Season of Giving: Everyone Wins!

With the passing of Thanksgiving and the start of December, the Season of Giving has officially begun. This year, with the holiday season in full swing, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and on my second year of cancer-versaries, I feel that Giving Feeling in the air, now more than ever. 

Every year around this time we see, hear and read countless messages proclaiming the importance of giving back and urging us to give. This year, for example, the 92nd Street Y in New York launched its nationwide, social media-based, philanthropic movement, #GivingTuesday, in which more than 2,000 organizations participated. Lately it's gone a step further, with theories and research studies suggesting physical, mental & emotional health benefits of giving (as illustrated by this 2009 Forbes.com article). 

Whether or not there are health benefits to giving is completely beside the point. Giving a little of your self every now and then may not necessarily make you a happier or healthier person overall but at the very least, it certainly helps the person or organization you are giving to and most likely will make you pause just long enough to put your own life and problems into perspective. Not to mention, giving can be contagious and inspiring or at least just make others smile (by now you must have seen the story of the police officer who bought the shoeless homeless man all-weather boots on a cold November night). 

There are a number of ways you can give.
You can volunteer your time or services, or donate food, clothes, supplies or cash. Giving back can be as easy as helping a friend, neighbor or family member in need (e.g., cook or clean for someone who is ill). Giving may or may not help your own health but it could help someone else's. Consider donating blood. It doesn't cost anything and hardly takes any time at all. Since I'm Type O- (the universal donor) I used to donate blood to a cancer center here in NYC but my own cancer history means that I currently cannot donate so I am looking into cancer organizations to which I might be able to lend a hand.

I find that it is easier and more rewarding for me to pick just one or two organizations or causes, that have a special meaning to me, that I can give to a few times over the course of the year. 

Yes, giving should be done throughout the year and not just during the holiday season. So, get out there and give back. You might just inspire generosity in others and maybe even boost your health!

VolunteerMatch.org is a great website that connects volunteers to nonprofit organizations in need of extra hands and is a good place to get started if you need inspiration.

Cheers!
Diane


Image: CNN.com via ThinkStock

With the passing of Thanksgiving and the start of December, the Season of Giving has officially begun. This year, with the holiday season in full swing, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and on my second year of cancer-versaries, I feel that Giving Feeling in the air, now more than ever. 

Every year around this time we see, hear and read countless messages proclaiming the importance of giving back and urging us to give. This year, for example, the 92nd Street Y in New York launched its nationwide, social media-based, philanthropic movement, #GivingTuesday, in which more than 2,000 organizations participated. Lately it's gone a step further, with theories and research studies suggesting physical, mental & emotional health benefits of giving (as illustrated by this 2009 Forbes.com article). 

Whether or not there are health benefits to giving is completely beside the point. Giving a little of your self every now and then may not necessarily make you a happier or healthier person overall but at the very least, it certainly helps the person or organization you are giving to and most likely will make you pause just long enough to put your own life and problems into perspective. Not to mention, giving can be contagious and inspiring or at least just make others smile (by now you must have seen the story of the police officer who bought the shoeless homeless man all-weather boots on a cold November night). 

There are a number of ways you can give.
You can volunteer your time or services, or donate food, clothes, supplies or cash. Giving back can be as easy as helping a friend, neighbor or family member in need (e.g., cook or clean for someone who is ill). Giving may or may not help your own health but it could help someone else's. Consider donating blood. It doesn't cost anything and hardly takes any time at all. Since I'm Type O- (the universal donor) I used to donate blood to a cancer center here in NYC but my own cancer history means that I currently cannot donate so I am looking into cancer organizations to which I might be able to lend a hand.

I find that it is easier and more rewarding for me to pick just one or two organizations or causes, that have a special meaning to me, that I can give to a few times over the course of the year. 

Yes, giving should be done throughout the year and not just during the holiday season. So, get out there and give back. You might just inspire generosity in others and maybe even boost your health!

VolunteerMatch.org is a great website that connects volunteers to nonprofit organizations in need of extra hands and is a good place to get started if you need inspiration.

Cheers!
Diane


Image: CNN.com via ThinkStock