(Pre)Book Review: “Start Something That Matters”

Last week my sister gave me the book “Start Something That Matters” as a congratulatory gift for launching my Etsy store!

It couldn’t have been a more thoughtful or appropriate gift (thank you Melissa!) because it was written by one of my philanthropy heroes – Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes.

I’ve only gotten through one chapter, but I can already tell it’s going to be one of my favorite reads. It’s both empowering and motivating and makes me want to work double time to get Live Love Life Now™ to a similar place of giving.

Unfortunately, I haven’t come up with my own “One for One” giving idea but that has become a new goal of mine for the future! And aside from being an absolute philanthropic genius, the thing I like best about Blake is that he has made “giving” cool and brought it mainstream…creating “thousands of customer-philanthropists along the way”!

Volunteering My Artistic Ability

This past Saturday, I registered with Greater DC Cares to participate in their annual Servathon.

My project was held at the local T.C. Williams High School Minnie Howard Campus where we were assigned to beautify the landscape around the school and within their courtyard.

Groups of volunteers worked through bouts of heavy rain to plant flowers and clean up the grounds while the rest of us were fortunate enough to stay inside on painting duty – yay!

While our painting canvases were simple brick pavers that would be used to edge flowerbeds, we were told to get creative and paint whatever designs we wanted on their fronts.

Initially our painting crew felt a little overwhelmed with the artistic license but then we got into it wholeheartedly and spent much time encouraging each other's ideas.

All in all, it was a super lovely way to spend a Saturday morning!

Another t-shirt for the gym!

This was too cute not to include! Did you notice they put lizards on the doors too?

Our painting assembly line

I was always the last to finish painting – darn OCD!

My nod to Jackson Pollock

This brick was inspired by Holton Rower

My boyfriend documented our day by painting rain clouds and the DC Greater Cares logo on his brick

A fellow volunteer painted her brick in tribute to the school

My final brick…I'm clearly out of ideas by this point – ha!

Can You Imagine a Day Without Shoes?

Everyone loves those summer days when you can run around barefoot in the grass and sand…but what if you had to be barefoot every day because you couldn’t afford the luxury of having shoes to wear?

Can you even imagine having to go ONE day without the comfort of shoes?

I can’t.

But if Blake Mycoskie (founder and CEO of TOMS Shoes) has his way everyone will be aware of what that feels like. In fact, today was his annual “One Day Without Shoes” event, which encourages people around the world to go the whole day without shoes in order to provoke conversation and support for a movement to provide this basic human right to those currently without.

And I actually participated in the campaign for most of the day…without even knowing it. You see I decided to work from home (to help recover my voice after losing it due to a recent cold), which meant I was in pajamas and bare feet most of the day.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t go the entire 24 hours because I had a dinner to go to tonight but I find Blake and his company so inspiring that I felt inspired to write about the event.

He truly is a rock star in the business and charity world and I have always been in awe of the generosity he has managed to deliver through his company in only five short years. In fact, a lot of people credit him with the concept of the “one to one” business model where a pair of shoes is donated for every single pair sold.

Which is all the more reason why I was so excited to finally get my first pair of TOMS shoes recently!

And I plan to keep buying!

I mean, you get inexpensive, comfortable and great looking shoes while at the same time helping out another in need…what’s not to love and support?

What color are your TOMS?

Wylie digs the gray/white color scheme

Side angle…I look like I’m ready to dig for clams!

They’re even cute from the back!

Giving Back can be Good Exercise

I’m not one of those people that volunteer a hundred hours a year or give thousands of dollars to charitable organizations…but I wish I were.

So I’m designing Live Love Life Now as my vehicle to giving back by always contributing a portion of the proceeds to those in need.

But I don’t want to wait till the business is up and running to start my philanthropy, so I’m starting to carve out more of my own time to volunteer.

This past Saturday, I signed up with Greater DC Cares to participate in their annual Servathon. Assigned to refinishing used and abused classroom furniture at a local YMCA, my donation to the cause was a little bit of elbow grease – and it felt great!