You Can Be Generous, Even When You’re Not “Rich”
When you hear the word “generous”, what comes to your mind?
Do you imagine someone rich in material things? Maybe a powerful politician, a wealthy relative who works abroad, or maybe even a glamorous movie star?
Now, do you think it’s possible to be generous even when you’re not rich and famous?
A study in generosity
In a study published by the World Giving Index in 2022, the Philippines ranked 20th among 119 countries in terms of generosity.
This interests me because we’re not among the richest countries in the world. In fact, the same study found that low-to-middle-income countries scored better in terms of helping strangers and volunteering versus their rich counterparts.
In this hyper-want world, we often associate generosity with money and material gifts. But as this study showed, it’s possible to give so much more than money and receive so much more in return.
Generosity is not exclusive to the rich — and it shouldn’t be.
Why practice generosity?
“The ultimate gift you can give, the one that will repay you today and tomorrow and heal our world, is that gift. The gift of connections, of art, of love - of dignity.”
We should all practice generosity even when we’re not rich. Why? Because it’s a gift that pays itself forward in many unexpected ways.
Let’s take a trip back in time. 10 years ago, I wanted to give back to my community. The problem was, I didn’t have a lot of money back then. Lacking material riches, I decided to be generous with my time, effort, and presence. I ended up volunteering my video editing skills to our local ministry.
This free “side gig” helped me hone my skills, which helped me land real clients. This ultimately launched me into the world of remote work as a digital nomad. Things have positively snowballed from there. I found a way to escape the rat race, create a business, and live a more balanced life.
If I wasn’t generous with my time back then, I probably would not be where I am today.
Being generous with what I had — my time, effort, and presence — gave me so many unexpected blessings and opportunities. By adding value to the lives of others without expecting anything in return, you can gain value for yourself too. That’s why I practice generosity: it has a positive domino effect and pays itself forward.
If you want to enrich your life by enriching others, you might want to give generosity a try. The best part is that being generous is not as difficult as it seems.
Being generous in a hyper-want world
As people, we naturally possess traits, talents, and resources that can be of value to others.
You might not know it yet, but the things that you find “ordinary” can be something precious to someone else.
A 30-minute chat may not seem that big a deal to you, but to a friend who’s having a rough day, that could mean so much already.
How about your job? You might find it boring, but to an absolute beginner who desperately wants to learn, sharing your skills can make a world of difference.
Sharing your presence can also be a form of generosity as well. Marshall, for example, was super generous with his time and feedback to me, back when I needed it most. It might not have been a big deal to him, but his generosity helped me bounce back from some really tough times in my life.
The bottom line is that we all possess inherent values that are not limited to just material wealth. This world may have conditioned us to think that we can only be generous with money, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
We can be generous with our natural gifts, too.
Take a minute to think about the gifts that you currently possess. How can you add value to someone else’s life with your time, effort, or talents today?
A gentle reminder to set boundaries
Now, before you start giving your gifts to your community, I want to emphasize the importance of being generous with yourself.
Remember, you cannot give from an empty cup. To truly give freely to others, take care of yourself first. Be content and make sure that your happiness does not depend on other people.
To be generous means being kind to yourself, taking care of your well-being, and living a more balanced life.
Make sure that your cup is filled, and let your overflowing abundance fill the cups of the people around you.
Generosity is a by-product of love
Generosity, along with kindness, is a by-product of love. You don’t need to have lots of material things to be generous. True generosity comes from being kind not just to others but to yourself as well.
You don’t need to be a powerful politician or a famous movie star to share your gifts. Take a look inside yourself and ask “How can I be generous today?”
