“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ―Mother Teresa
Whenever the phrase “giving back” is mentioned, it connotes helping others who are in need. This traditional meaning is quite common as most cultures see helping others who are less fortunate as a noble and kind gesture. But giving back does not necessarily mean that the giver does not get anything in return. Helping or serving others has some pretty wonderful benefits for the one doing the giving.
It boosts health. In fact, it can help you live longer.
The body treats genuine generosity like a vitamin. It helps boosts not just your overall morale but also your immune system. Just as a frown causes you to use more facial muscles and create those unwanted wrinkles, giving can be likened to a smile. The action itself makes you feel better and lessens your despair, a negative emotion that causes your heart to work harder, increases your blood pressure, and stresses you out.
It connects you with others.
Everyone can give something. Whether you are a company, an employer, or an employee, no one can stop you from giving. In fact, through giving, you can meet like-minded persons that will help expand your network and help you make new friends and connections.
Volunteering is a popular and recommended way of giving back that not only allows you to help but also improves you skills and increases your knowledge. You can take what you learn from you volunteer activities and apply it in a professional setting. Many employers and companies appreciate a diverse skill set, thus increasing your job opportunities.
It transforms your outlook and inspires you to do better.
Before Global Office Works founder, Rodney Allen, decided to help Taw Kabui, an organization dedicated to helping children with special needs, he found out that it was founded after visiting a family who kept their son with Down Syndrome locked up in a cage. Heartbreaking, yes, but it was also life-changing.
Such stories and experiences inspire us to give back, help, and change not just the way we view our life but also how to live it. We begin to see others not just a people who need help but as special beings who can also bring love and happiness to those around them.
Every day, many of us try to find purpose, happiness, and wealth, and slowly we realize that the only way to gain something is by starting to give back because in giving we receive more than we can ever hope for.
