A more abundant life is about giving of yourself, your time, and your heart. It’s the act of giving without any expectation in return.
Generosity can be challenging to achieve for many reasons. You may believe generosity isn’t an option because you don’t want others to take advantage of you. Maybe someone took advantage of your generosity in the past.
Or perhaps the last time you were generous, people didn’t show appreciation or reciprocate the action. That can be disheartening.
But generosity feels good. More than just a feeling, the effects on your health are immeasurable. That does not mean that living an abundant life is a walk in the park.
So how can you live a more abundant life?
Try these tips:
1. Practice generosity with yourself. A great life doesn’t require great sacrifice to your wellbeing. The truth is charity starts within. Begin by forgiving yourself for past mistakes.
- It’s okay to make mistakes, and if you did something in the past that you believe was wrong, forgive yourself and move on.
- Being generous includes treating yourself to rewarding activities and spending at least some time each day relaxing your mind, body, and soul.
2. Give your time generously. If there’s one thing we feel we never have, it’s time. Many of us try to hoard as much time as we can, buying out a minute here and there on days full of activities. We feel that time is money.
- But that process adds up over time and begins to make us feel hemmed in every second of the day. What can you do? Start by giving yourself more time between appointments. Use that extra time for yourself.
- Also, practice giving yourself a large time allowance while traveling if you have the habit of running late.
3. Concentrate on the act of generosity and its benefits. A great life is much more than a feeling. It’s a practice that helps you and the people around you. It’s what allows us to appreciate life in all of its beauty and live our best lives.
- Being generous is self-rewarding, as it brings about feelings of peace, self-worth, and accomplishment. If you live in a way that does not support generosity, it may be time to refocus on what truly matters to you.
- An excellent way to “focus” on the benefits of generosity is to find daily acts of kindness, no matter how small. Try to find these acts of kindness in others as well.
4. Give first, and then receive later. As we already considered, one major part of generosity is reciprocation. A person needs to give before they take.
- This action might feel awkward at first, but you might find that more people are willing to bend their schedule to help you. If nothing else, the act of giving can inspire others to reciprocate generosity in their lives.
- There are many ways to practice giving. Some give compliments to people they love. Others are generous with their community. Find out what you can and start sharing.
5. Find someone you believe in and invest in them. If you are unsure of how to be more generous or what to do, find someone you believe in and invest in them. If a friend has been struggling in some way, give them the time and attention they need.
- If your child needs help with their schoolwork, provide that help. If a family member has trouble, reach out and lend a helping hand. Some people may not want to donate to a cause or give to a large organization like a charity.
- You can still live generously by focusing on one person at a time.
Undoubtedly, living a more abundant life will strengthen your mental health in the long run. Giving to others gives you a sense of purpose. It gives you a reason to live and makes you feel good about yourself.