Generosity Road Tripping
I love a good road trip, don’t you?
Discovering the joy of new destinations?
Connecting with new friends?
Finding beauty in unexpected places?
It just doesn’t get any better.
Road trips can be life-changing.
On our generosity road trip, navigating the 7 ways of living generously can be life-changing too.
Being generous with our lives – with our thoughts, words, time, attention, influence, money, and belongings – can turn our lives inside out in a good way.
When we start connecting with others generously, we find beauty in the most unexpected places
Hundreds of students across the country have found themselves at the wheel of this uncharted generosity journey with our Generosity Roadmap program.
They are discovering the joy of new generous experiences,
Of being grateful for what they have been given,
And learning how to share what they have with others.
Generosity is taking them places.
Destination Give-It-All-Away.
Have you ever thought about where living generously could take you?
Just this past July, Bill Gates, one of the world’s wealthiest men, donated 20 billion dollars to the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.
His generosity is taking him somewhere he hasn’t been in a long time – towards a zero bank balance.
Bill wants to give away nearly all of his $113 billion fortune.
He said, “I have an obligation to return my resources to society in ways that have the greatest impact for reducing suffering and improving lives. And I hope others in positions of great wealth and privilege will step up in this moment too.”
Bill has several ways that he wants to live generously – he hopes to help eradicate childhood disease and fund research to help with climate change.
I think donating 20 billion dollars just whet his appetite for giving more…
because if 20 billion helps end world hunger…
well, what could 100 billion more do?
Sometimes losing a fortune is the goal.
Because the gains are exponential.
Bill Gates called out his wealthy, privileged peers in his tweet, challenging them to get on board the generosity bus.
But what about those of us who don’t have billions in the bank?
What about folks who live a bit more paycheck to paycheck?
There is room on the bus for us too!
Living generously is about so much more that big bank balances.
It’s about sharing the richness of our lives with each other.
Charting Your Generous Course
You may be thinking, Hey, ILG, my life doesn’t feel all that rich.
What do I have to share with others?
Great question!
Or you may be thinking,
I already gave to the Red Cross this year
and donated the ugly Christmas sweater that my in-laws gave me to Goodwill –
what more can I do?
Another great question!
Think about the people you interact with on a daily basis –
your family members,
your friends,
your co-workers,
your barista (Hello, lovely coffee!)…
You impact them every day in the way that you connect with them,
the things that you say to them,
and the hours you spend with them.
Now ask yourself, “How can I use the 7 ways of living generously to make their lives better?”
What about…
A hug for your good old dad who loves your company?
You’re being generous with your attention.
A listening ear for your best pal Betty when she’s having a rough day?
You’re being generous with your time.
A verbal high-five in your team Slack channel for George who always helps you with tech? (Way to go, George!)
Now you’re being generous with your words.
It’s so simple.
But so powerful.
The way you share your time, thoughts, words, time, attention, influence, money, and belongings have an impact on the people around you.
You have the ability to change lives with who you are and what you do – no matter how much change is in your pocket.
We would love for you to get on the generosity bus with us
Let’s connect with new friends and find some beauty in unexpected places!
We can chart a course of living generously together!
Susanna Aughtmon is a gifted writer, wonderful wife, mother, daughter and friend, and a valued member of the I Like Giving team.
