NYC Thrive: Giving.

It had been a long, but very exciting day... And we arrived at our final pillar at the Thrive conference: Giving. 

Earlier in the conference, Adam Grant had mentioned that "Giving means getting more." That we should be Giving in bite-sized chunks every day.

So Giving is a huge part of "thriving" in life. And it's not just about what you give monetarily. For me, it's more about what you give energetically to the world. The compassion you share in small moments with a smile... A positive thought that you send... A minute where you listen to what someone is saying, and actually hear it.

The panel for this section of the conference included Charles Best (who created DoorsChoose.org), Kenneth Cole (the designer), Kelly Coffey (Deputy CEO of the U.S. Private Bank), and Camille Zora and Monica Yunis (who founded Sing for Hope, a charity).

Each talked about how they came up with their ideas for Giving in the world, which all seemed to stem from a place of, "this is what I do (my career or talent), and here's how I can help." A simple approach.

After the panel, Monica and Camille - both opera singers - sang for us a beautiful melody.

(I love opera. And now have seen THREE opera performances this month! One in Bordeaux... One in Venice... And now NYC.)

The final speaker at the conference was Brad Meltzer, the author.

His talk was about legacies.

"What's going to be in your obituary?" he asked us. What would be our legacy on the world?

He said that our impact on the world stems from many places... But the one that resonated with me most is the legacy we build by the things we do for others. How we help. How we share. How we listen. To me, it's those simple things that can inspire and have an impact on others.

"What do you want to be forever?" he asked.

After Brad, Arianna and Mika came back out, thanked us, and wished us well on our way.

I had a notebook filled with quotes and insights... A camera filled with shots... And a mind filled with an experience that was more than worth the ticket price I paid.

It was time to do my own Giving by sharing the experience.