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  THE ART OF GIVING

With the holiday season here, it is time for giving. However, giving goes much further than something you do around a certain time of year. For example, believe it or not, the art of giving can unlock true abundances in your life. On top of that, it feels good to help others and put a smile on their face.

Basically, giving is good for others as well as yourself. It’s a winning situation from all sides and something we could all stand to do just a little more.

Check out this article about the importance of giving from FINERMINDS.

Right now we’ve got some serious world issues on the agenda – financial meltdown, war, climate woes – which leads to a tendency to turn inwards. Crises put us in ‘me’ mode. It makes us feel scared, like there’s not enough of anything – money, jobs, security – to go around.

What kind of energy vibrations are we sending out into the world by doing this?

When we’re all thinking, acting and feeling selfishly, what do we get? We get less of everything. The universe mirrors us. One of the best ways to combat this urge to curl into an anxious ball and hoard all of our worldly possessions is to give. It’s that simple.

When you give something from your heart without expecting anything in return, you will unleash a powerful force into the universe that will positively boomerang back to you in incredible ways. You will usher in good vibrations and abundance into your life. Give unconditionally, without the expectation of rewards. Simply give because you’re happy doing it.

Even the act of giving has its own rewards. Studies show that those who give enjoy:
•Better health (enhanced immune system, lower cholesterol, stronger cardiovascular fitness, less chest pain)
•Increased life expectancy
•Less stress
•More friends
•Being able to find a romantic partner and meaningful jobs in a shorter amount of time

A study by me on RSS Volunteers reported that 50% of volunteers felt healthier as a result of the work they were doing. With one in five reporting that they had lost a significant amount of weight while doing volunteer work.

People generally believe that volunteering and donating money are wonderful ideas. But for the majority it stays at the idea level. They never do it. They put it off for later when they hopefully have a little more time and money.

The important part is to start giving now. It doesn’t matter how little. It’s about creating the habit of giving, which will serve you (and, most importantly, others!) for a lifetime.

Two Popular Ways to Give:

Donation

There are so many organizations out there that focus on critical issues – poverty, education, women’s rights, health issues, etc. – at the local, national and international level. Get on the Internet and start researching causes that mean something to you. Identify organizations that are aligned with your interests and goals and help them out financially. Many people say, “well, I don’t want to just give money.” They have the philosophy that instead of giving a person a fish to eat, they would rather give them a fishing pole and teach them how to fish, so they can eat for a lifetime. Completely understandable.

The great part is there are many organizations out there that do just these sorts of things – organizations that are very much focused on education, training and empowerment. By supporting these groups, you are essentially teaching a group ‘to fish’. Here are some websites to get you started: JustGive, Network for Good, Just Giving.

An alternative to a financial donation is to donate clothes or other material items that will benefit another person or group. It’s as easy as finding a local shelter and dropping off items from time to time. You can even mobilize your friends and family members to donate as well, which will help out even more. And perhaps you have your own business. Committing 10% of you profits to charities is a great way to give back.

Volunteering

Another important way to give is through service, giving some of your time to make things better or easier for another person, animal or even the environment.

Rajendra Shukla