Since childhood, we are groomed to be on the receiving end, as this requires a minimum struggle to dwell. As a result, many lose the sense of giving and try to receive as much as possible either intentionally or unintentionally. They forget that the power of giving is enormous. Though selfishness and greed are all around, the only way to defeat them is to understand and promote the act of giving. Society sustains because there are always more givers and this is a fact.
REASONS TO PROMOTE THE ACT OF GIVING:
This will surely be the first question in mind when people are asked to be givers instead of the contrary. Why do I need to give?
There are many answers to this question, but it is better to stick with ones that are relatable on a personal level for everybody.
1 It will make you feel better.
It is an undeniable fact that giving always makes you feel better. There is no greater accomplishment you experience than helping someone who is genuinely in need. You even don’t have to attain great heights to be there, as a simple act of kindness goes a long way. Your words have the power to change a person’s mood, or shift their mindset and help them overcome their condition. Moreover, when you know you have given something to someone in need, you will witness fulfillment like never before. You have given solely intending to do a good deed that will impart joy and happiness.
2. Making a difference.
Your acts of kindness can certainly bring bliss and contentment to people’s lives. Maybe you are destined to be the knight in shining armor someone was waiting for and your acts can bring much-needed change to improve their situation. None of us can know what the other is going through unless we ask. And believe it or not, hearing someone out is one of the most priceless gifts we can bestow them with.
3. Helping is one of the greatest human virtues.
In life, we all strive for success. Sometimes while treading this path, we forget about our companions – who also need our attention and compassion. Helping others is a great reminder that we are not here just to think about ourselves. We need to support each other as well while moving ahead.
4. We are born-givers.
Every one of us is born with a purpose to serve – this is a common trait among us. Our placement in this world is to provide for those who aren’t blessed; what they need more than us. Don’t confuse it with giving material things. Compassion and empathy are also gifts. Smiling and hugging are also gifts, rather more precious than material gifts. There are many out there who are blessed with the best, but they ache for someone to hear them out. They desperately need that warm hug or welcoming smile in their lives. Sometimes this is all that it takes to make someone happy. Giving them our attention is more valuable than we can comprehend.
5. The more you give the more you get.
This is another approach when you consider a givers attitude and success. The more you give the more you get- don’t mingle this mantra with materialistic things as there are so many things which you can give without spending money. You will receive unconditional love from people whom you have helped, you will make new friends, and you will get acknowledgment for your deeds and thus improve as a person.
6. You make the world a better place.
As mentioned earlier, we are all here to serve a purpose. It is up to us to identify and fulfill the purpose. You have a chance to make the world a better place by your act of giving. There is a common maxim; what goes around comes around. So why not try to promote goodness by your act of giving.
THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN GIVE:
After getting answers to the initial question – here comes the next one; what can I give to be helpful?
Well, there is always something you can do or give. All you need is to identify the area of concern that will navigate your way towards achieving goodness by giving. There are many things you can begin with, but again, it’s good to check the relatable ones.
1. Time.
In today’s digital era, we are all short of time. No matter how organized we get, we remain a slave of the clock. It will be surprising for you that time is one of the most sacred gifts we are bestowed with.
How many times have you declined dinner with a friend just because you didn’t have time for it? We have all been there multiple times, haven’t we? Remember, giving someone part of your time is the best thing you can do for them. Setting time aside in a day just to be with someone who might need your advice, your company, or just wants to chit chat with you is something they will remember and this won’t cost you a dime.
2. Non-material things.
When we think of giving, an immediate thought which haunts us is that we have to share from our hard-earned wealth. None of us wants to depart from our cherished belongings as we have worked day and night to get them. That is not entirely the case. There is a long list of things that are not connected with our material wealth, but we can use them to help people out.
As mentioned earlier, giving our time to someone who needs us is the best way to help them. Another such thing is our unconditional love. It costs nothing too. All of us deserve to be loved, but unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with such company. Maybe there is a friend or a family member who needs that sprinkle of love to carry on with life. There are so many around us who need love and you can be the one who can bestow them with love and compassion.
While imparting your love and devotion remember that your ability to be a good listener can work wonders. Even if you are unable to solve their problems, at least hearing them out can lift the burden off their shoulders. Especially during the pandemic, when we are all restricted with following sop’s, the ability to be a listening ear has helped people who were battling with severe mental health issues. A decline in suicide cases was seen in areas where people were listened to with empathy and consideration.
3. Material things.
Another relatable aspect is that we have all faced financial restrain during this recent pandemic. Many have lost their jobs and are in search of economic assistance. If you are among the lucky few who hasn’t been hit by the pandemic, then go ahead and help those in need. This may be a small gesture on your part, but is of much importance for those who have no income stream to keep them going.
Many charitable foundations are in search of donors. It doesn’t matter in which good cause you decide to give your money. What matters is that you have done a great job by helping those in need, and who knows, one day they might be able to return this favor to someone else.
BENEFITS OF HELPING.
The idea of helping is not for the helper to receive something in return. That is not helping; rather it is doing someone a favor. Helping is when you do something and do not expect anything in return. Even though you have zero expectations out of your good deed, there are still many benefits that stem out from extending help towards others.
We all love to feel empowered and helping anyone in need helps us attain this feeling. The actual feeling of helping someone in need, by making that notable difference in their lives is magical. We are all capable to help; there is no doubt about that. By extending our help we are only adding meaning to our existence.
Helping can also induce happiness in other people and is there a greater reward than that? Seeing your family and friends happy is the utmost joy for us and knowing that their happiness is as close as giving a small part of ourselves is surreal. To know that you as an individual can bring a change – a positive one in someone’s life, to help them become more composed and dignified will help revolutionize your actions. Your mindset will shift from that of a taker to a giver, and you will love yourself for that transformation.
Your actions matter and they set an example.
Keeping our minute existence in mind, we think that whatever good or bad we do impacts only a small fraction of people around us. No, it doesn’t. Our actions, no matter how petty they may seem are as important as everything else. Whatever we choose to do, sane or insane, is witnessed by thousands, and in this age of social media, it can instantly get viral as well.
Imagine the case where you helped a homeless person on the street by buying them food, and someone took a picture of that and posted it online? There will be millions whom you will inspire by your giver’s attitude and you will set an example for them. At the end of the day helping others is also helping you.
We all live in a global community, and the better life quality we give to our community, the better it will be for us. This is something not many people pay heed to. They are too preoccupied with things that directly matter to them. Little do they know that if the person right next to them is unhappy, how can they experience joy?
As the famous actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger said,
“Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring to your own life.”
The recent pandemic along with the evident climate changes taught us that no matter how distant we are from one another, we all get affected in some way by the same things. This means that we are all connected in a way, so why not take the opportunity and spread the act of giving to one another since we learned that energy works like a domino effect.
GIVERS’ ATTITUDE IS ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE FOUR DIMENSIONS.
By choosing to be a giver you are allowing yourself to grow both emotionally and spiritually. Your perspective about life will change. You will have a solid understanding of the fact that having everything is not a blessing, but a suffering when people around you are struggling for their basics. In an emotional sense, you will experience sentiments that you have never felt before. We are accustomed to feeling fulfilled, but have you ever felt fulfilled from the reason that you have helped someone? That emotion cannot be compared to anything!
As mentioned earlier your perspectives will change, enabling you to comprehend things as you have never done before. Every morning when you wake up with the thought that yesterday you have made a difference in someone’s life will create an enormous balance between the four dimensions.
Being a giver means that you show love, compassion, friendship, and the whole arsenal of your emotions to someone. The four dimensions have been established based on the expression of your emotions rather than suppressing them. So, only good can come out of your giving and only positive things will start to appear. Remember that being a giver has no side effects.
We all need to strive for improvement in our lives and we all need to seek better and more fulfilling things. In that process, we shouldn’t forget that we are humans and we are meant to help each other too. It’s much more than giving away something – it’s about understanding others, their needs, and desires, and having the will to help. Even the smallest things can make a notable difference.
If you remember this and practice this daily, you can change the society you live in and you can make someone else change as well. There is a long road ahead before we as a species become givers rather than takers, but the route is worth taking.
