How do I decide what to pay?
Think for a moment about an object that you have either bought or received as a gift that was unwanted or ended up being useless. Maybe it was an electronic gadget that quickly became obsolete or a decorative item that just sits there. Then begin to consider all of the energy and resources that went in to producing that object and getting it to you. The materials created and formed to make the different parts, the machines and people who put them together, the advertising and social pressures to buy, the money spent purchasing it, the packaging that was instantly thrown away, and the gas and electricity used to power every step of that process. What a waste.
The Idea of the Month Club is a new concept in gift giving. It is a way to show that you care without wasting materials and resources on useless products. Because it is a new model of gift giving it incoporates a new method of payment: Pay as you Wish. You get the same value out as you put in. If you put alot in, you will get alot out, and vice versa. Instead of gifting an object you are setting the intention to gift your time. That is the most precious gift you have, for yourself and others.
The IMC is set up so that you are inspired and reminded each month to spend your time on caring, sharing, or daring. There are tips for success in how to incorporate the Ideas into your life as well the energy that grows each time you experiment with an Idea. As you decide what to pay make it an amount that will give you the motivation to play with an Idea each month.
Confused? Here's some options: Put the first number that occured to you, even if you want to analyze it away. Or if you enjoy analyzing try considering this: “If I pay a dollar a month am I likely to do what comes in the Idea email or put it off? If I pay $3 a month, will I do it? What about if I pay ten?” Find the amount that feels motivating for you, then multiply it by 12 months and put that in the pay as you wish box. Your wish will be your command.
There are no memberships that are shorter than a year for you to “try out” and there are no refunds, this is the moment to embrace the club you join and start on a new adventure. Let yourself realize that money at it's root is simply a piece of paper or a number on a screen: at it's best money is a method of trading in potential. This is a moment for you to extend your potential toward those things that make life worth living: caring for yourself and the world around you, sharing your time and resources, and daring to explore new experiences.
The IMC loves to share!
A minimum of 10% of all proceeds from the IMC are circulated to other projects and people dedicated to actions based on caring, sharing, and daring. If the IMC collects a lot of numbers on the screen then that percentage will go higher. Every membership will help to support all sorts of different projects focused on creating community, respecting the Earth, and providing safety for our animal friends.
What exactly do I get when I join?
Upon joining a Club you will immediately receive an email containing suggestions about how to make the Idea Club experience work best for you. The introductory email will also include a decorative certificate that you can print out if you would like to present it to someone else. And there is a bonus Idea so that you can get started right away.
Each club has a specific date of the month that the Idea is emailed. For instance the Adventure Some Club is the 20th of each month. If you join the Adventure Some Club you will receive a new Idea emailed to you on the 20th day of every month for 12 months. Each email you receive is an assignment for you to go out and have an adventure. One week after the Idea is emailed you will receive another email as a gentle reminder about what that month's Idea was.
Those are the only emails you will ever receive from us. The IMC does not promote products, send coupons, or advertise to you in any way. We also do not connect with you through facebook or other similar sites because of the type of tracking that they do. Our main focus is on creating a safe container that prioritizes fun, is based on action, and focuses on caring, sharing and daring.
Can I give a club membersip to someone else?
There are a couple of ways to answer this question. Ideally, joining a club is something that you do for yourself and others as a gift. That gift may be for you alone (Self Care Club) or focused on sharing with someone else (Heart to Heart Club). Each club comes with a certificate that you are welcome to print up and present. You can say, “I joined the Heart to Heart Club because I love you and I found a new way to spend time together and listen to eachother.” As you can see this is a gift that you are giving OF yourself to another as well as to yourself. It's a win win situation. That is a very different thing than saying “I signed you up for the Heart to Heart Club, have fun, I hope you can find some people to talk to!” That probably doesn't work so well as a gift.
That being said, there are some clubs you can safely present to others, and not join yourself, such as Creatactivity or Joybringers. Just be prepared to lovingly accept whatever level of involvement your giftee chooses, including none at all. You are the one who invested money in the wish, they may not be as willing to invest their time. If that happens you can still feel satisfied knowing that you gave a great gift that cost very little and avoided wasting the Earth's resources!
If you decide you want to give a club membership to someone else, and not be in the club yourself, then go ahead and join the club using your email address. You will then receive the introductory email and certificate. You can then present the certificate or email to them in any way you like. If you choose to do this then send us an email at ideaofthemonthclub@gmail.com letting us know the email address of the person you are joining the club for and we will put them on the monthly Club mailing list. Because you are investing a payment for them we ask that you please send at least the minimum amount of $12.
Can I join two or more clubs?
You can join as many clubs as you feel inspired by, but before you do, really give it some thought. The point here is to feel inspired and motivated to enjoy an activity each month. Create a situation where you look forward to the email each month, not one where you think, uh-oh here's another thing I should be doing.
Also beware of tricking yourself by thinking something like “I paid $12 to join the Self Care club so I will go ahead and pay a dollar and join Creatactivity too.” This can be a way of devaluing your investment in the Ideas. You may find you don't have time for two Ideas a month, so you end up ignoring them both. Choose the club or clubs you are deeply interested in and ready to engage with. Then pay as you wish to create that reality for yourself.
