Would you call yourself a generous person?
Most of us would say “yes” without thinking. We show up for our friends. We donate to causes we care about. We run food drives and fundraisers at our children’s schools. We hold the door, we pick up the check sometimes, we’re there when someone needs us. When there is an ask, we answer generously. Of course.
But what about when there’s no ask? Do you wake up with an intention to give or do you move through the day giving when an opportunity arrives? Now, I’m not suggesting that one form of generosity is better than the other. Positive acts of sharing and kindness bring Light no matter how small. What I’m inviting you to explore is the consciousness behind the giving…
The story of Noah gives us a perfect example. Noah spent an entire year in the ark caring for every living creature on board, around the clock. The kabbalists teach that the ark wasn’t there just to keep Noah alive. It was there to transform him into someone who gives without pause. Generations later, Abraham would hear the story of Noah and would be inspired by that level of sharing, to give without any pause. He changed his life so that he’d have to share every single day and this is an example that we all can follow.
You Are the Seed
Think about the earth and a seed. Whether it’s an oak tree, a strawberry plant, or a rose bush, between the earth and that seed, they hold the potential for what will grow. However, planting the seed in the earth isn’t quite enough, is it? It needs the rain.
The world is built on sharing, giving, and supporting. From global trade agreements, to volunteer firefighters, tax dollars that fund schools to donations that fund medical research. This is true in our personal worlds as well: your relationships, your work, your health, your dreams, even your hobbies. Each of these things, both collectively and personally, began as a seed of inspiration and potential. However, unless the idea is shared, unless the work is shared, unless the kindness is shared the seed, never sprouts.
Sharing is the rain that nurtures the potential of the seed.
Sharing and giving are more than just tools in a toolkit. They aren’t things we check off of a to-do list, either. Again, I’m not saying that your acts of sharing are less than, in any way. Any act of sharing—being kind to a stranger, giving just past your comfort zone, pausing instead of reacting—brings Light. But when we think of sharing as a force that makes everything grow, we can see the difference. You can do all the inner work in the world, and it’s beautiful work, but without sharing, the potential remains potential.
And just as it is in nature: a little rain means a little growth. A lot of rain means a lot of growth.
Giving Isn’t Just Material
So we’ve talked a lot about sharing, giving, practicing radical generosity and when this topic arises we are quick to visualize material or tangible giving. But giving is so much more than that. Here are a few examples of what it looks like to give that have nothing to do with money:
A friend of yours has just received a scary diagnosis. Instead of texting a few times you send a text expressing support and then set a reminder in your phone to check in again once a week, reminding them you’re there even after others have fallen off.
In addition to tipping your barista well, you learn their name, what school they’re attending or what their kids’ names are, and you ask how they are every time you see them.
When listening to a friend, your partner, a coworker, or your child you set your phone down, you turn away from your computer or your task, and you give them your undivided attention while they’re sharing with you.
You’re probably sensing a theme here. The giving isn’t found in the action itself, it’s found in the consciousness of the giver. It’s an intention to give and to nurture someone else just for the sake of sharing. There are a few ways you can start:
Look honestly at your week. Look at the week ahead and imagine ways that you can start giving at this level. Don’t stress yourself out about it, though. That’s the antithesis of sharing. Just find small pockets of time to dedicate to giving.
Make it non-optional. Choose a commitment someone else is counting on: a weekly call with someone in your life who is struggling, a regular volunteer shift, 15 minutes each day to meaningful check in with your child or a family member. Once someone’s counting on you, you’ll show up even on the days you don’t feel like it.
Add Yourself to the List. Sometimes, the person most in need of our generosity, kindness, and support… is ourselves. No one can give from an empty cup and while giving beyond our comfort zone is the practice, overgiving can be just as detrimental as not giving at all. So do something kind for yourself each week, too.
Being a good person doesn’t always mean being a giving person. You can meditate, read all the right books, smile at strangers, and tithe in countless ways without ever seeing the seeds of your potential grow. Let your goals, desires, and dreams begin from an intention to intensely give and watch as your life, and the lives of everyone around you, become magnificent.