31 Hugs Challenge Conclusion and Giveaway!

I was browsing in a shop today, and when I walked past the lady at the counter she said ‘I like your shirt.’ I said a quick ‘thanks,’ but the incident didn’t leave my mind. I was in the middle of a busy shopping centre in the city and a stranger took the time to compliment me. It made me smile, and feel a little lighter. And then I realized I’d just received a hug. :)

The 31 Hugs Challenge was a challenge for me, but it was a blessing. There were times of discouragement, but God’s used it to teach me a few things:

 - Busyness leads to self-centredness. I have been busy with commitments and time pressures –they’re good things, but it’s all what I need to do. Having to stop and think how I could invest in someone else showed me how much I haven’t been doing that. My thought space has been filled up with myself, not others or God. 

- In giving, we often receive. There’s satisfaction in giving to others with no hope of return, both when I saw a happy surprised reaction, and when I didn’t get to see their response. But I found numerous times, when I took the time to give to someone, they gave it back to me. One word or action can start a cycle, a chain reaction. All it takes it one person to begin.

- Investing in others takes effort, but it’s do-able. I may tell myself I don’t have time, but that’s proven to be an excuse. It takes extra focus, but I can fit more giving into my days. I want to continue with this attitude, not pressuring myself ‘one hug every day,’ but cultivating a mindset of looking out for others and how I can brighten their day. 

- Complimenting gets easier with practice. I’m not an outgoing person (although my family may disagree), and it takes courage for me to say to someone’s face: you’re amazing, you look nice, you have great organisational skills, you’re my role model, etc. I think those things, but I get nervous when I say them. But it’s courage that I can develop. It’s a habit I can cultivate, and it will get easier. 

To conclude the challenge and say a massive thank-you for the blessing and inspiration you are to me, I made five key tags to give away! I’ve dubbed them ‘truth tags’ because I want the messages to remind you of the truth that you’re are loved and valuable, thought of and cared for. I wish I could make you all one. 

The giveaway is open worldwide, and closes seven days from now. If the winners don’t respond one week after I contact them, I will choose another winner. I will be sending one tag to five different winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 Also, huge thanks to each of you who filled out my feedback form. It’s given me helpful insight and direction, and also amazing encouragement. :) Thank you. If you haven’t filled it in yet, you can do so here. Your thoughts matter to me!

I’m eager to hear your 31 Hugs experiences! How did you find the challenge? What did you learn from it? Did anything stand out to you? Thanks for joining in this month of sharing hope with the world! You kept me going. :) Stay awesome, stay strong, friends!