WEEK 1: Service

So, I was planning this whole "30 before 30 list" thing but I as I started to write it I realized I'm running low on days & there is just NO WAY I'd get them done. So I opted for a "Weekly Goal" for the weeks leading up to my birthday- all for personal betterment.

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GOAL: My first weekly goal was to do small acts of service for a week. Before my mom passed away Scott & I (really the whole family) did A LOT of service. Being a caretaker was a big part of my identity. I didn't realize how difficult it would be for me to loose that when I lost her.

I kept telling myself I needed these HUGE service projects to fill that void in my life, but life always got in the way. But I had this "really-obvious-to-everyone-else" epiphany a couple weeks ago. Service doesn't have to be huge. It can be small acts of kindness.

So, for WEEK 1 I made a list of small acts of service that I could do that didn't take a lot of time, ones that I could do over & over for different people, but also made a difference in someones day. It's not much, kind of pathetic really, but it CHANGED my mind set.

1. Making someone dinner- This is surprisingly easy. I just doubled up what we made for dinner, called someone I knew would appreciate it. I also try to keep disposable pans & other containers around so they don't have to worry about returning anything.

2. Helping strangers- You may not believe it from the blog, but in person I'm very shy. So offering help to strangers was hard but I was able to make a conscious decision to do simple stuff- helping out a busy mom, carrying someones tray, saying hello & thank you, & my personal favorite sincere compliments.

3. An encouraging email- We are all fighting a hard battle & a nice note of encouragement can help someone along. One of the ones this week was Rob's preschool teacher, heaven knows she battles everyday.

4. A thankful letter- I have so many people that I am thankful for in my life. Some I tell all the time how grateful I am for them, others I haven't really taken the time to thank- I focused on a couple of those this week.

5. Watching a neighbors kids- Quick, easy, & makes a huge difference to a mommy who needs a break.

6. Treats- Who the heck doesn't want treats? I really can't have treats hanging around the house but love to make them with the kiddos. So this week the kids & I made a batch of cookies & passed them around to friends & neighbors.

7. Writing letters to the less technologically savvy- I truly believe this is a lost art form & I try to keep up on "real" letters. Especially to older relatives who don't have the internet. I try to every once in a while print off some pictures & send a letter onto my grandmas who wouldn't otherwise see all the pictures on the blog.

CONCLUSION: It jump started my desire to incorporate more service in my life. It made the kids more conscious of service they could do for each other & it generally put me in a better mood each day. I'm excited to keep up with this in upcoming weeks. I'll let you know how that goes & if we think of anymore creative ways to serve!

Stay posted to hear about this weeks goal- it's been fun so far!