Giving Feels Good

Well now that Thanksgiving is happening stateside, we are all facing into Black Friday, Cyber Monday, multi-purchase deals all wrapped up in glitter and bows.   The challenge is that the marketers make all the products look just so inviting that many of us, myself included, can struggle to manage the budget.

And yet it is wonderful to buy gifts for people and it becomes all the better when those gifts are well received and appreciated. However at this time of year many of us can come under pressure to give gifts because it is expected of us or because we know we will receive one and we want to keep things balanced.

And so it can happen that rather than the warm glow of giving we find ourselves feeling pressure and anxiety.   It is for this reason hat at this time of the year I like to re-prioritise random acts of kindness.

You see, when we engage in random acts of kindness, we have no expectation of getting anything back and this is a very different experience from the giving and receiving that happens with our family and friends at this time of year.  When we give just because the opportunity presents itself to give, it has a particular feel good factor.

However at this time of year we can all be just that little bit busier, we can find ourselves rushing and not really paying attention to those around us, and not recognize their needs and pressures.

And so my challenge to you this week, and to myself is to slow down, and be aware and as opportunities appear, engage in those random acts of kindness – It may be a simple as a warm smile for the person who just cannot seem to park, it may be an offer to help carry some bags to a car, it may be a hug and some kind words for someone having a bad day.

The key is to give without expecting anything back (avoid those phrases in your head like –it will come back to me!), it is about embracing the joy of giving for its own sake and you just might find as you move through this season that your feel good factor will just get more expansive!

Warm Wishes

Mary