The designation of this day as #GivingTuesday has inspired a new blog post on “Reflecting on Reflecting”, upending layers of current-year dust which has been accumulating on the blog.
Today my email inbox screams, “It’s Giving Tuesday.”
My learned response to such subject headings: Give, but give mindfully. Give meaningfully. Give based on my values. Give based on need. Give to support others or support causes which have touched those on my mind right now.
There are many causes that meet that criteria (see above: screaming email inbox).
Giving is high on my own list of values. Just looking over the topics on this blog, for example, I notice over one-quarter of blog posts have been partially or entirely about reflecting on giving, giving back, and taking actions for others, including Reflecting on the Season of Giving (from this time of year, two years ago) Reflecting on Doing Good, Writing Letters to Fight Social Isolation, and Reflecting and Taking Action.
This year in particular, I have decided that my approach to charitable donations, particularly on a day (and a season) that stresses giving, will be an approach guided by reflection, meaning, and critical thinking. I have added ‘critical thinking’ in my own decision-making guide because some of the causes I support more generally may currently not be fully in alignment with my own values and priorities.
This year I am asking myself the following questions:
Does this cause directly address a need that is a high priority to me (or those I care about) right now?
Will this donation be received with appreciation by the recipient, and/ or will my message of support for this cause be heard?
Looking back on this day/ season/ moment in time, will I feel like I have taken a meaningful action by this donation?
If the answer to these three questions is a resounding yes, I will be donating today or during this season.
Taking a few moments to record the questions I am asking myself right now has been useful for me, and perhaps can help others wade through their own inboxes and inform or inspire mindful decisions. Writing this has also helped make my decision concrete that from now through the holiday season, I am donating all proceeds of all journals to a cause that represents what the Write.Reflect.Grow community values, funding a journaling workshop for charity in the new year. More on this to come!