It's The Giving Season

It's the giving season and we are all at least a bit fatigued. One quick life hack to put a little pep in your step is to find ways to give and be kind to others. Not only is it likely to give you the warm, inner fuzzies, but the Universe also has a way of rewarding its foot soldiers when they spread positivity and good cheer. Here are five free ways to give back this holiday season:

Donate Blood

This is a life force that you can provide for free. As a bonus, if you're one of the millions of Americans who cannot afford to ball with things like health insurance or physicals this is a pretty crafty way to get one for free. Need more reasons to try this one? There is a 25 percent chance that you will need blood in your lifetime, so why not pay some forward in advance? It's pretty simple to sign up. Just google donate blood to find the nearest center and book your appointment.

Swipe Your Metrocard

Or whatever the equivalent is in your hometown. The cost per swipe is $2.25. In order for someone who makes minimum wage to get to and from work they must spend almost half of what they make in an hour or risk $100 fine. If you are one of those lucky people who can afford an unlimited Metrocard comfortably please share the wealth and help prevent our government from criminalizing poverty.

Write a Review

CoVid 19 left small businesses struggling while Jeff Bezos quarantined all the way to the bank. If you have a favorite product or service that flies under the radar, a five star review costs nothing and can be a big boost for a small entrepreneur struggling to grow.

Call Someone You Care About

2020 changed the game for everyone in one way or another. You might have a friend or relative struggling with the isolation or battling depression or anxiety right now. Listening is free, and the bonds we make during significant moments such as these will last far longer than your hangover from brunch mimosas. I speak from experience.

Share a special skill

The reality is that time is money and that we can't always afford to give our talent away for free, so this one isn't quite free. However, if you have something you love doing so much that it never feels like work perhaps you could consider sharing the love with a friend, family member or stranger. Are you a good baker? Make 24 cupcakes instead of 12. A talented artist? Someone out there will be touched beyond words that you commissioned something just for them.

2020 has been a big year. Hopefully it was a year of awakening for all of us. This is the giving season, but the spirit of giving doesn't have to end in 10 days and it doesn't have to include the new PS5. Instead, why not try to use the next 10 days to kick off the year of giving: 2021.