Today is the first day of our newest project, Our Big Give. I thought it might be a good idea to start out by taking inventory. Here are some questions to get us started:
- What do you find easiest to give?
- What do you find yourself giving most often? time? energy? money? advice? love? help? stuff?
- Is there something you don't often (or never) give, and would LIKE to be giving?
- What stops you?
- Sometimes it's really difficult to give. Do you find that to be true? Is this generally true? Or just true in certain areas of your life? Or does giving come easy?
- What would you NOT want to give away?
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8 comments:
Ok... so I find it easiest to give my opinion, my advice, my ideas.. and that does seem to be what I find myself most often giving... like right here in this now moment.
Giving time is a little harder - mostly because I tend to give it away pretty readily and it does run out on me fairly often.
The hardest thing to give is money. And I think that's because I have a perception that I don't have any to give. Also, I do find it hard to give my stuff away. I talk a lot about getting rid of stuff, but mostly in the context of "selling" it. The idea of just giving it away... well... that seems hard.
If I was "talking" about giving it away, or "giving advice" about giving my stuff away it would be a whole new ballgame... LOL.
In general, giving seems like it should be easy - but when it comes right down to it, and if I'm going to be honest, I'd have to say that while it seems like it should be easy it's not.
I forget birthdays, and am notoriously late with mothers day, fathers day, and christmas.
What I would NOT want to give a way is my freedom (even though, now that I'm thinking about it - I am constantly giving it away because I over schedule myself by giving away my time); I wouldn't want to give away my self respect... well.. not that I have a lot to begin with...
Hmmm... what else.... I don't want to give my treasures away. I want to keep them... they are mine mine mine... Ok.. so that was interesting too! I didn't know I felt quite so grasping selfish and greedy about my so called treasures.
Wow!
This was certainly an informative exercise!
By the way, I kind of jumped the gun here. Usually I put up a sort of "Preliminary" post before a project actually starts. I'll try and get it written and posted before we get too far into this project. Love and hugs! Shirley
Not only that, but today isn't even Friday is it? It's Thursday! I really did jump the gun this time, didn't I?
Good thing we practiced Ho'oponopono last time around. You guys can all love me and forgive me while I work on loving and forgiving me too!
I find it easy to give money - I enjoy paying for lunch for my family or friends when we're out together, especially if I know I happen to have more money that day than they do. I give money to my church and certain charities. But I've actually decided recently that I need to give LESS because I am in so much debt, and it seems that what I give does NOT come back to me multiplied, and my debt just grows and grows with late fees and enormous interest added on top! I need to start giving to MYSELF rather than to everyone else. When I give away money and then have to pay $35 late fees and 30% interest, that's not fair to ME. Surely the Universe doesn't intend for my debt to grow because I give so freely to others! I think I need to give MYSELF more time, attention, energy, and love, and give myself FREEDOM by paying off my debt load. That would be the best gift I could ever give myself! What freedom and joy on a moment by moment basis I would feel! How empowering to know that every second of my life I could make choices that would make me happy, rather than make my employer and the tax man happy! Hmmm . . . that's interesting because that is not at all what I THOUGHT I was going to post!
Hi Melissa... That's a really good point, about making sure we give to ourselves. That we pay attention to what WE need! This could be one of the areas that we work on over the next 30 days... Thanks!
PS. It's great to see your smiling face... well to imagine that I see your smiling face... because that's what I see when I see your name.
I'm with Melissa. Nothing is easier for me than giving..probably to my extreme detriment! I would prefer to do nothing more than make people happy by giving them things, or time or cookies or a phone call, etc. I live to give. I love the feeling I get when I can offer something that touches another soul in some way. I expect nothing in return but revel in the feeling. It makes my whole body smile! Is this an ego thing? I sure hope not. HOWEVER, my debt is incredible. I find it difficult to forget anyone's birthday or event..I just love to celebrate all that is! So yes, I'm struggling with finances and lack of time for relaxing..but I'm sure pretty happy about the quality of my life. Is that odd? Perhaps this project will teach me valuable ways to give that won't add to my debt. I'm looking forward to learning different facets of giving.
One problem I should work on with giving is my readings. I'm a certified Palmist and love to read hands. I also do channeled readings with my guide, Ole. Both are such a joy for me and I love to help others but rarely do I end up charging. I would say I get paid for less than 25% of what I do. I just want to share. Why is this so difficut for me? I feel like it's wrong somehow to "cash in" on a gift that I've been given.
Anyway, looking forward to learning with all of you...and to all the wonderful advice and thoughts you GIVE Shirley! Thanks! Giving of this site and project is the most generous thing!
Happy Easter Everyone!
Karla, it's funny that you mentioned not charging for your services, as I am just now reading Suze Orman's book Women & Money, and she tells us that we are not on sale! We should charge full price and be confident in it! So while I completely understand what you're saying, I am also beginning to understand what Suze is saying too. How appropriate for this month. Suze is also the one who made me start to realize that I shouldn't give everything away until I have given to myself first (buying my freedom is how I look at it) and can financially afford to give - I need to take care of myself first. Which is the opposite of what girls are taught growing up! I'm glad I dropped back in for this month's project.
Melissa, I'm glad you're here too! Give to yourself first. I like that.
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