The History Behind the Idea

      A few years ago, I was thinking about the holiday season. I was thinking about how rushed everyone is. I was thinking about how we tend to go through the checkout line with a brief "hello" and a "have a good day". Well, a few years ago I attended a church service in Florida about giving and joy. And at the end of service, they handed out cards that simply said, "You're job isn't easy, Christmas may even make it worse. I want to let you know, I appreciate you." Once I left that church and came back to Michigan, I attached a candy cane to each card and handed them out for the next two weeks. Let me tell you, I saw a change in the way that I approached the check-out at a store. I approached it with an excitement to show someone that I really cared. Now let's forget about how it made me feel because giving is about the recipient, I saw person after person shocked, astounded that someone would care. I don't know how much it impacted their life, but I hope that they felt loved.

     I hope that you choose to appreciate others in a tangible way this season. Whether you use these cards or write your own notes, choose to give this season. My hope is that you will feel the exhilaration of being kind to others. I hope that as a collective community we can touch lives, if only for a moment, this holiday season.

     For more information on "Project: Appreciation" and to request your cards, visit out Facebook Page here.

Happy Holiday Giving!!

Kindfulness

Kind: adj. having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature

Mindful: adj. conscious or aware of something

     Sometimes I catch myself thinking about why more people aren't kind (mostly when watching the news). It's so much fun! Especially completing acts of kindness. Why don't people take a minute to find a way to be kind within their daily routine? It doesn't have to be some big project. It doesn't have to be some global movement. I think that all it takes is a bit of kindfulness.

     The practice of mindfulness has become widely popular as of late. Be mindful... Color a picture! Be mindful... Take a yoga class! Be mindful... Read poetry! In no way, shape, or form am I against mindfulness. Do it! Be good to yourself! However, I am suggesting we steal the idea of being mindful and apply it towards doing acts of kindness. Kindfulness! Think about being kind. Make a point to find things to do that are kind.

     I think the first part of incorporating kindfulness into your life is noticing. Which means being present where your feet are (aka put down the technology if possible). Take time to look up at the people who are in line at the store or restaurant near you. Compliment the older lady on her earnings that perfectly match her ensemble. Leave a dollar at the vending machine so that someone gets to enjoy a surprise drink. Look for opportunities to be kind.

      I think the second part of incorporating kindfulness into your life is being willing. This means you might have to talk to a stranger (which is generally pretty scary for me). This means you might have to use that extra dollar you have for an act of kindness and not another doughnut. This means you might need to sacrifice a little... but trust me, you will gain so much!

     I know that I don't have this down,  which is why I am asking you to join me in starting a movement of kindfulness. Let's do this together! Tell me in the comments how you are going to start practicing kindfulness in your life :) 

Why I Love Valentine's Day (even though I'm single)

3 billion search results on Google come up for one word: love. 253 million YouTube videos come up for one word: love. 895 million Instagram posts for one word: love. 551 mentions in the Bible (NIV) of one word: love. It’s kind of a big deal. And we have a whole day devoted to it (even if it has become a ‘Hallmark Holiday’)!

     Generally in society, we choose to celebrate romantic love on February 14- but why not celebrate love in general? Often I hear people say things like, “If only we could remember to be positive” or “If only we could just show each other love and acceptance.” February 14^th is set aside for those things!

I think that it is a pretty good day to appreciate the love that has been shown toward you. Maybe you have that friend that you always bail on but she never seems to mind and is always willing to reschedule- show her love on Valentine’s Day! Maybe you have a coworker who always seems to be there right when you need a third hand- show them love on Valentine’s Day! Maybe you have someone in your life who randomly shows up with coffee, doughnuts, and a listening ear- show that person love on Valentine’s Day!

We have a whole day set aside to celebrate people and the cool things that love represents. Maybe you’ll choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day by participating in the More Love Letters Mission (see here). Maybe you’ll choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day by doing some volunteer work. Maybe you just won’t choose to celebrate on the 14^th at all- and that’s okay- just remember to love yourself that day!

Now, I’m not hating on those of you who choose to celebrate “Singles Awareness Day” on February 14. I’ve been there with the loads of junk food and movies that have nothing to do with love. But in your “Singles Awareness Day” festivities- remember to love yourself! You’re the best you in the world!

Some of you have a significant other to celebrate with on Valentine’s Day- woohoo! Celebrate together! Celebrate the things that have brought you together, the experiences you’ve had, and appreciate every facet of the other person.

Lastly, people show love in lots of different ways. The way that you show love is usually described as your “love language” (take the free online quiz here). Find a way that fits in with what you feel comfortable with- and do it! Love is action!

Let Yourself Rest

    

   Rest. A word that we don't hear very often in our society. It seems that instead of praising each other for taking care of ourselves- we praise each other for the busyness in our lives. Why is that? I'm about to preach the opposite of our culture. Take a moment to breathe. Take a rest. Read a book. Chat with a friend. Binge on some Netflix. Take a nap. 

     I can guess what you're thinking, "Sure, Katie. That sounds nice. But I just don't have time." Which is why I challenge you to make time. Whether that is a weekly chunk of time (for example every Sunday at 3:00-5:00pm) or a rotating time daily (for example 6:00-6:30pm while I eat my dinner)- make the time. And if that doesn't work, maybe look at some of the things in your life. Can anything go? Can anything be moved to another time?

     "But Katie- I feel guilty when I don't do anything!" That's society influencing your thinking. But if you still can't get over it... find someone to do nothing with! One of my friends and I have found that if we hang out together and do nothing but watch some TV, read a book, or eat some food- we don't feel guilty. And we were able to get some rest while getting to bond with a friend. 

     "That'll make me lazy!" I agree, if you overdo it with the rest, you may be edging toward lazy. However, I want to point out that different times in your life will require different amounts of rest. What do you have going on in life? Is it taking an emotional toll on you? Have you said "yes" to a lot lately? Have things gotten crazy at work? Did your kids sports start up? Different times require a different amount of rest. 

     Still really struggling with the idea of rest? Then choose to have a kindness time. Or a connecting time. A time when you work to build someone up, because chances are that time is going to leave you with a sense of refreshment. 

     Will you give yourself permission to rest with me this week?

Goals

     I was at a Christmas party/meeting/celebration the other night for Norwex where they talked all about setting goals. I was like, "This is perfect! It's about to be the new year and we all need to set goals!" But then they passed out the goal sheets, I sat there staring at it for the allotted time, and I realized something about myself... I'm not very good at setting goals. I always get stuck. I never know what my goals should be. As I was thinking about that more, it struck me that I always get stuck because I never want to set expectations. See, I think that the two go hand in hand. So I did a little research. To the dictionary!!

goal- noun: something that you are trying to do or achieve

expectation- noun: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen

     Technically, they are separate. But the way that I see things, they go hand in hand. The belief behind the goal is what makes it happen. Usually, goals don't achieve themselves. They take work. And when you work towards something- you generally believe that you can reach the goal- or else why would you waste your time?

     Why don't I like expectations? I think it is because of fear. Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that fear is something that I deal with a lot in my life. So, what exactly am I afraid of once I set the goal? The disappointment. What if I don't reach it? What if other expect me to? What if I disappoint others? What if I disappoint myself? What if...?

     What if I stop letting fear win and I dream? That's the point I need to reach. I need to take a moment and realize that goals are personal and individual. No one set goal is going to work for everyone! I mean, a really general goal like "happiness" or "health" might work for most people. But I can guarantee that the journey to achieve that goal will look very different for each and every person. *Disclaimer: happiness and health are great goals- but try and make them more specific!*

     I'm working on it and I challenge you to as well. Don't just set new year's resolution goals. Set life goals. No matter how big or small- they will make a difference. You will find a new motivation behind some of your daily decisions. "Don't let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game."

Parachute Games

     

     Gym class. An elementary student's favorite words. Gym Class. Katie, the substitute teacher's least favorite words. Gym isn't really "my thing." But I thought, it's a half day job- how bad can it be?!?!

     I walked into his office and nervously took at the lesson plans and for two classes I was leading parachute games. Jackpot! I was a camp counselor for years! I lead this for over 60 kids- on multiple occasions! I've got this.

     In walks the first class... Kindergarten. Kindergartners in gym = mass chaos and so. much. energy. They ate me alive. It was a hot mess! See, they had never done the parachute before (which I didn't know). So, not only was it a new fun toy, but there were no boundaries or expectations or safety rules set at all. My assumption of what they knew caused me a lot of "How many minutes left in class?" moments.  But finally... Whew... We all survived. No one got hurt or ended up in the office. Not  a success by any means, but not a complete and total failure.

     In walks the second class. Alright, I got this. New tactic. "Welcome first graders! Have you ever done the parachute before?" They had. But boy was I glad that I asked. I was able to find out which games they had played before. I taught a whistle signal, explained the safety issues (and consequences for not following the safety rules), and we began. It went a trillion times better than the first class. Maybe it was because they were older. Maybe it was because it was a different set of kids. Maybe it was because they had done the parachute before. But maybe, just maybe, it was because I remembered to communicate and find out what they already knew and didn't know. 

     See, when we assume about what the other person knows or doesn't know- there is a good chance that it is going to catch up to you later on. Sometimes, I think we forget to ask. We forget to try and understand where the other person is coming from. We forget that we don't always have the same experiences. In my case, it was that the kindergarten class didn't have the knowledge that I thought they had. But in some cases, I think it can go the opposite way. We assume that someone doesn't know- and therefore end up thinking (or doing) for them- when they are perfectly capable and may even be able to do it a better way. Instead of just asking. Taking that time and communicating. 

    Please learn from my failed Kindergarten Gym Class experience. Remember as you go along in your daily life, to think about the other person's knowledge base. Make a conscious effort to ask them about what they know and then go from there. You never know when you will be surprised!

Project: Appreciation--- Year 2!

Woohoo! It’s time for year two of “Project: Appreciation!” We handed out 673 cards last year. That’s at least 673 lives touched by God’s love! How cool! We passed out cards in 10 states and 2 countries. Thanks for making last year so successful! Let’s see if we can change even more lives this year!

What are the roots of “Project: Appreciation”? I’m glad you asked. The idea started last year when I was thinking about how I was going to make my Christmas different than past ones. I wanted to make it a worthwhile time where I could show God's love to others. So I started praying. I had read the book "I Like Giving" by Brad Formsa and this is the project that formed from those two things.

                     

            

Here's how it works:

1. You take (or request) as many cards as you would like to give out. They are completely free! Just ask! There are 3 different designs this year (see above).

2. Optional: Attach something to the back of the card. I attached candy canes/candy, some folks attached gift cards or small trinkets or ornaments.

3. Pass them out! Once it hits black Friday time (or even a bit before) start to spread the love! When you are in the checkout, when you see your mail carrier, when you see anyone and everyone whose job might be made a little tougher around Christmas- give them a card! (I would generally exchange the cashier when he/she handed me my receipt)

4. Walk away quickly and feel the joy of giving and thinking about someone else this holiday season :)

Disclaimers:

     I know that not everyone feels comfortable giving a gift to a stranger- but I encourage you to do it anyway. Giving isn't about your comfort, it's about changing the world through love and living generously.

     Some companies have policies that don't allow their employees to accept gifts. I handed out over 25 cards last year (some at big box stores) and never ran into this issue. However, the goal of this project isn't to get anyone in trouble so I urge you to read the card to the intended recipient, wish them a Merry Christmas, and be on your way.

     But Katie, we should appreciate everyone at all times! I agree! But the thing is, sometimes we remember to appreciate others when it is more convenient for us. It's a human thing. The holidays are a rushed time, it's just their nature, so this will "force" you to remember the people around you. Plus, the holidays are hard for a lot of people who have lost loved ones or have obligations that they have to fulfill, so often times people need someone to care. Go ahead, create your own cards for the rest of the year- making generous living your lifestyle!

How do I get cards?

                I have about 1000 cards. I am trusting that God will show me the people who are willing to go out and spread His love through appreciation. So basically, ask for them! If you are a friend, text or call, tweet or Facebook message me, and I can deliver some cards or mail them to you in an envelope!  If you are reading this blog, comment below!

     I hope that you consider doing this project with me as I scatter the state of Michigan (and maybe farther!) with appreciation for others. Maybe you need to do it to keep your heart in the right place during the busy season. Maybe you want to do it as part of a Random Acts of Kindness pledge that you have made. Maybe you want to do it in honor of someone that you have lost this year. Maybe you want to do it, just to do it! I hope that you'll find that your heart is in a giving place, not a place of pity for others or self-righteousness. Don't hand them out to put on a show, hand them out to change the world and choose to live generously this holiday season.

Original project design by Mosaic Church near Orlando, Florida.

#livegenerously inspired by "I Like Giving" -ilikegiving.com