The Value of Giving

The Value of Giving

In a world where the emphasis is always on taking it can be very hard to approach the idea of giving.

From a young age, children have it ingrained in them that they must take and this instinct has spread into the rest of the world. We live in a society where it seems like every man for himself. Companies and organizations are built around how much they can take and gain and most countries operate in the same way.

If you’re not always taking it may be thought you are losing and people get caught up in gaining and accumulating as much as they can. There is never enough you can take and people spend their lives trying to take anything they can whether it be your time or any resources they can get their hands on.

This is why there is so much value in giving and it seems so in conflict with this idea of taking.

Giving has a lot of value because not only are you helping improve someone’s life it also makes you feel good. This giving can take on many forms; it can be an easy thing such as financial giving that can help people. This may not feel like a pure form of giving but it’s important to remember that money isn’t always about greed. Money allows for freedom, experiences, and opportunity. When you give money, you give all these things.

There is also the giving of your time, and this might be the most valuable thing you can give. Time is money, as they say, and the fact you are giving up some of your valuable time can be such a great gift. It may be donating time to a YMCA program, soup kitchen, fundraising or coaching young kids but it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give.

The value of giving needs to start early. As was mentioned, the idea of giving doesn’t come naturally to a child. How often do you hear them shout “mine!” when it comes to any sort of possession? The earlier you can start in showing them the value in giving, the more impact that can have in allowing them to give to others as they grow.

Giving can start easily. Have children drop coins in a fountain, or share toys they no longer need with the less fortunate. This might not come naturally, so it helps to ease them into it. Children need to be guided when it comes to sharing.

For yourself, you may wonder how you can give and a good place to start is to identify the things that are important to you. Have you experienced sickness in the family? It might be of great value to you, and others, to donate your time to help fundraise for specific illnesses. You can volunteer at an animal shelter if you love animals and you will also get the reward of helping, and interacting, with appreciative pets.

If you’re wondering why giving is so important it’s because it allows you to think, and care about, others and not just yourself. When you care about others, it helps to expand your world view and lets you realise that you’re not the center of the universe. It can help to make you humble and also to help you grow as a person. Giving helps you to learn more about life and how to get the best out of yourself while helping others. It’s a great gift when you become selfless and think of how you can improve the world around you.

The value of giving also gives you more self-worth. Giving will make you happy and make you feel better about yourself. With this comes an improved sense of confidence which can carry over to other areas of your life. Giving helps to give you more of a positive outlook on the world and it lets you know yes, you can make a difference.

Even if it’s small, making a difference still creates a difference. And remember, what may seem small to you may feel like the entire world for the person you are giving to. It’s the small gestures that sometimes have the biggest impact on a person’s life, so don’t think there isn’t any action that may be too small.

Another big value in giving is that it makes you more empathetic. If you only focus on yourself it makes it hard to relate to people. When you give, you get more of a sense in what people are going through and what they need to be happy. This will make you a more warm and caring person as you will be able to put yourself into other people’s shoes and know what they are experiencing.

The value of giving gives you more value as a person. When you’ve been able to help and contribute to others, who are they going to look to and turn to when they need help? It will be you as you’ve become a superhero in their eyes and someone they can look up to and trust. The more you give the more you get back and giving is something that will always be beneficial.