7 Ways To Get In The Habit Of Giving A Little Each Month

Giving doesn't have to mean you give your money -- it could also just be giving your time, effort, attention and heart.

Giving doesn't have to cost a thing or be a huge commitment. And in return, the act of giving can give you the greatest satisfaction possible --making an impact on someone else's life.

It doesn't have to be a lot, but even giving just a little when you can will both make you happier and do some good for the world.

So how can one get in the habit of giving a little each month? Well, it's actually pretty simple:

Research a few organizations and pick one you most connect with.

Are you all about feminism and standing up for women's rights? The United Nations Women's Council and several other non-profit organizations, like the Global Fund For Women, are designed to empower women and make the future female.

You don't have to purchase anything to get involved. All you have to go is go online, subscribe and spread the word. By bringing attention to these organizations, you help start a conversation about their mission.

Or maybe you're more interested in education. Consider getting involved with Michelle Obama's LetGirlsLearn initiative to bring attention to the 62 million girls around the world who don't have the opportunity for education.

By giving energy to the cause, you educate others about the issues. Addressing the fact there is a problem is the first step to fighting it.

Send an online card to children in hospitals.

Hospitals such as the Los Angeles Children's Hospital send cards with personalized messages to children.

It's an easy way to brighten a kid's day.

You can send a card for each holiday like Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas. And sometimes, there's financial incentive, too. For example, Delta Airlines teamed up with LA Children's Hospital and for every e-card submitted online, Delta donated $1 to the hospital.

The cards are then hand-delivered to each child making the gift more personal.

And this is just one of many events hospitals hold for their patients -- research your local hospital and see what ways you can bring joy to the lives of the patients.

Participate in #GivingTuesday.

#GivingTuesday suggests you "help others through the gift of your time, donations, goods or your voice.”

Giving Tuesday also helps by providing a directory for people to get out into the community and find events and organizations to work with and help make a difference. According to their website,

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.

Every Tuesday, people across the world use social media to bring attention to a valuable cause and organization. This is an easy and effective way to bring a light to the causes you care deeply about.

Volunteer at a homeless shelter or rescue shelter.

Whether you want to create hygiene packets with your co-workers to give out on the streets of Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles or you want to volunteer on Christmas to feed the homeless, you can easily give your time to those less fortunate.

Get involved in your community and donate to food drives or toy drives. You can also be part of “coat drives” and donate your old coats. They're then redistributed to people in need.

Start a fundraiser.

Websites like www.GoFundMe.Com are an excellent resource to use to start giving. For example, you can register to run a half-marathon or a full-marathon if you're feeling up for it and donate to the charity of your choice.

This way, everybody wins. You're losing carbs, exercising and increasing those endorphins, while making a difference to a charity of your choice.

Of course, if you're not up for running miles, there's other ideas you can use to raise money on the site.

Help with parades and light festivals.

Now that the holidays are on the way, you'll most likely see your community using decorations and lights to bring the holiday spirit to the residents.

If you've got an area with parades and floats coming up, you can volunteer to decorate the floats or volunteer to set up the event to make a difference locally.

It doesn't take much but a few hours of your time. It's a fun and festive experience for all!

Give your love, kindness and care to the universe.

Your duty as a human being is to care for other beings. It's not hard to be kind to others. This is a simple task one should do every day.

One act of kindness, whether it's a smile while walking down the street,  lifting up a colleague in time of need or holding the door open can make someone's day a little bit better.

You can do most of these activities with just the click of a button. You can also choose to do a physical project when you can, and in the meantime, embark on social media activities until you're able to properly donate the time.

As long as you're spreading goodness and kindness in the world, that's what matters.

In order to get into the habit, you have to try. If you do that and see the rewards of making a difference, you will do it again and again. Habits become a way of living, and the habit of giving is no exception.