Generosity of Heart

“There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained by giving them to someone else.”  —Peyton Conway MarchWhat do you think of when you hear the word “generosity”? Generosity is often seen as giving time or money, but it is about so much more. It is about generosity of spirit and the intention with which we give to others. As adults, from time to time, we all act in less than generous ways—cutting people off in traffic or blaming the airline reservations clerk when the plane is late because of a thunderstorm. We later regret our behavior.Choosing to be generous, instead, can lighten, brighten and enhance your whole day. True generosity comes from the heart, willingly and bountifully, with no expectations for a particular personal reward in mind. Not only that, it’s FUN!Practice having fun by being generous. Give someone a break. Don’t bad mouth the next person who treats you with disregard or disrespect. Generosity of spirit means being open to another’s goodness instead of looking for what’s wrong.Do some good, completely anonymously. In fact, plan with others… create a sort of “generosity conspiracy” with your friends or your team. Share helpful ideas and information without being asked. Have an attitude of service to others.If you have money, spread it around—like fertilizer on a lawn, it will help others grow. It’s not so much about giving a lot, it’s about when you give. It’s about trusting another and investing in them.And, generosity is not just about being generous with others. It’s about being generous enough with yourself to open up and be contributed to by others…to accept what others have to give you…and have been wanting to give to you for some time now.Being generous is just plain smart. It’s always a win-win experience. What are you waiting for?“ Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the best anyway.”  —Mother Teresa