Seize the Day! – (PART 2 of 6)
And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.
It’s the life in your years.
~Abraham Lincoln
While you may not be able to control the world, you can control how you respond to it. So wake up! Get going! Life is short and time is fleeting…Here’s our second suggestion for how to seize the day:
Reach out to someone in need
One of the quickest ways to “seize the day” is to feel a sense of gratitude. I know it is hard to feel grateful when you’re thinking about your 401k’s drop in value, but thinking about giving to people who are worse off will remind you of how much you have to be grateful for. Here’s an easy way.
Imagine a family in Ghana, or India, or another desperately impoverished country. With a sewing machine, a goat, some seeds, or perhaps some leather to make shoes, that parent can make a life for his or her family. But they are very poor, with no means and not considered “bankable.” They lack collateral, steady employment, and a verifiable credit history.
Herein lies your opportunity. With just a few clicks from your computer, you can fund a microloan. For as little as $25, you can designate who you want to help and at what level. You can help a real family make great strides towards economic independence and an improved life for themselves and their community.
As the loans you help fund are repaid (and nearly 98% of them are!), that money is loaned again to help another entrepreneur. By “paying it forward,” your gift works many times over. As one such microenterprise development organization states: “One click does a world of good.”
There are a number of organizations that offer microfinance services – not just loans, but also other financial services, training, and counsel. With a bit of research, you can find an organization that best matches your interest, values, and available assets. Here are a couple of links to organizations to get your started:
- Opportunity International: Giving the Poor a Working Chance
- Kiva: Loans that Change Lives
In addition, Wikipedia provides a list of 37 additional microfinance organizations.
Not only thinking about others but also doing for others can give you a sense of satisfaction while, at the same time, help our world be a better place.
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