Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate social bonds. We’ve volunteered with dedicated teams in communities that welcomed the support, and learned that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That’s because connecting through helping others strengthens and enriches everyone.
Although the Millennials are often labeled as apathetic and lazy, that generation is interested in making social good a part of what they do. One example of what cause-oriented companies are capable of is Sevenly. They’ve They’ve built activism into their core appeal to customers and created a retail hybrid brand. Seven dollars from every purchase goes to a different charity each week. And if you don’t buy anything, you’re encouraged to share the cause’s story and ‘donate your social influence.’
Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. Albert Einstein
We don’t have to go too far if we want to reach out to others. Want to try on some ideas you can implement right now? You may want to schedule a regular lunch date with your folks or reconnect with an old friend who is ill. How about making eye contact with the homeless man you pass daily or serve dinner at a soup kitchen? You could share a smile with a stranger on the subway or let the harried mom ahead of you in the grocery line.
As Millennials continue to struggle their way out of a historic recession, they’re impacting people with real problems around the globe. Why not be grateful for the life you have and practice giving back?
