I am a firm believer and follower of the law of reciprocity. Without even knowing this law was a law, I have been living my life where giving has been a natural part of my expression. I have always had this natural and instinctive willingness to give, contribute and trade energy and resources to support the growth, success, and happiness of others. I strongly believe that reciprocated love and emotional contribution are behavioral investments that sustain all relationships. Not only does it build trust, it also awakens that generous part of you that is sometimes suppressed by the everyday pressures of life and the fears of repeating your past failures and pain. Giving is a natural behavior of being human, and what we do not realize, is that life teaches us not to give and to think from scarcity and fear. Adopting a philosophy and practice of helping others without an expectation of what you are going to get back is not always easy for everyone. Have you ever experienced receiving something and feeling like that person had a hidden agenda, and was setting the stage to prepare for payback? Unfortunately, generosity does not always come easy for people, and they become caught up in a transactional experience, versus the experience of letting go of their needs so that they can demonstrate their gratitude and generosity towards another.
Before you even think of asking, think of giving. It sounds simpler than it is, but what if I told you generosity breeds abundance and happiness? Giving authentically is not a strategy, it is simply giving. And when we give, our brain releases oxytocin which boosts your mood, reduces stress, and generates something called a “helpers high, ” boosting your serotonin. So, if science has proven that generosity can impact us positively, why has our education system not included developing generosity as a skill to ensure kids can grow up to be thoughtful, caring, happy and generous? I believe we will fail our children if we do not have them recognize the power of generosity. One of my business partners and I have created a curriculum where we develop kids to be kind. Out of all the projects and organizations I own and am part of, I believe this is one of my most important jobs. I believe it is my moral mission to ensure kids can identify themselves a giver so they can remove the shackles of insecurity that the world places on them. I believe they deserve a fair shot of making their dreams come true and unless we teach our children that generosity is a God-given right to express, they will grow up suppressed, afraid and unsettled with who they are.
Without the willingness of the adult population being responsible for the gaps we have created through our beliefs; we will hand over a world that is led by human beings who do not have a voice. Generosity is a source of energy that keeps the cycle of life moving and can also be the miracle that saves the human race from our collective greed. If we can recognize that to fail our children is to destroy our future, we will own our mistakes and look for ways to unlearn selfishness. Generosity begins with you and I. It looks like contributing towards the preserving of our wildlife and our oceans BEFORE we continue to take. It looks like looking for ways to preserve resources before we take more from the earth, and it requires us to be more generous in who we are being as adults and not TAKE away from our kids’ childhood. Only through a clear and giving mind can we summon new possibilities and I promise you, if you prioritize generosity over greed your whole life will change.
