OK, ok… so I admit I’m a little biased about the subject material…
And, I loved one of the comments to his post, by Bart, who was expressing his gratitude for Give Away A Dollar A Day. Here’s some of what Bart wrote:
I’m also having big fun with giving away a Euro a day (I live in Belgium, Europe) and I’m very thankful for the tips Todd is giving through his blog and mailing list. Those tips helped me a lot in finding more fun to give away that Euro each day. Even tough I’m definitely not rich (and guess what: I’m having a HUGE process with money) I’ve found it very liberating in giving a Euro away each day. Why? Because by doing so I’ve come to realise I don’t have a lack of money. I’ve never eaten a slice of bread less because of this action.
On Sunday night, the 4th of May, I was interviewed by Mrs. Clause !
I know, I know, it’s pretty hard to believe. But it’s true… Mrs. Clause interviewed me!! No kidding.
And… She made me an Honorary Elf!!!
You can check out Mrs. Clause and all of her unique gifts of joy and good ol’ year round Christmas cheer at HoHoHoChristmas.com!
Oh… Back to that interview now…
Mrs. Claus broadcasts her podcast interviews on the Conversations with Mrs. Clause show. My interview with Mrs. Clause, about Give Away A Dollar A Day and the joy and good in giving, will air on July 22nd. (I’ll send out a reminder!)
We had a rockin’ good time during this interview that you won’t want to miss!
In the meantime, be sure and keep the Spirit of Christmas and good cheer and giving from your heart year round!
My family had a grand adventure just this past weekend. We went firewalking. Yep, that’s right… FIREWALKING!
We had done this a couple times before, but it had been awhile. So we were eager to reunite in the loving energy of the incredible Fire Master, John Maisel, of Eagle-Heart. I was tempted to write much about it here, but I just can’t top what John wrote in a 2004 article called “The Reason for Overcoming Fear”:
One of the major lessons that I teach in my Firewalking seminars is how to reclaim true vision. A simple example of that process is to consider that when we look at red, hot 1400 degree coals we do not envision any possibility that they could be “ice cold” and that a safe pathway across exists. However, if we choose to change our focus from the “red” hot coals, instead focusing on the space of possibility… the black space between the red coals. When we focus on that black space, the void where all possibility exists, then and only then can we see with true vision. Then we can see the energy fields created by the pulsating, decomposing wood coals. Then we can learn how to “become one with the fire” and walk safely across… or as with some in our Eagle Heart Core group… stand on the coals and ride the waves of energy present awaiting us upon the coals.
And here’s a short little video to spark your curiosity…
Be sure to turn your speakers on and turn the volume up!
Now, if you look closely, in the middle you’ll see a clip of my wife and daughter walking across the coals. And toward the end, I’m helping a friend, Ted, carry a wonderful and adventurous woman in her senior years (who showed up at this ceremony with her oxygen talk and walker) across the coals… Hey, ANYBODY can do this!!
I usually give away a dollar every day, and most often anonymously. But my family and I have been watching the tragedy in Myanmar continue to grow larger by the day. Although I still gave away a dollar today, we felt that it was the right thing to do to make a donation to the Red Cross International Response Fund to help in our own way the victims of Myanmar in the wake of Cyclone Nargis. There are many ways we all can help. I hope that you take action and do what you are called to do.
Blessings,
The Silvas
PS - 5/9/08 Edit: When I first posted this on Tuesday, I knew a little bit about the dealings with the military leadership in Myanmar, but not as much as I do now. Personally, I am appalled at what the junta is doing to deprive their own people of the most urgent and basic needs of survival. However, I do not feel our donation is at all for naught. My hope is that the US and the rest of the world continue to flow aid to that country even if it is not yet allowed in. Because it is only a matter of time before the walls will come down…
PPS - 5/13/08 Edit: Ten years ago, my family lived through a flood - a horrifying experience we would wish upon no one. Although there were many organizations proclaiming that they would help, only one truly came through, and right away, with their “boots on the ground”… The Red Cross. This is why we made another donation today to The Red Cross for the earthquake disaster and victims in the Sichuan Province of China and surrounding areas. We believe that The Red Cross will come through for the victims in both China and Myanmar, just as they had done for our family and our neighbors. The Red Cross does just what they say they’re going to do.
First of all, Give Away A Dollar A Day is catching on! Folks are having a lot of fun with this, and quite a few are writing to me with their stories of positive, personal transformation, and with their own creative ideas for giving away!
But here’s the part that’s interesting… Most of the ones writing to me are women.
What I don’t know is exactly how many men are giving away every day vs. how many women. But if the feedback I’m receiving is any indication, there just aren’t as many men who Give Away A Dollar A Day.
Here is an e-mail I received from Marie. I was so deeply touched by this, Thank You Marie!
Hi Todd,
I LOVE your idea of giving away a dollar a day and heard about it on the LOA radio show which I just listened to last week. I LOVE finding money myself and have a jar filled just with found coins. Last week I decided to do this also with the addition of a short poem paper-clipped to the dollar bill or dollar bill rolled and tied with a ribbon which reads:
I’ve left this here for you to find,
It’s just a random act of being kind.
Give unconditionally to others and you’ll discover,
Your own happiness and joy you’ll recover!
Have a great day!
I wrote this poem because I really want the recipients to know that it was a special gift, not just someone who made a mistake and dropped a dollar… This past week I have left my dollars on the sink counter of ladies rest rooms, on a hook in a bathroom stall (this one was rolled up & tied), under new merchandise at the Golfsmith store, on a walkway through a garden tour, and I sent one to my sister in Florida for her to drop somewhere. Wouldn’t it be great for others to copy this idea and for it to become so widespread that someday I will find the very same gift with a note attached that I am leaving for others! I am doing this in the spirit of having fun with no other expectations. Thanks for inspiring me and others to have some fun while giving to others.
P.S. For the past year when I travel (infrequently) on a toll road I always go through an attended lane and pay for the car behind me. It is so much fun to do something unexpected for a stranger! When my nephew is in the car with me he watches for the person’s reaction and smiles and waves to them. It makes me feel very abundant to be able to pay for someone else. Occasionally the driver in the car will speed up and wave thanks to me and that is nice, too. It feels wonderful to know that I have surprised someone and given them a sign that they are cared for. And then I think that perhaps this one act of kindness could inspire them to do the same for others–like in the “Pay it Forward” movie several years ago.
After I read this, I wrote back to Marie, and confided in her that I thought all along I was the one doing the inspiring… What is really happening though is that folks just like Marie are inspiring me!
Many, many thanks again Marie! You are a blessing,
A few years ago, my wife planted a bush in our back yard that was purported to attract caterpillars and butterflies. Well this Spring, it attracted them alright!
Dozens of these little crawlies started appearing in April, so our whole family has been blessed with watching them grow, then building their cocoons, and finally emerging in their magnificence as gorgeous Monarch Butterflies.
Just this past weekend, though, there was one that really caught my attention. I got a chance to watch as this colorful Monarch had just come out of its cocoon. Never having witnessed anything like this before, I didn’t know that it was going to have to hang on to its old home for a while. Since it was brand new, it wasn’t quite ready to fly, not just yet. Yes, it was drying its wings out, but I imagined it was preoccupied with mustering up all its energy for its first flight!
In a bold move, it let go of its cocoon, and began to climb up one side of our house. I was sure this was the moment, and I watched with much anticipation!
Something must have caught its leg, though, because it slipped and fell. It tried to flap its wings, but it just wasn’t ready for flying.
It was OK, though, because it fell into a plant where it had some time to walk around and slowly open and close its wings as if to stretch them and get them “ready”.
Quite a bit of time passed before it started back up another side of our house. I was still so captivated that I couldn’t do anything else – feeling like a proud “dad”, I was determined to be there for its “moment”!
Well, you’ve probably guessed by now, its moment came. It flew!
But the truly incredible gifts, and lessons, were in how it flew.
On this final journey up the side of our house, it got caught again, and began to fall. And just like the first time, it flapped it wings. But something was different – it all came together this time around. Its wings worked! It was flying! It was doing what all caterpillars dream of!!
All of the excitement turned into a tiny lump in my throat as I felt both sadness and joy, along with a profound lesson I was blessed with from this magical experience.
Step Five in The Attractor Factor by Joe Vitale is to let go. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have chosen not to fly in my life, because I held onto the belief that I wasn’t ready yet.
But this Monarch didn’t stop to think about it. It didn’t dwell on whether it was ready or not. It just let go. And Divine grace unfolded.
Thank you, Butterfly. Thank you for truly being a loving expression of infinite possibilities to me!
Cheri wrote to me with this story. It is truly inspirational, and very worth sharing!
Hi, Todd. I’ve started giving away a quarter a day (all we can afford at the moment) and it’s already coming back to us! For instance,
Quarter #1: I found a 20 dollar bill in a book I hadn’t opened in over a year! It was from my mom, who passed away last spring!!! The book was called The Lost Secret of Death! Talk about weird! I knew it was from her because there was also a doctor’s appointment card for her in the book.
Quarter #2: Buck is learning how to put computers together since his liver transplant has wreaked havoc with his previous profession of Mr. Fixit. He called a guy who was advertising a bunch of old computer parts for 50 bucks. Buck ended up with almost $1000 worth of parts to play with, including monitors, mother boards, key boards, memory chips, etc.!
Quarter #3: Buck got a phone call yesterday from someone wanting to buy his old truck. This is amazing since we have an unlisted number and have pretty much moved out of that house (we’re selling it). The guy had to go to some lengths to find us, and the truck wasn’t even for sale! But Buck’s decided to sell it to him - LOL!
Places I’ve left them so far: on the bread table and on a DVD shelf in the IGA (grocery store), on a window sill and on the counter at the post office, on the counter at the bank. This is a very small town and we rarely travel, so it’s becoming a challenge…
Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Blessings to you Cheri, with your wonderful adventures in giving!
Have you ever hidden Easter Eggs for a kid at Easter time?
How about hiding presents on Christmas Eve, or secretly stuffing stockings on Christmas morn?
When I have done these things, I remember feeling giddy, excited, even butterflies in my stomach. I couldn’t wait to surprise a loved one, but I also didn’t want to get caught!
It dawned on me the other day that this is exactly what Give Away A Dollar A Day feels like! If you’ve done it, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Today’s give away just may have been the best yet!
I was in the drug store buying a card. And, you know those cards that have the built-in money pocket for giving someone cash or a check when you’re congratulating them for a great accomplishment? Well, you guessed it…
The next person to buy that particular money card will have a head start in stocking the card with cash!
I was just about to leave the house this morning, and was getting a dollar out of my wallet that I was going to give away today. The thought then crossed my mind that today was the day to give away here, in the house, to my wife!
I pondered a little bit here, and thought a little bit there, and then it hit me…
I would leave it in her favorite lounging chair, her comfy black leather La-Z-Boy chair. Victoria LOVES that chair!!!
This is one of those unusual occasions where you’re going to hear someone (me) say, “TRY this at home”!
This was so wonderful!
And it reminded me that one of the greatest gifts in Give Away A Dollar A Day is the joy that I get from giving!
When I hear stories like this, I am so thankful to Spirit for the inspiration and the wonderful magic of Give Away A Dollar A Day!
This is from Chris -
Hey Todd,
I am happy to say I have recently seen an unexpected monetary increase in my life, and I feel certain that it is related to giving away a dollar a day. I recently got back the results of a review, and not only were the results better than I expected, but I’m told that the percentage increase I received is higher than would normally be given for that result. By the way, that amount exceeds what I have been giving away daily.
Have you heard of Lynn Ward? She has a great blog on Lifestyle Yak called Red Hot Living.
I was very honored to be interviewed by Lynn recently about Give Away A Dollar A Day, and Lynn has now posted that interview on her blog as a podcast, for listening and for downloading!
You can listen to the podcast and read Lynn’s blog right here.
I think you’ll really like it, so go have a listen today!
And thank you again, Lynn, for inviting me to this heartwarming and fun interview, and for all that you do with Red Hot Living!!
