Monday, November 1, 2010

{Share Our Gifts} November Give Back

Introducing November's Give Back:

{Share Our Gifts}


I've just finished a fabulous book by Tom Rath called StrengthsFinder 2.0. Actually, it's more of a quiz that calculates and determines your 5 most prominent strengths out of 34 possibilities. My favorite theme from the book though, is how we focus so much on our weaknesses, that we forget to celebrate our strengths, and continue to grow with them. "Do you do what you do best everday?" the book asks. Definitely not saying you ignore your weakness {hello, ms. always late?!?!} but I'm a glass half full kind of girl!


So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, {and we already have thankful hearts from here!} I've thought up a new challenge for this wonderful season. We are going to {Share Our Gifts}!!


We'll be doing this Give Back in 4 different parts, with each week bringing a new challenge! Join in and let's push beyond our comfort zone! :)


Week 1 Challenge:
-{this is a two-parter!!}

1 - think of what your top 5 strengths are {if you need help, check out this awesome resource from the Happiness Project!} and comment one this post with your 5!

** Here's mine :)  Positive thinking, Encouraging, Communication, Strategy,  Empathy

2 - Ask someone near and dear to you, be it your spouse, sibling, friend, or your mama what they think your biggest strength is {you can even tell them theirs :)} and comment on this post with their answer!

**My sweet husband said my biggest strength is motivation!

That's it! Easy Peasy! Happy Week One! :)

Week 2 Challenge:

1.  Brainstorm ways that you can utilize your strengths to help out someone close to you--and put them into action!  Maybe your sis is struggling with making friends, or your co-worker needs someone to listen to her ideas.  Whatever it may be, focus on playing up your strengths for those around you this week, and share them in the comments!!

**My example:  I am a pretty positive person, and I have a single friend who feels like she will NEVER find a good guy to settle down with.  This week I'm going to try my best to lift her spirits and make her see what a catch she is! :)

 Share them here so we can all get some good ideas on using our strengths!  Happy week 2!!

Week 3 & 4 Challenge:

1.  Step outside the box!  For these two weeks, try to find random acts of kindness, big or small, to complete strangers, or to those who least expect it.  Someone passing by on the street, donating time to volunteer, or maybe it means showing compassion to someone who has wronged you in the past.  Try your best to fill each day with taking your strengths and living it to everyone around you!

***I'm thinking that this year we'll adopt a family for Christmas!  Even though my kids are pretty young, I think we can always emphasize how important compassion and giving really means!

What will YOU do?  :)  Happy November, and Thanksgiving too!








30 comments:

  1. I love this site!! I love how you think and do,it inspires me:)
    Thank you.
    My strengths are
    1- Curiosity
    2- integrity
    3- kindness
    4- citizenship
    5- spirituality
    earthdancedaph@yahoo.com

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  2. @Daph

    Daph! Thanks for participating! :) Great strengths too :)

    Best!

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  3. My strengths:

    1) teamwork
    2) seeing the overall picture
    3) forgiveness
    4) playful
    5) open-mindedness

    my hubby says my best strength is im loving. :)

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. My strengths are
    Curiosity
    Perspective
    Kindness
    Hope
    Passion

    Thanks for having such a great post!

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  6. I think my top 5 strengths are:
    1. Kindness
    2. Energy
    3. Friendliness
    4. Respectfulness
    5. Patience

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  7. My mom said that my biggest strength is my smile...how sweet of her to say :)

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  8. my five strengths are:
    1 intuition
    2 curiosity
    3 open minded
    4 intelligence
    5 determination

    my fbest friend said my best quality is open-mindedness

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  9. My five:
    Curiosity
    love of learning
    Judment, critical thinking
    Ingenuity, orininality
    Valour, bravery
    cspmom at gmail dot com

    My best strength...valour

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  10. My biggest strengths:
    1) my optimism
    2) my resilience
    3) my compassion/empathy for others
    4) my nose-to-the grind work ethic
    5) my determination

    my hubby's answer surprised me- he thought a moment and said 'loyalty', which is true as well, I really go the extra mile to be there for my friends and family when they need a hand or are in a tough spot

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  11. Christina - xristya@rock.com - My sweetie feels that my biggest strength is my kindness towards other people!

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  12. Christina - xristya@rock.com - Mine biggest strengths are: 1/my ability to deal with pain and difficulties; 2/my ambition; 3/my compassion; 4/my perserverance; 5/being able to draw out my talents and extend and use them!

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  13. @PiggysPen

    Ooh!! Teamwork!! I love it!! Thanks so much!!

    Best!

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  14. I'd say my biggest strengths are:
    1/listening 2/encouraging people 3/creativity 4/judgment 5/love of learning

    My best strength: listening

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  15. My biggest strength that I will put to work this week is friendship. Since I became preggers I've kinda been more of a hermit and I am determined to go out w/friends twice this week. I've already made plans!

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  16. 1. reliable
    2. honest
    3. trustworthy
    4. Loyal
    5. loving

    My husband says he couldn't pick just one. So I asked my sister she said loyal..

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  17. I am using my reliable strength at wk to cover for a coworker who really needs time off.

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  18. My sister has a terminally ill husband (has ALS) and is so stressed and cries all the time. I am going to use my strengths so she can rely on me to help her with the little things (ex. pick up her kids from school) to take off some stress and help out with her husband so she can get some "Me" time.

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  19. My strengths:
    1. loyalty
    2. good mom to my 3 kids
    3. empathetic
    4. funny
    5. creative

    My daughter said that I am loving. :)

    mickeycoutts at yahoo dot com

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  20. My 5 year old sister is having trouble communicating how her day has been at school. So as a solution--I've been taking her outside playing games while asking her, "What happened at school today? Show me with your hands what kind of day you had!"
    (A thumbs up is really good, thumbs down sad/bad, etc.)
    and the communication has MUCH better ever since!

    panicxduh[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  21. this is awesome! :)

    I think my 5 strengths are:
    -positive thinking and faith in what I believe
    -not taking anything for granted
    -being very trustworthy
    -never giving up
    - i can give great advice


    My boyfriend of 5 years said that he thinks my "giant loving heart" is my best trait.

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  22. Seriously, what a great blog :) I'm usually so consumed with all my 'shortcomings' or 'inadequacies' that I forget about affirming my strengths and using them somehow to give back. So thank you for an awesome challenge!
    I think my top 5 strengths are:
    * Compassion
    * Insight
    * Passion
    * Sense of Purpose
    * Capacity of Emotion (used to think it was a weakness, but I'm learning to embrace it and empower myself with it instead of just fighting it all the time!)

    My mom said my biggest strength is Resilience. Cool beans - that means a lot to me :)

    ~ randomonymous(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. p.s.

    Thanks also for posting the Strengths List from the Happiness Institute - very helpful and gave me a lot to think about!

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  24. My cousin has cerebral palsy and has struggled his whole life not only with learning to walk and his parents' divorce, but most of all just socially, like with making friends, especially now that he started at a new high school. I believe he is also developmentally disabled, but at a degree that most people, especially the teens at his high school, don't realize or understand severely affects his social relatability. So they brand him a "loser" and actually make fun of him - which would be wrong whether or not he even had a disability!

    Anyway, I'm gonna try to spend more time with him especially this holiday season, actively listen to him, give whatever advice I can, and just try my best to find levels where we can both relate to each other and just hang out as friends.

    Thanks again for a great challenge :) Happy Thanksgiving!

    ~ randomonymous(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. My strengths are:
    patience
    reliability
    openness to new experiences
    persistence
    positive outlook

    My husband says that I always persevere in anything that I am trying to accomplish.

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  26. Some of my strengths include creativity, problem solving, positive thinking, and teaching. When a friend or family member is feeling down, I can help them see the sunny side!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  27. I have been told I have a big heart and I'm able to calm people by giving good advice.
    I recently came into contact with someone who wanted to take her own life that night. I was able to talk to her and very bluntly made her realize that doing that is never the right answer.
    She finally realized she needed to get help and thanked me for it.
    I guess that's a good way I put my strengths to use. I'm very proud of that.

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  28. I had a giveaway on my blog for an item in my etsy shop. This one girl really wanted to win. She lost, but I sent her the pair of earrings she loved for a birthday present.

    :)
    CerenaLeigh
    Luckycldh(at)aol(dot)com

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  29. For week 4 I will totally forgive someone who has wronged me in the past. Although I say I've forgiven I believe I still may hold on to some resentment that I had regarding something that my mother in law said. She doesn't like me very much but I will try hard to leave the hurt in the past and kill her with kindness! Forgiving has always been a strength of mine and I need to follow through with it this time no matter how hard it is!

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  30. I am forgiving someone who has been not so nice to me and letting things go..

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