You might imagine being generous is simple. But healthy generosity involves giving individuals what they need with an open heart. Also, it’s not about giving up your needs to make people happy. Therefore, before you can practice the art of generosity successfully, it helps to understand what it means to be generous.
Understanding generosity
Many people are generous in unhealthy ways. For example, they give because they want something in return, or they do so begrudgingly. While there’s nothing wrong with exchanging one act of giving for another, such largesse is a trade-off, much like selling and buying in a marketplace. It’s not the same as true generosity, which involves giving without expecting anything in return.
Also, if you give reluctantly, you do so with a closed heart and suffer as a result. You secretly resent giving, and negativity depletes your energy. Being generous is about being bighearted and enjoying the process. When you are genuinely altruistic, you offer help freely, with no strings attached, and don’t feel giving is a burden.
Generosity comes in many forms. For instance, you might give somebody your time and attention, offer them shelter, share wisdom, or provide financial support. Or you could encourage them and help them thrive.
It’s essential to note the idea that generosity must always link with sacrifice is unhelpful. You need not be a martyr to assist others. Many individuals enjoy being generous.
It gives them a feel-good buzz while not denting their finances, vitality, or anything else they hold dear. Their ways of giving are healthy since they respect themselves and their needs, choosing not to damage themselves when they assist.
How to develop generosity
Generosity is as much a feeling as it is an action. Indeed, the two go hand-in-hand. But unfortunately, most people learn to give to others out of a sense of responsibility, which often engenders a less than generous approach and lacks empowering emotion.
For example, perhaps, during childhood, your parents taught you to write your relatives thank-you letters after they gave you birthday presents. But they didn’t explain the benefits of doing so, and you longed to play with your friends rather than put pen to paper.
As a result, you might not have understood the power of generosity and how your letters of thanks could boost people’s well-being. Instead, being benevolent felt like a chore rather than an empowering act.
Later in life, doubtless, you gave on many other occasions, too, when your heart wasn’t into it. Now, though, you can practice the true spirit of generosity and notice how different it is from helping people with a heavy heart. The following practices will help.
- Start with self-compassion
- Recognize when you are (or aren’t) generous
- Develop a sense of abundance
- See and hear with compassion
- Practice responding to other’s needs
Self-compassion
One of the ways to cultivate generosity is to be kind to yourself. When you recognize what self-compassion and giving freely to yourself feel like, benevolence for others will be second nature.
Get used to speaking about and to yourself kindly. For example, when you engage in critical self-talk, you can stop to make it more helpful and encouraging. And when you describe yourself to people, do so with the same air of generosity you would have when talking about a great friend.
Become aware of your needs and take steps to fulfill them. Unfortunately, needy people have less to give to others than those who adopt successful self-care. If you look after yourself, it will be easier to respond to people’s requests for help and be open to recognizing their unmet needs.
Explore your generous nature
Self-awareness can help you recognize how to increase generosity. So consider areas of life in which you have no problem being generous and those where you feel less benevolent.
For instance, you might be quick to offer a friend in need help but reluctant to assist strangers. Of course, there’s no correct or incorrect time to be helpful; sometimes, withholding giving might serve you best.
The idea isn’t to be critical and judge your actions. The point is to explore where you stand regarding assisting people and how generosity manifests in your life.
Abundance
Are you filled with a sense of abundance? Or does lack take center stage in your life? Whether you have a feeling of richness affects how willing and able you are to be generous.
Material prosperity isn’t critical to a healthy sense of wealth. Instead, it stems from the feeling of richness. You might gain inner abundance by recognizing how lucky you are to enjoy your blessings. Everything from a loving family to a beautiful garden can instill abundance in your heart.
To increase your sense of prosperity, recognize everything in your life that gives you joy and comfort. Deepen your appreciation for material blessings by observing them and using them.
For example, rather than leave a musical instrument in a cupboard, hang it on the wall where you can see it and take it down to play regularly. Handle and dust objects in your home and remember what it is about them that gives you pleasure.
Make a habit of mentally listing things you appreciate at a specific time of day, so you remember; before going to bed, for instance. Then you’ll be more open to being generous when you recognize your abundance.
Compassionate observance
Witnessing people, places, and events with compassion is a terrific practice to aid the cultivation of generosity. So, for about twenty minutes a day, see and hear with a generosity of spirit.
For example, when you note a stranger walking by, remind yourself they, like you, want to be happy but sometimes meet challenges that create suffering. Your heart will open to them as a result.
Likewise, you might listen well during conversations and give people your full attention. Try to hear the message that reveals their emotions and needs beneath their words.
Responding to needs
While you can’t respond to everybody’s needs in the world, you can intend to be generous when possible and practice giving. It’s easy to imagine you need not give to a stranger or even someone you know because you hope another person will do so. Perhaps they will. But then again, they might not.
So, when you realize someone’s in need, consider how you can help them. For example, if a person’s tired, can you carry out a task for them and let them rest?
If someone needs help to carry a heavy load, a warm coat, or attention, can you assist them? First, however, remember to give with an open heart rather than because you like to think of yourself as generous or know you will feel guilty if you don’t help them.
The act of wanting to cultivate generosity shows you are well on the way to doing so, as you must already have a kind and giving nature to entertain the idea. Follow the practices mentioned regularly, and your generous spirit is bound to expand.