The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
-Pablo Picasso
Each of us are born with unique and special gifts. Some we recognize early in life, others are developed or unearthed as we gain wisdom and experience. You may not even realize what your greatest gifts are because they may feel so second nature to you. If this is the case, ask five friends what your greatest gifts are and listen closely to their answers because within those answers lie the underlying gifts that you can, as Mr. Picasso states, truly give away.
Many people think that by giving something away they are diminishing themselves, or that they’re being asked to give up an opportunity to make money. This couldn’t be further from the truth. All giving requires is a willingness to recognize that sharing can only take a moment but can leave another person with a lifetime of good feelings. The reason is that true gifting comes from the heart. It is sincere and authentic, a reflection of who you are, and more importantly, it requires nothing in return.
So take some time today and use these three tips to figure out how you can share your unique gifts in ways that will benefit yourself and others.
- What can I gift freely? Instead of thinking about gifting something as giving away an object, think of what emotional gifts you can give. This may mean being an empathetic listener, offering a word of encouragement, or offering a few minutes of your time to help someone solve a problem.
- What do I give for the pure joy of it? In addition to giving freely, how do you enjoy helping others simply for the joy of doing it? Think about all the ways you help others now and then reflect on how you’d feel if you stopped offering that help. The worse you feel about withholding that help, the stronger the indication that giving it is a source of joy to you.
- How can I give without expectation? One of the truest measures of a gift given freely and with joy is the lack of expectation once it’s been given. What do you give now with no second thoughts as to how you’ll be rewarded? What do you give without expecting any type of response or reciprocation?
