People search for satisfaction in lots of places.
Some seek contentment in a well-paying job, but show dissatisfaction the primary time they’re omitted for a raise.
Some seek it in a big house, but show their displeasure by demanding countless improvements.
Many have sought their satisfaction in a department store, believing that another item will finally meet their expectations, but they’re at all times disenchanted, despite the guarantees made within the advertisements.
In our consumer culture, where dissatisfaction is promoted and material gratification is inspired, it may well be difficult to learn to be content.
It’s a private journey that every of us must take – and no journey is precisely like one other. There is not any universal, seven-step program that can can help you fully achieve satisfaction together with your life. I’m not here to supply.
However, I would like to ask a matter that I believe could also be helpful to all of us in our quest.
What if we have been searching for contentment within the mistaken places?
What if we discover contentment exactly where we were told to look?
I mean, what if contentment is just not in collection more for myself, but in giving more to others?
That would change every thing!
Benefits of generosity
We can quickly imagine how contentment results in generosity – the less we’d like, the more we can provide. That’s what most of us give it some thought.
But is it possible that the reverse can be true? That the more we give, the less we’d like?
And that generosity is the fastest technique to contentment?
Consider for a moment why that is so:
Generous people appreciate what they’ve.
People who give away some things value others more. People who volunteer a part of their time as volunteers make higher use of their remaining time. And individuals who donate money are less wasteful with the cash left over.
They understand the total potential of their resources – and subsequently value them more highly.
Generous people lead happier, more fulfilled lives.
Research has shown it generous persons are happier, healthier and more satisfied with their lives. And after they find that satisfaction through generosity, they’re less prone to seek it elsewhere.
Generous people find meaning beyond their possessions.
We often wrap self-esteem in net value, as if an individual’s true value could ever be calculated on a balance sheet.
Generous people, however, find their value in helping others and quickly realize that their checking account balance says nothing about their true value.
Generous people have more satisfying relationships.
People at all times prefer the corporate of a generous giver to the corporate of a selfish gatherer. People are naturally interested in others who’ve an open heart to share. A superb friend is the perfect gift you possibly can give yourself.
In addition to the advantages for the giver, generosity also advantages the recipient. Giving makes life higher. He fights to overthrow injustice. Solves problems. He sets an example to the world of a greater way of life. And encourages others to do the identical.
But there may be one other advantage of generosity that shouldn’t be missed.
Perhaps the best good thing about generosity is knowing that we have had enough.
Enough
Our society is hostage to the pursuit of something more. No matter how much we have now, we at all times think we’d like more—more things and more money.
We select our careers to secure more. We spend the perfect hours of the day attempting to get more. We get jealous when less deserving people appear to have more. And we’re consistently apprehensive that we have had enough.
But those that at all times want more won’t ever get it.
Even worse, this desire to have more is having a devastating effect on our society. Let’s take money for instance.
This is in response to a survey conducted within the USA 85% of individuals experience money stress. There are those that experience this anxiety because of legitimate financial need, but for many of us this stress is misplaced.
In a world where 62% of the population lives on $10 or less a daymost of our financial stress comes from an artificially created need.
Generosity changes our perspective and helps remove that rush. It shows us how blessed we’re already. It reminds us that we have already got greater than we’d like. It shows us how much we have now to supply and the way much good we will do. It helps us to see the needs of those with whom we live. And it offers a greater alternative to our money than spending it on ourselves.
Generosity opposes materialism and consumerism in every moment of our lives. He fights against greed and selfish pursuits. It argues against the insatiable need for more.
Giving aligns our lives with higher goals and offers a greater way of life. It reminds us that we have had enough. And it provides fertile soil in our hearts for contentment to grow.
This contentment results in much more generosity, which results in much more contentment, which results in … See where I’m going?
Do you wish more contentment in your life? If so, try something latest. Give something back. And open the door for contentment and generosity to collide.
When you give away more things – money, time, energy – your life will turn out to be lighter. Your heart might be warmer. The world might be higher.
And you will discover satisfaction ahead of you think that.
