Giveaway: Start Something That Matters

Let me back up.

I saw this article and thought...wait...I blog, I write about TOMS all the time. Maybe they would let me do this!

The premise is this. In order to get the word out about his new book, Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes, offered a giveaway of his own.

Books for Bloggers. Tell TOMS why your blog would be a good one to feature a giveaway. If you win, TOMS would send you not one, but TWO free copies of "Start Something That Matters." You read one, review it on amazon and your blog, and then giveaway the other.

Well friends, almost six months later, here we are.

Between my December and moving I've just now had time to finish the book. And what a book friends, what a book.

Let me start by saying this. It was not from lack of inspiration that it took me so long to finish this book. Anyone that knows me, knows I fly through books. But there are those, those books that especially challenge how I think and what I believe, that take me a little longer. These are the books that stay on my shelf. These are the books I re-read to suck every last bit of goodness out of. And this is one of those books.

Every time I picked it up, I came away feeling inspired to impliment little changes in my life. To start thinking of creative ways to help people, making plans for my future, trying to find ways to incorporate the things I love (Africa) with the things that I'm good at (uh...giggling? this part is a little harder).

You cannot read about Blake's journey, about the laughs AND the trials, without feeling something. Inspired yes. But I also found myself challenged. Challenged to look and see where giving was lacking in my life. It's a hard look. I'm still looking.

The book is written almost like a business model. He goes through specific componant of his business, showing people the ways that he's succeded and even some of the mistakes he's made. I laughed. Outloud. A lot. Much to my embaressment in public places. Stories of Norstroms calling and offices based out of apartments.

But there were heart wrenching stories as well. I still remember reading about the first shoe drop. I was sitting in bed with my mom, and I woke her up, cause I had to read her this one specific spot:

"The kids, anticipating a new pair - or their first pair - of shoes were so eager for our arrival that they would start clapping with joy when they spotted the bus rolling into town. I broken down in tears many times. Oh my God, I thought, this is actually working."

It was this, this connection I felt to someone I didn't know, that caused me to keep reading. I thought of all the times in Africa I experienced the same joy. His vulnerability and total willingness to bare his soul for the purpose of inspiring people, is what kept me reading. The business advice was sound, and just about anyone can find something good in it, but this was my connection to the book.

And now for the giveaway. In the past I've done giveaways that require following and twittering and all of that.

But this isn't about getting publicity to my blog. This is about giving people the gift I was given. If you want to enter, just tell me. Comment on facebook, comment on this blog, call me, text me...whatever.

On April 10, 2012, on TOMS annual One Day Without Shoes, I will announce the winner. The winner will be decided by simply putting all the names in a hat and drawing one. I'll ship the book to you the next day.

Spread the word. Buy some TOMS. Start something that matters.