Giving Back And Getting Back | Milaap

Giving Back And Getting Back

Some people are under the impression that giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. While you could think of the entire deal that way, it's a little misleading. Ultimately, giving and receiving are the same side of the same coin, reflecting different lights. When you give to others, you receive so much. Sometimes what you get is hard to describe, but it is nevertheless true.

 

Generosity and Selfishness

Generosity and selfishness are traditionally seen as two very different things, but they have some surprising similarities between them. Being generous is being selfish, in a sense. When you give to someone else, you receive a good feeling that benefits you at least as much as the money would have. And when you "selfishly" guard every cent you have, you are in essence being generous to yourself.

Some belief systems advocate that everyone and everything in this world are connected in ways that we cannot always see or understand. But at some level, most people who are honest with themselves know that when one person benefits, everyone benefits. While the benefit may only be a positive feeling right now, good things tend to snowball in the same way bad ones can. As Christine Gibbs Philanthropist and activist for the underprivileged could tell you, doing good things tends to feed on itself until it becomes like an avalanche of good.

 

Giving and Receiving Joy

When you help someone to become better or feel better, your own betterment and well-being also tend to be accelerated. While the process is probably as complicated as string theory, ultimately the benefits of it can be felt by anyone. If you have ever watched a child's eyes light up when they received a gift that they have wanted for a long time, it most likely made you feel very good in a way that's hard to describe. This same feeling, only on a deeper level, tends to come from altruism.

This joy may not always be the "Christmas Morning Effect," complete with the letdown an hour after the gifts are opened. In a lot of cases, the joy an individual experiences by being helped is of a very long lasting variety that doesn't simply fade away.

 

Stepping Into Abundance

There are two ways to think about your life: scarcity and abundance. When you feel as if everything you really want is scarce, you will be hard pressed to get enough of it. However, the opposite is also true. When you feel abundant, such as when you know you can give to others and still have what you want, it's an incredible rush. In a sense, giving to others is giving to yourself tenfold. It's a very powerful feeling, and you might want to try it by giving without expectation or fear.

 

Natalie Bracco is a freelance writer and an amateur baker. When she's not busy in the kitchen, you can find her writing about technology, travel, food and finance. Follow her on Twitter @nataliebracco.