During the last few weeks I have been involved in some fundraising both at work and on a personal level for what I consider to be good causes.  I am always amazed at people’s kindness and sheer generosity and I started to wonder what makes people want to give their time and money.

There are many studies on the subject and they all agree on one thing and that is when we give our time or money it is good for our well-being and we feel much better about ourselves.  When we give we feel that we are helping others, we can’t change the world but by giving and contributing to what we feel is a good cause we feel that we are making a difference no matter how small.   By giving something back we also feel connected, that we have a purpose in life and are contributing to the world.  In turn, this has a positive effect and in some cases can even help tackle any anxieties we might have and boost our confidence.

So what are the motivations that make us want to give and make a difference?  Apart from the feel good factor, the reasons can range from anything that is very close to our hearts due to personal experience, our religious and spiritual beliefs, a particular cause or our personal values and ethics.

There are many ways to give and that doesn’t necessarily have to be by making monetary donations.  We can give and offer our time to someone in need, helping with shopping or walking a dog for a neighbour, maybe take part in a fundraising activity,  for example  a triathlon or a moonlight walk; or by offering our services to a committee of a charity.  There are also charities that will collect and take away our unwanted items, so by giving away something we no longer want someone else can benefit.  It is far better than throwing something away and helps recycle items.  There is already too much stuff that is thrown away in our disposable society.

Equally, when we volunteer our time and services there is also an opportunity for us to develop new skills which in turn can make us feel more connected especially to local communities.

There is a word called tithe  which means 1/10^th in Greek and Hebrew and there is a belief that people who “tithe” lead more abundant and prosperous lives.   There are also many wealthy people who choose to be ambassadors for charities or say they felt it was time to give something back so society.  It seems we all want to help at some deeper level.

Whatever our reasons for giving money or offering our services we should give happily and readily, the key of course is that we do not expect anything in return, but if by giving we feel good about ourselves and feel more connected then in my mind this can’t be a bad thing.

Winston Churchill once said:-
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”.

I would love to hear how you give or help in any way that you can and the impact it has made.

Wishing all my lovely readers a happy and love filled week full of generosity.