Give good, get good.

This week, I’ll meet Bo Jackson, Heisman trophy winner, All-Star athlete.

He is cycling 300 miles across Alabama—along with hundreds of people, from children to celebrities—in order to raise $1 million for the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund. Does anybody remember the devastation that happened a year ago, when multiple tornadoes ripped through Alabama and devastated thousands? It was on the news for about two days before moving onto other things. But thousands of people are still living in makeshift homes and tents. Many do not have the means to rebuild the life they had. In fact, over $1 billion is still needed for a full recovery.

Why am I involved? Because yoga has changed the way I think about generosity. I have learned to give without expectation. And I seek to remain mindful of the quality of my generosity. After all, isn’t it much harder to give away something you value versus something you don’t even like?

And the thing that we all value is time.

I figure that if Bo knows Karma Yoga (selfless service for others), then I can too. I believe in the power of the law of attraction: Positive energy attracts positive energy. Giving good creates more good in the world.

“True giving—radiant giving—comes from the same inner place as deep happiness. It’s having the self-esteem to feel that what we have to offer is valuable—our advice, wisdom, expertise, skills, physical labor. The manner in which we give these gifts is a reflection of who we are.” ~ Rick Foster and Greg Hicks, How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People

We can all practice Karma Yoga. Just ask yourself: Are you generous with offering kindness without any expectation of return? You see, we can keep waiting for the world to change or in the words of Gandhi, “we can be the change we want to see.” Bo Jackson has been a sports icon. Through it all, he has always helped those in need, especially children without fathers, because he never had a father figure in his life. Bo is someone who has continued to give back, and be the change. His generosity is contagious!

“If I can get a child who’s in pain—physically or mentally—to smile, if I can brighten his day, that’s better than hitting a home run, better than scoring a touchdown. That makes me feel like I’ve actually done something worthwhile.” ~Bo Jackson, Bo Knows Bo

Today in the midst of life’s busy-ness, let’s come together in union and open our hearts to all the ways that we can be more generous. Whether it’s with currency (monetary donations), or contributing your positive energy, your kind thoughts, your big heartedness and yes, even your time. Hey, for a mere $200, you can even cycle along with Bo! Remember it is as Earon Davis says, “It takes community to maintain a human.”