to mention the 3 kids and an exchange student.
Busy.
Two busy entrepreneurial parents, 3 acres of farm and forest to tend, and a home to renovate and maintain.
Very Busy.
But not so busy that we can’t still find win-win solutions in the little things we do each day.
It is getting up an hour earlier to do some extra baking for my daughter’s soccer team fundraiser. It is taking extra time to plan something fun for the student and her friends for Halloween.
As busy parents it is easy to get lost in the chaos and focus on only what you NEED, or what the kids REQUIRE. It is sometimes so much effort to think outside your tight knit responsibilities
But when we do, when we start to think what ELSE can we do, we find our moment of giving.
The Dare2Give campaign was created by the Governor General of Canada David Johnson as a way to double the impact of your giving by DARING another person to give along with you. Research shows that one of the main reasons people decide to give is simply because someone asked and an effective way to ask someone to do something is to dare them! That’s why Dare2Give by the My Giving Moment campaign is asking Canadians to double their giving impact by daring others to donate or volunteer with them. Imagine what a caring nation Canada could become if every Canadian ‘giver’ challenged another person to give with them?
By participating you have the opportunity to not only give back, but also to WIN for your favourite charity. With creative prizing, including a PSA television spot (grand prize), a team of volunteers for the day, or consulting services, the charities have a way to benefit long term.
So, how do we give and appreciate giving? To start, I think we give what we have most of. For some it is time, for others money. Some have creative skills and abilities. Others have passion and strategy. Find out what you have that you could share.
If there is a place you can help, offer. Something as easy as showing up a bit early, or pitching in when it isn’t your JOB. Helping out wherever you are is easy; all you need to do is ask if you can assist.
Pitching in at Blissdom Canada conference registration, just because!
I dare you to look around you the next time you head out of the house to participate in something and instead of grabbing a chair, or a coffee and waiting around, see if you can help. It might be a school play, soccer game or work related function, but I am guessing there is a way for you to assist. The crazy thing that might happen when you do this, aside from supporting someone else, is that you may build a new relationship or create a new opportunity. A real win-win!
Next, I want to encourage random acts of giving. On my last visit to the city, I purchased 3 transit tickets and left two with the driver suggesting he share them to the passengers he felt could use them that day. I am not sure who he chose, but it felt darn good to give him the opportunity to improve someone’s day. A win for me, for him and for our ticket receivers (call that a Triple Win)
I want to challenge YOU to double ANY one purchase you make in the coming month. It might be a coffee, or adding in an additional bag of groceries for the food bank. Follow your instincts and see how you can create a giving moment in your life.
And last of all, I want to dare you to jump on a bandwagon. There are so many amazing groups out there that need our support and sometimes we do it because they touch our heart, and sometimes it is because they touch the hearts of our friends and family.
Much like jumping on the Ice Bucket Challenge, I want you to ask a friend which charity THEY support and then take a moment to find a way for you to support it as well. A small donation, or sharing a message can do great things, and perhaps by opening the discussion with your friends you will find something new that you love.
Take these challenges and then visit the Dare2Give website for more information or see below to enter the number of people you’ve dared for your chance to win for your favourite cause (contest ends December 14). You might extend your giving beyond what you thought possible and all it takes is the courage to Dare2Give.
Although this post has been generously sponsored by Rideau Hall Foundation, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect Rideau Hall Foundation.