Are you the kind of person that always feels like you should donate more money? Maybe you have felt guilty because your budget doesn’t allow to give more support to organizations you care about. This is something many people struggle with. You are not alone in this feeling.

Generosity isn’t about how much money you give.

Money can make a difference and help organizations do great things, but you can only give so much. Also, when you donate money, you can easily feel disconnected from the impact it has. Being generous isn’t supposed to be about money. Being generous is about how you influence others.

Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. – Dennis Prager

Kindness is where generosity begins.

There are people all around you that need you. Every single day when you go to work there are humans with real problems. Not just in the office, but at home too. Generosity is about putting aside your own needs for the needs of others. Kindness is how you can give to others at no financial cost.

You can be poor financially, but remain rich in generosity.

Kindness is where your perspective can shift. Don’t focus on helping everyone. Start small. Kindness can be emotionally draining, but it also is extremely fulfilling. Kindness also has a much greater impact to those around you than any amount of money ever would.

Teach love, generosity, good manners and some of that will drift from the classroom to the home and who knows, the children will be educating the parents. – Roger Moore

How to become a generous person through kindness.

Ask people you work with how they are doing.

The work place can feel pretty awkward sometimes. People don’t like to talk about feelings at work. This is where kindness is needed most. When you are kind and honestly care about others, people begin to notice. You become a leader to others when you spend the time to care for others. This is simple as listening to their struggles. You don’t need to have an answer. Just be there for them.

Smile and say thank you in public.

Smiling is contagious. Gratitude is relieving. By doing these two simple things while you are out running errands or even at home, you can change the way other people feel. Showing your appreciation for the little things and what others do for you can go a long way. When others feel respected, they respect you. That is fueling a good fire my friends.

Create a list of people you are grateful for and tell them why.

Let’s take gratitude to the next level. Each week write down one person you are grateful for that week. Try to think of different people. Even folks you haven’t seen in years. Think about what that person has done for you. What that person as done for others too.

Now give them a call. Write them an email. Whatever it takes to contact them.

Tell them about the good things they do and why you are thankful they are who they are. All the things that they do. Remind them that what they do is amazing and matters.

Generosity is simple, yet courageous.

It’s amazing how complicated you and I can make generosity, but when you think about it… It’s about being aware of others and being willing to let go of your own needs so you can fulfill the needs of others. You might not always have the solution they need, but you can offer the care they didn’t even know they were looking for.

The head and the heart can be really hard to bring together sometimes. All you can do is try.

Be brave friends.