Today is #GivingTuesday and as a child, I remember hearing the phrase “It is better to give than receive”, but I didn’t really understand it. I was still in the receiving mode if you know what I mean! But now, as an adult, I truly understand the depth and meaning of the phrase and I agree with it whole heartedly. I think the new movie Klaus on Netflix gets that too.
Some of you may be asking “What is #GivingTuesday all about? It launched in 2012, and although it started as a simple idea to encourage people to do good, it has grown into a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities around the
world. That is why it reminds me of this Netflix original.
If you haven’t seen #Klaus yet, you have probably heard about this new heart-warming, soon to be Christmas classic. From its title you may think that it is just another Christmas film about Santa Claus and his toy giving adventures, well you’re partly right, but it’s more than that. It’s about a rich, spoiled heir named Jesper and how what started out as a selfish mission, ended an age-old feud between two clans and created a sleigh full of holiday traditions.
It isn’t the same old feel good holiday special, as a matter of fact, I would call it a cross between Nightmare Before Christmas and Santa Claus is Coming to Town because it has an edge that usually isn’t presented in animated holiday movies. I don’t want to spoil it for you, because I highly recommend you add it to your Christmas watch list, so I will just leave you with a quote from Klaus, which summarized the film for me while reminding me of #GivingTuesday and my own #YouAreEnough mission:
“A true selfless act always inspires another.”
The selfless act doesn’t need to be extravagant like creating toys and loading them in a reindeer driven sleigh to give to every child in town, like they did in Klaus. It could be as simple as helping an elderly woman across the street or asking a lonely kid at school to join you at lunch. Being generous with your time often takes more effort than donating your money. #GivingTuesday is a time to celebrate that generosity and keep it moving forward.
One act of kindness today can create one thousand kind acts tomorrow.
If you have been reading my books or watching my livestreams, you know my mission is to rid the world of NES (Not Enough Syndrome) and that starts by believing in yourself and accepting that #YouAreEnough… just the way you are. When you embrace that and take the simple step of reminding others of that fact too, you are inoculating future generations against this debilitating condition, while inspiring them to recognize their value. The presentations we do in schools (preschool through college), as well as in churches, corporations, hospitals, prisons and organizations are the building blocks of creating generations of happier, more confident and more well-adjusted leaders.
I would love to inspire you on this #GivingTuesday to use your generosity, whether with your time, your influence or your financial resources to encourage a world that is suffering. Take a moment to inspire a person or find a cause that resonates with you. If you are looking for somewhere to extend your generosity, we are open to donations for costumes, prizes, transportation, and travel expenses so we can expand the reach of our #YouAreEnough campaign.
I hope you enjoyed today’s blog. Please #JoinTheJourney and help us spread the #YouAreEnough Global Initiative across the world! And, when you get a chance, check out Klaus and let me know if you see what I see… that it’s better to give than to receive.
Until Next time…