It is Giving Tuesday! After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, what a relief to dedicate a day to Giving!
...a simple idea where you find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Imagine making the world a better place through a simple act!
In this context, I remember Nido Qubein's latest book, Uncommon Sense:Ten Principles to Transform your Work and Life, where he encourages readers to take a creative look at things often taken for granted. In one of the chapters titled A Zero-Sum Equation, he talks about how true generosity involves giving, not just giving back. What he's implying is - when you give, give without expectations of being repaid.
That is absolutely in sync with what my Grandmother always said. I remember I would constantly argue with her - and she'd calmly say - it is the giving that matters. The Universe takes care of the reciprocation part. She'd impress that it did not matter from where the "returns" came. Giving without expectation is the only way.
Real generosity is giving, not giving back. Without expecting repayment.
Nido calls "giving back" the zero-sum equation - when we give back what we get, it doesn't make the world a better place than it was before we received. That is why true giving is when the world improves as a result of our giving. It is better off than it was before simply because we are here. We give because there is a need we can fill and we want to fill it.
"Always give without remembering. Always receive without forgetting,"
What a beautiful idea!
Giving brings the giver more rewards than giving back does. The best reward is when we give not because we have to, or because someone asks us to, not because we owe it, but out of hearts filled with gratitude.
When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we are naturally more positive, generous and innovative. We're more approachable and are poised to be more successful.
I'd like to think that unconditional giving - true giving - is quite like parenting. As parents, we do not love our children because they love us. We just love them...that's it...even if they drive us crazy.
The best part? We don't need to be rich to be generous givers. There are so many ways we can give without spending a fortune!
We can...
- Give someone an extra bit of encouragement
- Give a smile
- Give a small gift
- Give flowers
- Give a hug
- Write an email appreciating coworkers
- Offer services for free
- Promote a fellow blogger
- Give a smile
- Give books
- Give a prayer
- Give thanks
- Give time
- Give a compliment
- Create a fund and donate it
- Give blood, save lives
- Mentor / coach someone
- And so on and so forth.
While giving back is good, just giving is better!
I celebrated Giving Tuesday today by pledging to give away ten things - and did. The recipients were the workers around our building, including our security guys, the mail woman and garbage collector who work hard to make our lives better.
- 2 double bedsheets and pillows
- 2 packets of biscuits and other eats
- 2 coconuts
- 2 sets of clothes
- 2 bottles of juice
- A set of books
- A nonstick pan and last month's newspapers to the newspaper collector
- 6 big containers
- A bag of spare utensils
- A box of toys
Yes, I have a box filling up for my favorite welfare home, too. Long ago, we started the habit of a giveaway trunk, where we keep adding things. Every time we step out, we grab something from it to give away.
I plan to make every Tuesday Giving Tuesday. Would you like to join me? Details are here.
Let's change the world. Together!
