So you’re about to get totally bombarded by everything holiday – shopping, crafting, socializing, wish lists, gift guides etc. and this blog won’t be an exception but before we get too caught up in the holiday hoopla it’s nice to pause for a minute and think about giving. Not gift giving, like real life giving that will make a difference in someone else’s life. I know I’m guilty of getting caught up on the fast moving train of life and forget to think about what I’m contributing to my community. That’s why I was totally on board when asked to participate in Dare2Give.

It’s a fact – One the main reasons people give is because someone asked them. Well I’m not asking, I’m daring you to give! Who doesn’t like a good dare? The Dare2Give campaign is asking Canadians to give and then dare others to donate or volunteer with them to make a bigger impact and to make Canada an even better place.

Why I like this campaign so much is because it’s not all about money. Sure, donating money is a great way to give and I still encourage it but if you don’t have money to spare there are so many ways to give, whether it’s your time, talent, or just kindness by helping someone else. When it comes to local charities or small businesses, it makes sense for them to want to build their audience and accumulate local link building success to help their website grow. People who primarily give money to charity, do so because they want to contribute as much as possible, and one way for them is to give that type of money. They may do this because they are savvy with their finances, or they may have investments and stocks in certain areas such as Bitcoin, this can then in turn help with donating. For those who want to start this off themselves so they too can contribute in this way, they can take a look at a Bitcoin Trader review site to see if it suits them.

As for me, I decided to give my blood, sweat and tears. Ok, minus the sweat & tears, I don’t think anyone wants those. But I’ve been meaning to donate blood for ages and Canada’s blood bank is in need. They are like desperate vampires for your blood right now. I’ve been hearing some shocking stats recently about how much blood is needed to help accident or health patients and I keep thinking if that was me or someone I loved I would just assume that the resources are there to save them, but that may not be the case if people don’t keep donating.

Moreover, with heart disease cases soaring all over the world, it is so important that hospitals have access to adequate supplies of blood. One of my best friends is suffering from heart disease and has had to quit her job because of it. Not being able to work has taken a huge toll on her mental health, but it is her finances that have taken the biggest blow as she is the breadwinner of her family. Fortunately, she has private disability insurance and has been able to use her disability insurance payments to top up her income. However, there is no denying that living with a disability can be incredibly tough from a financial perspective. This is why it is so important that we plan for our own futures by taking out disability insurance for example, and also by giving back to our community wherever possible.

So I made an appointment through Canadian Blood Services and prepared to get the life sucked out of me.

Confession. This was my first time giving blood. I tried many times but got turned down for one reason or another (travel, sickness, dental work etc.) so this is the first time I made the cut. They treat you extra special when you’re a first timer.

I honestly didn’t realize it was such a production, I thought I would be in and out in 30 minutes. Give yourself at about 1-1.5 hours for the process. But then you get to chill out in these super comfy chairs. I want one in my house. The blood program here benefits from marketing strategies, for example, PracticeBloom has solid medical practice advertising and marketing programs when it comes to finding patients for medical practices, as well as raising awareness into public health concerns too.

Warning: turn away if blood makes you queasy. Obviously I don’t have an issue with it because here’s me holding my bag’o blood. Apparently I was super speedy. That blood is pumping fast in my veins.

Act of giving complete!

Now the whole point of this is spreading the giving by daring others to give. I’m accepting the giving challenge and daring 3 people to give. It can be anything, volunteering to help a neighbour, donating money to your favourite charity, helping at a school/drop-in centre/shelter, running an errand for someone who isn’t able, donating goods to a shelter, buying a warm meal for someone who can’t afford it, donating food to the food bank, babysitting for a working single mom, etc, etc. etc. So many ways to give, especially this time of year!

So you’re all witness to this dare, right here on the live interweb. I’m daring the following three friends to give:

Kerry – because she’s very passionate about what she stands behind and I know she can’t turn down a good dare.

Marissa – because she’s a natural born giver and always finds ways to surprise me with her acts of kindness.

Shannon – because she’s one of the kindest & uplifting people I know and it will be the perfect way for her to spread her kindness in the brand new city she just moved to.

Ladies, you’ve been challenged! Remember it can be any form of giving. I can’t wait to hear what you do.

If you’re feeling inspired to give, then I’ve done my job! If you’re not, excuse me, are you human? Well there’s even more motivation. Visit Dare2Give website or see below before December 14 and share your numbers of dares to win for your favourite charity including the grand prize of a television commercial. See, you’re still getting something out of it even when you’re giving. Win-win.

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Rideau Hall Foundation, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect Rideau Hall Foundation.