I love birthdays — I think of them as my own personal New Year’s Day, reflecting on where I’ve been in my last year and how I can make my next year better.
And my birthday always falls during Lent, which is a Christian season of reflection leading up to Easter. Though many people simplify Lent to giving something up, in my Catholic teachings growing up, it was more broadly about how you could make yourself a better person — maybe it’s something you do MORE, not just something you forego.
So today, on my 43rd birthday, I’m combining those two ideas to jump onto the Power of Five.
Back at my alma mater, University of Michigan, several faculty members are giving students $5 with the assignment to spend it in any way they like that makes the world a better place:

The #powerof5 involves giving $5 to students in targeted LSA classes and inviting them to use that $5 to create a culture of giving and engagement on campus. To this end, students themselves decide how to use the $5. They also are encouraged to go beyond the $5 to influence change: they are asked to explore whether five hellos or five thank yous can have a positive impact on campus. In this way, LSA students can take what they’re learning in class and apply it in creative ways to the real world, then explore the results.

It’s just five bucks. How much of a difference can you make with such a small amount?
Why don’t you find out? I will sponsor the first 10 people who tell me what they want to do or what they did to make positive change with $5.
Just comment below about your plans or about what you did and I’ll send you five dollars.
Here are a couple of stories from the Power of Five Tumblr:

I was buying my lunch today at oasis grill, someone handed me 10 bucks and the power of 5 flyer and wanted to buy me lunch. I read the flyer and then I asked: “It says 5 bucks, then what about the changes? ” He replied immediately:”Then you need to change.”

***

So at first I was kind of nervous to approach somebody and just buy them a drink or pay for their food or whatever. I had the envelope and the five dollars clutched in my hand in my pocket all day as I saw opportunities pass me by, whether it was at the UGLi, Beansters, or Ugos. Finally at the end of the day I decided I was just going to approach someone and ask if I could pay for their stuff. A girl was at the Blue Apple waiting on a smoothie and I approached her and asked if I could pay for it. She looked shocked as she asked, “Are you serious?” I just nodded and smiled and gave her the five dollars and Power of 5 card. I said have a nice day and walked away. I couldn’t stop smiling! The girl who I gave the money to seemed so pleased and it made me feel so happy! Since then I’ve noticed myself holding doors open for people, smiling at strangers, saying more please and thank you’s to my fellow wolverines. The Power of 5 is a great experiment, I encourage everyone to participate!

It’s not always easy. Last year, Amy Spooner blogged about feeling shy and self-conscious about generosity as she tried to give away bags of Goldfish crackers in honor of the Sandy Hook victims:

Fast-forward to July 19 — my 40th birthday and an embarrassing four months after I bought the crackers. I finally handed out the last two bags (to the two cashiers working at gas station in my town) and sighed with relief. Those crackers had ridden around with me for way too long, and they were haunting me. Along the way, each hand-off became harder because I was more convinced that I was going to get the proverbial door slammed in my face, and because it was tiring to make an effort to reach out to people. I did face a lot of rejection — some pleasant (almost apologetic), and some just plain rude. I looked for easy outs, like the toll-booth attendants on the Indiana Toll Road on the Fourth of July. And I despised myself for turning this simple act into something so laborious.

I respect that it takes bravery to approach a stranger and to make a real human connection to offer something of yourself.
Are you up to that challenge? Do you want to spread some kindness in the world?
Comment below and let me know how. I want to find 10 people willing to spread my money around to bring smiles to the world.