Giving, whether it is money, energy, time, love, support, strength or control can bring on feelings of anxiety. Anxiety arises when doubt creeps in and we second guess our actions. We may feel that the $20 donation to Girl Scouts was maybe too much and that you could have used it to put gas in your car. Or maybe saying “yes” to helping a friend seems like an energy drain.

When giving feels heavy and uncertain, let’s look at “why” we’re choosing to give… Is it because we are fearful that something bad will happen if we don’t; is it because of a need for approval; or perhaps we believe that we must sacrifice ourselves to feel joy.

Here’s the deal, you have to give when it feels good in your heart. When you give from the heart and surround it with feelings of joy you attract giving to you in return. You can even say an affirmation statement the moment you feel unsure about your $20 donation to the Girl Scouts and say “when I give this $20 I receive it back 10 fold” and feel the joy in it in your heart.

I used to think this was selfish. Shouldn’t I be giving without any expectation of return? Giving without any expectation of return, doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice ourselves in the process. The same way that it is imperative to love ourselves in order to love another person; it is imperative that we feel joy in giving of our money, time or love so that the gift vibrates with Spirit energy and opens ourselves to receiving its abundance. So, the next time a friend asks you for a ride to the airport, check in with your heart see what feels good; have the courage to say no to what doesn’t feel good; and then give from the heart.

The bottom line is you deserve abundance and must believe this is true. Giving and receiving are a part of the universe’s divine plan, so be active in it; have fun with it and enjoy the abundance that the universe brings back to you, every time you give.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us enhance our services. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.
Thank you and Namaste, Karen