giving to charity

Giving To Charity

If you’re in the happy position
where you want to give back,
you might be considering
giving to charity.

There are a gazillion
different charities
in this wonderful world.
They each have
their own causes
and their own unique ways
of interacting
with donors.

Think about the causes
you are passionate
about helping.

Craft a list
of all charities associated
with those causes.

Then start eliminating
charities
from that list.

How do you enjoy helping?
I like donating funds
anonymously, for example.
Eliminate all charities
that don’t offer that option.

How do you like
to be contacted?
I like to only
be contacted
by email.

How do you like
to be recognized
for your donation?
A loved one
likes to receive
membership perks.

Narrow down the list.

Do your research on
each perspective charity.
This is similar
to how you’d do
your research on
a perspective business partner.

Google the charity.
Look for red flags.
Ask if trusted people
have interacted with the charity, etc.

Then test one of the remaining charities
with a small donation.

Pay attention
to how you FEEL
after giving to the charity.

Giving to charity
should make you feel good.

You should be happier
after giving
than you were before giving.

That is a sign
the charity is right for you.

There are many different charities.
Choose one that works for YOU.

Track Cumulative Effort

I donate toward
the planting of some trees
every month.
That monthly number isn’t very large.

I, however, also track
the lifetime-to-date,
the cumulative number of trees
I’ve helped plant.
After years of giving,
that number is now HUGE.

I’ve helped plant
the equivalent of
an entire forest.

I’m proud of that number.
I feel good about
making that difference
in the world.

Right now,
there’s likely something small
you’re doing every day/week/month.
Maybe it is social media posts
or
number of words written
or
cans of soup given to the food bank.

Consider tracking that effort
over time.
I suspect you’re making
a bigger impact
than you believe.

The Gift Of Giving

It costs the food bank in my city
$1 to supply someone with a meal.
$1.
Most of us have $1 to give.

That $1 not only benefits
the person needing the meal.
It often benefits us.

When I help another person,
I feel good about myself.
I feel grateful.
I feel generous.
I’m changing the world
for the better,
making a difference.
Someone’s day is happier
because I helped them.

I receive all these good feelings
and more
for $1.
That’s a bargain.

Consider giving to someone or some entity
today.

It could be a free gift
like smiling at a stranger
or holding a door open for them.

But it will make the world
a better place
and might give you
a boost of happiness.

Not Everything Has To Be Broadcast

I donate a portion
of my book sales
to planting trees.

I don’t talk about this.

Why?

Because some of my readers
won’t like that I’m donating
to that specific cause.

Because many of my readers
will think,
because I donate to charity,
I don’t need or value
book sales
and my books will then
be heavily pirated.

But mostly because
it won’t increase my joy
by sharing this information.
And there’s a very real possibility
posting about it
on social media
will decrease my happiness,
will demolish my good feelings
around these donations.

Not everything we do
has to be broadcast.

We should assume
people, if they dig,
will eventually find information out,
but we don’t have to shove
that information
in front of their faces.
We don’t have to make it
impossible to ignore.

If publicity around an act
won’t help you or others,
consider saying nothing about it.