Mindful Giving for 2020: Give in a Way that Fills You

Mindful Giving for 2020: Give in a Way that Fills You

I thought I was pretty set with giving until I developed a health issue. 

The beginning of a year is when many of us contemplate change. We might want something we don't currently have or to ditch a bad habit or in some other way step up into a better version of ourselves. Sometimes change begins by admitting to what we no longer want and/or what no longer serves us. Giving in a way that drains me is something I no longer want, that no longer serves me and that I want to change.

I thought I was pretty set with giving until I developed a health issue. Giving is one of those ever expanding territories. If you think about it, we give all year—every time we take action we are giving—so it’s kind of important to be aware of what we’re doing. We learned how to give as kids in order to survive but that very method as adults could be preventing our thriving.

Post-holiday season and the beginning of a new year make for a great time to begin a practice of mindful giving. How do we know if our giving could be stepped up a notch? You might be wondering. We can begin by assessing our current practice of gift-giving since it just happened. How we feel afterwards definitely offers us clues.

Are you feeling a good kind of exhausted right now? Or happy that the holidays are over? 

We can ask ourselves this same question in regards to a relationship or to our job. Do we come home feeling a good exhausted, disappointed in some way or happy the day or the evening is over? 

A good kind of exhausted is usually an indicator that you gave in a way that filled you. You feel content, your checkbook isn’t suffering, you’re excited for your next adventure.

Feeling happy that the holidays, the job or the ‘date’ are over can indicate that you gave in a way that drained you. You’re in debt, disgruntled and/or sick, not excited to get up and do 'it' again, blaming others, or find yourself trying to figure out how to not feel 'this' way or give into 'that' again.

Giving in a way that fills you is giving from a place of love. Everyone benefits, including ourselves without us even trying or needing to know how. All we have to do is desire it, choose it and be willing to receive love's guidance. 

Giving in a way that drains you is a giving born of fear. When born of fear you may already be expecting to not be enough in some way and giving in an attempt to avoid that 'less than' feeling, which never works, but I don’t have to tell you that. You are feeling a debt (absence of value) on the inside and your choices merely displace that sense of debtsometimes showing up as credit card debt, feeling unappreciated or physically depleted of your health. You could also be over-giving to avoid loss, which usually leads to experiencing that loss you have been attempting to avoid. Givings that drain are forms of control and control is born of fear. It never leads us anywhere good. 

There’s a lot of talk about self-love these days. I'm not against it, but if you keep giving in a way that drains you and then practicing self-love to make up for it, it leaves you in the same place. You are addressing the effect, not the cause. Even getting rid of the people or the job, etc., which has become a popular 'solution,' isn’t going to help because those are the effects. You’ll just attract a new set of the same old circumstances—different faces, same feelings because the cause is in your source for giving. And that’s the good news!

My hope for you in 2020 is that you choose to be mindful of what god you are paying homage to with every decision you make—fear or love. I hope you choose love for your Source. When you catch yourself in fear territory it might take some effort and require some help to transition, but it will be worth it because actions born of love are the ones that fill you from the inside out. 

Happy New and hopefully Love-filled Year!

Friends in this Love,

Dr. Trish

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Comments

  1. Robert Hanselman says:

    Your take on this important issue iui s brilliant! Your understanding and your focus is clear. I need the time and resources available to see you.

    Sincerely,

    Robert Hanselman, Pittsfield, NH

    nashuabob@gmail.com

    Reply
    1. Trish Whynot

      Robert,

      Thanks for commenting. Glad it spoke to you.

      I'm here when you're ready!

      Trish

      Reply
  2. Jennifer Caldwell says:

    Dr Trish... on point as always! This came in such sweet timing for me, and I appreciate your efforts to teach, to guide, to love in only the way you can. Always rich with adventure and authenticity and clarity, extreme wisdom, and getting us down to the brass tacks with gentleness and ease. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Trish Whynot

      Jennifer,

      Glad to know that I have not lost my touch with timing. :)

      You are most welcome. Thank you for your kind comments.

      Warm regards,

      Dr. Trish

      Reply
  3. Diana says:

    Trish! I’m feeling nailed to the wall after reading this. Dammit. There’s always more work, isn’t there? Thank you for sharing your insights. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you offer. I miss you.

    Reply
    1. Trish Whynot

      Diana,

      It's a journey!

      Are you feeling a session coming on? :)

      Miss you too!

      Trish

      Reply
  4. Cheryl Johnson says:

    Dear Trish, thank you for your very insightful post. I've come to appreciate your unique view on life in general. I know that your faith has grown through trials over recent months/years so I can trust your view as having been born/reborn from them. May God continue to bless your further growth my friend.

    Blessings!

    Reply
    1. Trish Whynot

      Thank you Cheryl. I'm deeply humbled.

      You do know a bit about my trials. Thank you for the blessing.

      Warmly,

      Trish

      Reply

Comments are closed.