How can and will you demonstrate a generous spirit over the coming months? Here are a few generosity-related posts you may have missed.
“To have what you want, don’t want it—give it.”
“Ideas, bread, and books are all the same. They’re better when they are shared.”
Image from Unsplash by Dayne Topkin
There is no question that the world is a dizzying place these days. What has recently changed in your personal and professional communities that has turned your life upside down?
To help you stabilize your world and regain some footing, many folks are bringing new levels of empathy, compassion, and generosity to those around them. What good turns are you observing these days in your various communities?
How and in what ways can you both acknowledge and actively participate in these efforts to realize a more level-headed world?
Please reply to this post with some examples of the good turns you are seeing and doing to regain your footing.
Image from DrSeuss..com
Two popular holiday stories we all know quite well are A Christmas Carol, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Both stories portray their main character as selfish and self-centered, focusing only on what’s in it for themselves.
As Adam Grant demonstrates in his well-researched book, Give and Take, these characters are definitely takers. They may win in some situations, but lose in the long run.
Where and with whom can you generously share your ideas, bread, and books, to have the happiest of holidays and a more richly rewarding new year?
Image from Unsplash by Kate Townsend
How often do you go out to eat? How often are your restaurant meals served by a waitperson?
What is your normal tip percentage for OK, good, or exceptional service?
In our early dating years, my wife Wendy was a waitress at a Friendly Restaurant outside of Philadelphia. Given this experience, she has always had a special place in her heart for kindhearted and caring servers who bring their authentic selves to their role, to make our dining experience special.
During our 40th anniversary dinner, she shared the story of a young waiter who really impressed her with his authenticity and character. Beyond her usual substantial tip, she handed him an extra 25 dollars to more fully acknowledge her delight in his service. This brought on a flood of tear from the young man.
Where might your current and future small charitable acts be even more precious to others than you realize? Where might an even more generous heart make a significant difference in your world today?
Life is complicated.
Or is it?
It seems the rules of the game are as long and laborious as the new tax code or other governmental regulations.
Far too often, we find our heads spinning and our spirits crushed by the overwhelming effort to sort through the complexities.
Who doesn’t crave far greater peace of mind, simplicity, and tranquility in our rat-race world?
Consider the five fundamental touch points in today’s quote as guides to inform your daily efforts to lead a far happier and satisfying life.
What would be possible if we all did this, and left the rest to the powers above?
Image from Flickr by Stewardship-TransformingGenerosity
Mainstream and social media are having a field day given the domestic and international conflicts that abound.
Confrontation is at epidemic levels, with no end in sight. It is clear that whatever we resist persists, and seems to be getting even worse.
Instead of retaliation and fighting fire with fire, what if we all consistently demonstrated only the most honorable, ethical, and moral character traits in all our personal and professional interactions?
Where and with whom would setting a good example improve your situation and perhaps improve the conduct of everyone concerned?
How generous are you? How has the generosity of others made a difference? Here are a few generosity-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full message.
“To have what you want, don’t want it—give it.”
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Image from Flickr by Alvanman
A dozen years ago The Secret was all the rage. Wherever you looked in bookstores, on the internet, and on Oprah, everyone wanted to master the secret to a happier life. Many also referred to it as the Law of Attraction, which is inherent in phrases like, “what you think about comes about.”
Today’s quote puts a bit of spin on this idea in that it suggests we simply need to give what we want to get.
Consider this list of the things most people want, and perhaps add a few of your own:
| Love | Respect | Praise | Trust |
| Loyalty | Joy | Happiness | Pleasure |
| Wealth | Adventure | Achievement | Acknowledgement |
| Health | Peace | Friendship | Encouragement |
How and where can you get far more of what you want by generously giving it to others? With whom could you begin this practice today?
Image from blog.bcwinstitute.org
We’ve all heard statements such as “givers gain,” and “shift your life from success to significance.”
But how do we do it?
Today’s quote challenges us to lose ourselves in a good way, to find our flow and purpose, what we might call our true north.
When I ‘give,’ I grow and feel I’m living a more expansive and true life. When I ‘get,’ I feel good too, but it’s not the same experience or at the same level.
Where and how can you serve others so that you both lose and find yourself in the experience?
What percent of your life do you spend engaged in work? For the sake of today’s quote, I’m going to define work as our vocation, or the way we earn a living.
For the person working Monday through Friday, a minimum of 8 hours a day (who does that these days?) work represents approximately one fourth of our life. If the song lyrics from the Beatles tune are true, and all you need is love, or the old song love makes the world go round, then perhaps Desai is really on to something.
How can you view your daily work efforts as an act of love, contribution and generosity, instead of something to get through on the way to your weekend?