Everyday Baby Steps

And the Winner Is. . .

marybabysteps — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:24:42 -0700

Willow, from Apron Strings and Angst! She didn't even think she was entering the giveaway for the Mary Kay Satin Hands Pampering Set, but she signed up for the 29-Day Giving Challenge and commented on my page there. So she was entered. That's just the kind of person Willow is. She signed up for the Challenge only for personal growth and for the experience of giving. So it's only fitting that she should receive. Remember what Cami Walker, the founder of the 29-Day Giving Challenge, said about the reciprocity of giving - "If I’m constantly giving but not open to receiving back, I’m going to deplete myself. It’s actually depleting on your energy to overgive. . . abundance is actually being truly open to sharing - giving and receiving, both ways.” So, congratulations, Willow! You will soon RECEIVE your Satin Hands set in the mail. I just have to get your address!

A Giveaway and a Challenge

marybabysteps — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:24:27 -0700

Sorry this is so late in the day. I had a migraine this morning that just would not quit. But, as promised, today is the day I will tell you more about Cami Walker and the 29-Day Giving Challenge. Oh yeah, and the giveaway. Of course, I didn't forget! I will also tell you how you can win the fabulous Mary Kay Satin Hands Pampering Set I told you about last week.

[caption id="attachment_173" align="alignleft" width="183" caption="Cami Walker - Founder of the 29-Day Giving Challenge"][/caption]

The 29-Day Giving Challenge is the brainchild of Cami Walker, a woman from California, who started the challenge personally on advice from her spiritual teacher and who, then, took the movement globally through her website, 29 Gifts.org. The premise is simple, give something away each day for 29 days, but the results can be extraordinary.

I was fortunate enough to speak with Cami last week about the Challenge, as well as the results she's seen both personally and from others, and her views on how giving can improve our lives. This young woman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis shortly after getting married. Finding herself bedridden due to the progression of the disease, Cami says she was in a very dark place. When advised to step outside herself and her problems to give to others for 29 consecutive days, she thought the idea was intriguing and wrote it down in her journal. It was not until months later that she took her first step toward beginning her journey of giving. She says, of the challenge, "I was very hesitant to actually do it because, it was like, I was so inside my struggle that I did not know how to even take the first step to change things for myself." One night during a bout of insomnia, she saw the note in her journal. According to Cami, "I gave my first gift that morning. I made a phone call to a woman who also has MS, and I did a free reading for her, and that just sort of started this snowball!" Cami considers herself a "business intuitive" and does readings "primarily around business, money, and career."

She soon saw her circumstances, attitude, and health begin to improve. She gave her spiritual reading at 6:00 a.m. and received a call two hours later from a large non-profit organization requesting her consulting skills. Coincidence? Maybe. But she continued forward and decided to head out of the house for some breakfast. Her husband dropped her off at a local diner where she chatted with a man, who later, anonymously paid for her meal! She decided to give walking a try and was able, with the help of her cane, to walk the six blocks to her house. "That first day," Cami says, "things started to change and by my 29th day of my first cycle of giving, I had $8000 in receivable income. I'd gone from zero to eight grand in 29 days!"

She attributes all of this to a change in thinking and focus. "To me, it's a good example of how powerful our thinking is. I spent a hundred percent of my time thinking about what was wrong with me when I was sick. If that's all you think about, that's what you create. My thinking went in a completely different direction. I was no longer focused on everything that I couldn't do. I was actually focused on "What am I capable of today, and what do I want to do today? What do I want for myself today?" Finally, she says, "A lot of time, especially women, we tend to give and give and give, but we're not really open to receiving. Giving in its very essence is reciprocal. If I'm constantly giving but not open to receiving back, I'm going to deplete myself. It's actually depleting on your energy to overgive. . . abundance is actually being truly open to sharing - giving and receiving, both ways."

Incredible words of wisdom from an incredible woman. Check out her website at www.29gifts.org to sign up for the 29-Day Giving Challenge. Here you'll learn more about the challenge, ways you can give, and ways to connect to others involved. Her goal is to get 2,000 givers by September 29th, and she just hit 700. So spread the word and sign up. Visit my page here and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for the Mary Kay Satin Hands Pampering gift set. It's from my own inventory and is just one of the 29 things I'm giving away for my challenge! Don't forget to leave your comment on my page at the 29-Day Giving Challenge to be entered to win. I'll be choosing a winner Sunday evening at 9:00 p.m. EST and will announce the winner Monday! Go, sign up. Now.

Announcing My First Giveaway!

marybabysteps — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:01:09 -0700

I'm having a giveaway! Okay, so it's not one of those fabulous sponsored giveaways; it's actually something from my own closet. Don't worry - it's brand new. I am giving away a Mary Kay Satin Hands Pampering Set! Isn't it pretty? And it feels incredible!

This giveaway is in conjunction with an amazing movement I recently read about called The 29-Day Giving Challenge. This concept was thought up by a woman named Cami Walker, who was dealing with severe health and money issues and was in a very dark place in her life. Her friend and spiritual teacher told her to stop thinking of herself and advised her to give away something each day for 29 days. Cami took her advice, and the results were astounding. She decided to share the experience with the world by starting a website and online community where people can commit to the challenge and share their experience. Go to www.29gifts.org to read more about her story and to sign up for your own Giving Challenge.

On Wednesday of next week, I will not only be giving away this awesome Pampering Set as part of my own Giving Challenge, but I'll share my interview with Cami! I'll be speaking to her today to find out more about the challenge and about her inspiration for making the movement global. Come back Wednesday for your chance to win the Satin Hands set and to read what Cami has to share with us!