Thanksgiving is just one week away, which means Christmas will be here before we know it.

This time of year is hectic for busy professionals and entrepreneurs. In addition to the holiday parties, family gatherings, and gift shopping, there’s also the drive to finish the year strong.

You may need to spend more of your time on accounting, and you undoubtedly need to spend time planning and budgeting for the new year. There are projects to wrap up. And for many businesses, the holidays and new year bring special offers that increase workload across the board.

As important as all of that is, don’t let it get in the way of the other opportunity that presents itself, especially at this time of the year, and that is to serve – serve your community, serve those in need, and serve the change we seek in the world.

Serving others in the community and beyond is transformational in so many ways. Through service, you can strengthen your character, build valuable new skill sets, expand your network, establish new friendships, improve your self-esteem, and feel a deep sense of fulfillment and gratitude – the benefits are truly endless.

As Thanksgiving approaches, consider all that you have to be thankful for and challenge yourself to get into the spirit of giving back. Ask yourself: What practical steps can I take to serve others this year?

Tomorrow, Friday, November 22nd, I’m volunteering my time with a group of women entrepreneurs here in the Atlanta community. We are coming together in service to provide a beautiful Thanksgiving meal for the women and children living at a local shelter. We will serve dinner on fine linens, provide them with a feast of turkey and all the trimmings, and give the children a craft project to do. I don’t tell you about this event to get credit. Rather, it’s about serving and making our community a better place for all its residents.

Understandably, some business owners and sales professionals feel daunted by the prospect of undertaking a large, time-consuming service project. But don’t let these feelings prevent you from taking action. There is a plethora of meaningful ways you can step up to serve.

You can volunteer to distribute food at a local soup kitchen or spend time with someone who doesn’t get many visitors at a local nursing home. You can run a food drive or collect presents for sick children or struggling families.

In addition to volunteering your time, consider serving by donating your products or services. For example, if you have a graphic design business, consider designing the invitation for your favorite charity’s fundraising dinner. Or you could donate Christmas gifts to children in need or Thanksgiving dinner to a family that cannot afford it.

With a little creativity and soul searching, you can find or create an opportunity to serve that will be meaningful to you. And don’t forget about giving to charities at this time of year. Your monetary donations during the holiday season help support worthwhile causes year round.

One final thought: Remember that serving others also means being there for friends, family, neighbors, and those you interact with on a daily basis. If a friend has been struggling through a difficult illness or divorce, take them out for coffee. If a single parent you know badly needs some “me-time,” offer to babysit one evening. Smile at the woman bagging your groceries. And recognize your employees for a job well done.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I encourage all of my clients to get involved in serving their communities. I have seen the innumerable personal, social, and professional benefits of serving others firsthand. Many skills developed through service have been useful as my clients work to raise revenue and build a legacy business.

I’ll sign off with this powerful quote: “The measure of a man’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves.” –Pastor John C. Hagee

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

Want to use this article? Please feel free to use this content as long as you keep it in its original format and include a link to the original post and Celeste Giordano’s brief bio.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.