Giving is powerful. So much so I believe it kick starts wealth that last generations.
On the flip side of that: being stingy has the exact opposite effect.
By giving I mean everything that is worth giving: be it time, resources, knowledge or skills… all these are gifts. And gifts that don’t carry the “now-you-owe-me” tag.
There’s something incredibly fulfilling about giving. And there’s something so heart filling about meeting a real need that makes life so wonderful and beautiful. It is an honour to give and a wise person grabs the opportunity as though it were gold because in essence it is.
I’ve observed the pattern of people who try to amass stuff for themselves. They never win. And by win I don’t mean they don’t have anything to show for their stinginess – sometimes they do. But every now and then life is such that it shows you what’s truly happening behind the scenes.
Joy is a very good indicator of whether someone is successful or well on their way to success.
So before you stomp feet and say “look that person’s stingy and they’ve got…!” check their joy barometer. How joyful are they?
They may have the big corner office – you know the one with the stunning view and lush furniture – if they are not sharing their knowledge and other valuable skills you may notice that this person may constantly be looking over their shoulder – jealous of other colleagues and every new arrival they feel may threaten their position…
A giving person is not bothered by competition because they live from a place that says “there’s more.”
There’s more money, more promotions, more business, more friends, more great connections, more wonderful projects, more, more, more.
For giving people there’s always more. For stingy people, though, no matter how well they do or how much they have it’s never ever enough.
If you’ve learned the lesson of giving and sharing and see these bearing fruit in your life please share these valuable gems with others. Generosity is liberating and precious beyond what I can fully explain there.
A word of caution: be discerning in your giving.
I know in my own life there have been times when giving has become a burden I’ve come to loathe. This happens when giving becomes a chore. And usually this chore has been to meet frivolous wishes of others and not real needs.
Be careful of people who use you as an ATM.
When you’re generous it’s almost guaranteed that there will be some who will grab the opportunity to abuse your desire to give. Be prudent.
Giving that leaves you feeling used and abused is not fulfilling its draining. Guard yourself against this.
Give in love. Give for the sole purpose of giving.
I dare guarantee that when you give from a genuine place your joy barometer will go off the charts.