Do you GIVE? Or do you LEND?

  Written by Pamela Glowski on Sep 26, 2008 7:32 am

Read More: Personal Development

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As I was preparing for today's conference call, I was thinking about "GIVING".

There are so many things to give...time, money, forgiveness, the benefit of the doubt.

And then I started to think about HOW and WHY people give.

Have you ever met anyone or know anyone that if they give something...there always seems to be strings or a debt owed?  Well if that is how one gives, that really isn't giving...that's a loan.

Loans come with stipulations and conditions.  But true giving is when whatever we have to give is let go of once it is passed to the other person(s), group, organization, etc.

Sometimes when people give it's because they think it will change their image..."I'll give so I look good".  You always know who these people are because they want you, or other outside parties, to know that they have given something...there may be a lot of grand standing around the gift...or the price tag is wide out in the open. 

This type of giving wouldn't be considering giving or loaning...this would be considered BUYING...and buying is not a gift.  When we exchange one thing to get something else..that makes it a transaction!

Another way of "Buying" is when we see someone who gives something, but then the receiver is required to do something to acknowledge the gift.  You know...the people who give a sweater, but then lose it if they don't see you wearing it the next time you get together.  The people who give a wedding gift and the thank you card doesn't come fast enough.  Buying acknowledgment or recognition is not a GIFT.

In these examples above you will see that there is some type of self-serving motive...true giving is completely selfless.

When one has a true service or giving heart...there is no expectation for anything in return.  They have the receiver's best interest at heart instead of their own.  This is different than the concept of "Paying it Forward" because that would imply there was a debt that is then owed, but instead of paying it to the giver, we pay it to someone else.  And we should decide to give not because we feel that we owe...but because we truly want to do something for someone!

So as we go through the day today...first of all...

UNLEASH YOUR GIVING HEART...do something for someone else just because you can.  Help someone learn a skill, make a donation, give your neighbor a hand.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE NETWORK without the intention of doing it to create leads!  Just do it to benefit others.

You will find that as you start living with a true service heart, an unselfish heart, a generous heart...your fulfillment and happiness will be 10 fold!

Let's start a list here of ways to give...or what you think is important about giving!

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