Hello

We hope you've had an inspiring month so far.
Here at Buy1GIVE1 it's been precisely that every day in so many ways with so many new and exciting businesses coming on board sharing inspiring stories. And we've been lucky enough to take time with some great people - entrepreneurs, teachers, writers, public speakers and so on, who are influencing and inspiring other people's lives in a variety of ways.

And perhaps not surprisingly, there was something magically consistent in their messages and energy: their desire and passion to contribute and make a difference.

So that led me to ponder: "If there are so many people in the world already wanting to create a world full of giving and sharing, isn't it just a matter of connecting to make it a reality?"

And you'll see this theme of 'connecting and re-connecting' running through your newsletter this month. And here's an interesting thought too: connecting is also about letting go, just like the dandelion seeds with fluffy wings let go from the mother plant to re-connect with the earth - to become the full expression of the message they carry.
To become a part of the world in the most meaningful way, we all have to let go once - totally, not just a little. Life becomes simpler and more joyful after letting go to re-connect.

Imagine the world where we are all being open to each other's ideas, external circumstances and our own feelings. These are all part of the earth-the environment in which we don't just survive - we thrive.

Everyday, we absorb vital nutrition from the earth and receive abundant sunshine and rain to grow and flourish. After all, we are here to be part of the earth - to give back abundantly.

As always and in all ways, thank you for your participation in B1G1. We look forward to hearing more from you.

And again, thank you for the gift of you - being the beautiful flowers to give back to the world.

Masami Sato
Founder
Buy1GIVE1 - B1G1

Out of the Mouths
(or is it bottoms?) of Babes

By Paul Dunn

Reading this B1G1 newsletter impacts you in all sorts of ways - some of which we may not realise!

To illustrate, have you ever done this: you've bought a new car and every where you drive for the next 24 hours (if not for years thereafter!) you notice ALL of the cars that are the same model and/or make as your new one. And that didn't happen before you had your new car. Sounds familiar?

The Role of Your 'RAS'
What's happening is your brain's RAS - your Reticular Activation System - is literally kicking into gear to make you more aware of something. Experts tell us that without the RAS, our brains would have so much information coming into it, it would be challenging to handle it all. So think of your RAS as a filter that selects what you notice.

So, now you're reading about the Joy of Giving, your RAS is going to make you more aware of giving, both in you and in others.

So all of us on the B1G1 team just seem to notice more giving 'stuff' popping up. And it actually is too - there's a global shift to giving back without any doubt at all. And the giving is increasingly becoming Buy1GIVE1 focused.

Diapers Give Back
Take, for example, the beautiful example of a diaper or nappy manufacturer in the US. They have a wonderful commercial where you see a Caucasian American mum walking her new baby in a pram. And as she walks, a black African mother carrying a smiling baby passes by. The two mums acknowledge each other. Then moments later, an Indian woman carrying a smiling young baby passes by. More smiles, more acknowledgements.

And then the camera on the American mum pulls back to reveal a pack of the brand's diapers underneath the pram. And then up comes the message: "That's right, every time you buy our diapers, a child in need in a developing country gets life-saving vaccinations, thanks to you.

Pretty powerful isn't it? And a perfect example of Buy1GIVE1 in action. And if we actually all came 'together' to make the world full of Buy1GIVE1, wouldn't it be even more powerful?

Let us know what your RAS is noticing. It could be very interesting!


Life is an Open Secret

Zabrina A. Bakar is a wonderfully talented author and one of our latest B1G1 BUSINESS members. She's totally radiant and simply delightful to spend time with.

Zabrina took all of 3 seconds to make her Buy1GIVE1 giving happen. Zabrina got to know of Buy1GIVE1 just a few weeks before the launch of her second book. She always believed in giving back and has supported a number of charities in the past. However, encountering Buy1GIVE1 was a real eye-opener to a new world of giving for her. She even came up with the cause she wanted to support locally and suggested this cause to come on board with B1G1.

18 Secrets
Each of her Life is an Open Secret book series contains 18 secrets of life that enhance readers' self-confidence, positive actions and love for success in both material and spiritual lives. In her latest book, Life is an Open Secret - You, Me and We, Zabrina emphasises the importance of taking care of 'We-ness' to achieve success, wealth, tranquility and harmony in life.

"I am Muslim, you see, and many people have prejudice for Muslims these days. I write to communicate that we are all the same. We are all equally loving, giving and caring."

It's this 'togetherness' that more and more Buy1GIVE1 BUSINESS members are attracted to. Simply making a difference - together. Zabrina expresses the joy of sharing with her entire body, glowing like a sunflower.

Her new book now shows and shares this message :

Every copy of 'Life is an Open Secret' purchased,
feeds a child nutritious school meals for one week,
enhancing the joy of learning.

Just Asking!

Oh, and there is one more secret from her.

At the end of the interview, I asked her another simple question with pure curiosity, "How did you manage to attract all those corporate sponsors and media people to support you in the beginning?"

I couldn't resist this, as I was totally amazed to see how she achieved so much in just a year. But her answer was very simple to my surprise.

"I just asked!" she grinned.

Well, are there things we haven't done or haven't asked for just because we thought we would get a "No" answer? Maybe the biggest secret of life is about this attitude - believing in ourselves and others and the things we can achieve together.

We can also let go of limiting beliefs and start being the real gift to the world - living with 'The Open Secret' just like Zabrina does everyday.

Zabrina A. Bakar, known as Sis Zabrina www.wisdomthruwords.blogspot.com

Dr. John Demartini on the Joy of Giving

By Paul Dunn

Just recently, Masami and I had the opportunity to sit down over lunch with author, teacher and one of the stars of The Secret – Dr. John Demartini. And what a lunch it was!

The first time I met John was just 5 days after 9/11, the 16th of September 2001. I didn't realise until that day that we both lived in the same apartment building on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. And it's not surprising that I didn't know; even then John was doing 300 speeches a year. 'Home' for him then, as now, was essentially an airplane followed by a hotel, day after day after day.

The Last Flight Out
During our first meeting, I learned that John had left America heading for Sydney on one of the last flights out before the planes struck the Twin Towers in New York. It became clear during the flight that something had happened - rumours filled the plane. But it wasn't until John's plane landed that he realised the extent of what had occurred.

"We walked into the lounge at the airport that day and every one of us was hugged just because we were American. Everyone felt deeply for us."

But no one knew that John was heading for a speech in Perth just a few hours later - a speech that became a speech all about the blessings of 9/11. He delivered 101 of them; the positive things about 9/11.

Balance; the Way of the Universe
To John, there's no good or bad—there's simply a loving balance. Every 'negative' has a corresponding 'positive' to preserve that balance. That's the way the Universe was meant to be; that's the way the Universe is.

And after our lunch, I interviewed John on that very subject. It's a fascinating interview all around Joy and the Joy of Giving. You can watch it right now by clicking here.

It's an interview that gives you perfect clarity from one of the Master Teachers of our age. (www.drdemartini.com)

Small is BIG

By David Anttony

It seems more and more frequently these days we’re being asked, “So where did such a GREAT idea like Buy1GIVE1 come from?”.

Not too many people know that two very small, simple and significant events created the ‘seed’ of Buy1GIVE1 eight years ago.

It Begins with George Soros

The first event occurred after reading a biographical book by the multi-billionaire and philanthropist, George Soros. The book is called Soros on Soros: Staying Ahead of the Curve. In the book Soros tells how he used his personal funds to undermine the power-control-grip in Eastern Bloc Europe before the Berlin wall came down. He didn’t mount any major ‘resistance-attracting’ attacks. Instead, he simply donated photocopying machines to arts groups! He knew that the machines would be used to disseminate information that would allow the control-structures to dissolve naturally.

The essence of Soros’ idea inspired the question: “What if business could be used to dissolve the problems we face on this planet?”.

Overnight (literally) the vision that powered the first seven years of Buy1GIVE1’s journey was created.

And then Along Comes Mark Victor Hansen
The second ‘seed’ event that helped create Buy1GIVE1 was again inspired from a book, this time a book written by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen, called Cracking the Millionaire Code. The magical gem that was gleaned from this inspiring book was the concept of growing a business one-hundred-fold. This book is more a book of questions than answers. One of the great questions that it asks is, “What would you do to grow your business a hundred-fold?”.

Asking that question allowed the Buy1GIVE1 ‘seed’ to germinate and show itself. Within two weeks of asking, we met some very special business people. One of the people we met is now a key and inspirational member of our team. And within a year of that event, Buy1GIVE1 was born in Bali.

Full Circle
So what does that have to do with the title above—Small is BIG? That comes from the very last chapter of Masami Sato’s book, ONE. Her final chapter is numbered Zero. To find out why she numbered it Zero and called it ‘Small is Big’ you’ll just have to read it for yourself! It will be in hard-back print copy and will be hot off the press three weeks from now - but you can still download the e-book (which has been totally revised and rewritten—especially Chapter Zero) for free from b1g1.com.

We often forget that EVERYTHING comes from something small, and only when we let go, trust, imagine and share do we see the small becoming big. Yet inherent within every small idea is the potentiality of greatness if only we chose to see it and then share it. What we give grows. Choosing to give today is a choice for growth and expansion. It is a magical and simple choice.


When We Forget, the Story Still Continues

When something like a natural disaster happens, we talk about it a lot. The media reports the news with incredibly shocking or moving photographs and stories. The whole world starts taking action to support the ones in need. However, as the time passes, even though the story still continues, we forget. The media is no longer interested in it because there is other news they want to feature.

Afghanistan is a bit like that. And last week we interviewed the founder of an organisation called BRD (Bureau for Reconstruction and Development - www.brd.org.af) in Afghanistan. To prepare for the interview, I did a little research about the history of Afghanistan. And I saw this paragraph on one of the websites I was Googling. It said, “When you think of Afghanistan, imagine…”

“Where over 20 years of war totally crippled the economy and you must try to somehow survive day-by-day by scrounging enough food to feed your children. This is where people do not have the facilities to receive treatment at hospitals. Where, on average, men die at 40 years of age and women at 43. Where hundreds of thousands of people are maimed, disabled, or blind because of war and land mines. If you are blind or crippled, no one can help you because those that are not blind or crippled need help as well…”

A New Phase
"This was the situation when the war ended. However, has the situation changed dramatically since then?" I asked this question to the BRD founder, Khan Agha Dawoodzai who started this organisation just after the end of the war.

“In 2002, Afghanistan entered in a new phase, however, there were very few experts and skilled people in the country. People who returned from war desperately needed training to reconstruct and develop the country. The situation has not changed much since then. There has been a lot of foreign aid coming to Afghanistan. But the operation of those large organisations is not always the most effective in this area. Huge work has been done, but it was not very responsive to the real need of the people. The majority of people still live with less than a dollar a day.”

So how can we assist more effectively?

BRD, being a locally founded and run organisation, provides skills training to a variety of people (from women to entrepreneurs and street children) to support the long-term transformation.

Their project listing on the B1G1 site starts like this:

Wouldn’t it be cool to support a cause that creates a real long-term effect of independence and abundance? Take action today if you think this is a cause you resonate with. You can have a look at their full worthy cause list by clicking here.

Seeing is Believing

It is great to see more and more people joining Buy1GIVE1 everyday. And everyday there are moments that really take our breath away. We come across unbelievable outcomes we never even imagined when we started.

There was also this one moment this week that really got us all feeling deep gratitude.

Alex Teh runs a blind-installation business called Blinds Couture (www.blindscouture.com.au) which was featured in our April newsletter. We just found out about the contribution sent to the worthy cause partner for the last three months of Blinds-Couture trading.

We connected Alex’s business with a school lighting project with an interesting twist, “Blind to Light”. And the contribution report was “Installing electricity and light in ten rural schools”—in every single classroom! This immediately benefits over 2,000 children, providing them access to lighting! But even more than that, this will keep benefiting all the future students, each and every year. Imagine the difference it makes to the learning environment of the children who have been struggling to read in the dark!

But it is not only about the physical results being created. We actually just received a message from Alex yesterday that says everything about why we do what we do.

“I feel so privileged to be able to see this Magic happen. What made me realise is that with the comfort that the kids will experience, they will grow up with a better chance in life. I am so touched by the idea that maybe in the future some of these kids will be leaders in their respective fields and that I have had a chance in contributing a small way to them achieving their successes....I in fact broke down in tears the other night when sharing this thought with my wife.....this is an extremely emotional experience for me, and I definitely get IT now. Thank you for making all this happen.”

This is the gift of letting go—sharing the joy of giving, every second, every day and in every way.

Welcome to the world of Buy1GIVE1 - B1G1