Giving is Good, Right? That Depends….

Do you know what today is? National Give Something Away Day. Which got me thinking about giving. We women have been groomed to be Givers. And Giving is good, right? Well, that depends…

There are two kinds of Giving. One empowers. The other weakens. The latter–which I call Giving ‘Til It Hurts—is what’s been expected of women for generations. Sacrifice ourselves for the sake of others.

Giving ‘Til It Hurts provides the illusion of being needed, important, powerful. But self-denial is, in fact, an abdication of power, leaving you exhausted, resentful and depressed, often crippling the receivers, robbing them of their self-esteem or sense of sovereignty.

Powerful Giving, on the other hand, is what I call Giving With Boundaries. This means giving to yourself first, with love, not guilt, refusing to do anything that sucks you dry or leaves you cold.
This may seem appallingly selfish, but as George Sand once wrote: “Nothing resembles selfishness more closely than self-respect.” 

Self-respect allows you to give to others in ways that uplifts them and replenishes you, filling your life with meaning, while enriching theirs. When giving empowers, both parties win.

As I mentioned, I’ve been thinking a lot about Giving (Powerfully), playing with ideas that would be mutually beneficial for all involved.

Those who know me well know that doing videos terrifies me…almost as much as my upcoming eye surgery! I do not exaggerate.

Staring into a blank screen, seeing only myself, talking into the void, makes me painfully self-conscious. I can feel my throat constrict just thinking about it.

But I know that growth comes from doing what you fear. And I feel very strongly called to do this. So I’m jumping in with both feet. And I’d love your help. 

Please join me live. Or let me know what questions you have about creating wealth. Where do you need guidance? What stops you from achieving financial success?

Add your questions to the comments below.