5 Ways Generosity Fuels Your Inner Growth

Have you ever felt that generosity is a one-way street? Have you ever wondered if you are giving up too much without seeing any practical benefits? Although generosity is a selfless concept, it can be suffocating to give and give in these times. Therefore, you may waste time working on yourself.

But what if generosity could help you on your journey to inner growth? Can you still be selfless while improving yourself? Read on to discover the five ways that generosity can help with inner development.

What does generosity mean in today’s world?

Through history, generosity it has been seen as a “special” trait, something that is only practiced of “higher quality”. It was not seen as an obligation in society, unlike, say, not stealing. Instead, it is an ideal that people should aspire to.

Today, this idea has changed. People tend to see generosity as the virtue of giving freely and generously, as something that weighs moral worth.

To be socially accepted, people struggle to give as much as humanly possible without understanding how it can benefit them. But generosity, when viewed through the right lens, has many practical benefits for the donor. If you allow yourself to flourish through this moral virtue, you will find that the act of giving can be just as beneficial to you, the giver, as it is to the recipient.

But when and how should you be generous?

It turns out that the first step to becoming a more generous person is to fill your mind with positive thoughts. Investigate has shown that positive emotions, such as gratitude and joy, make you more likely to become a donor. Contrary to older beliefs, people are programmed to be generous. The only obstacle is the “thinking part” of your brain. Instead of following your instincts, you often come up with “logical” reasons not to give.

Wellness expert Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., suggests that you recognize the fear of not having enough after giving, that you understand that small gestures will not hurt you materially, and that you take small steps towards generosity, such as offering small attentions to your family without having a special occasion that pushes you to do it.

Take someone out for coffee on a normal Saturday. Rest assured, this friendly interaction will bring you more happiness than just buying one and drinking it alone.

What is inner growth?

In simple words, inner growth is the process through which you come to know, understand, and express all aspects of your human experience. It is the subjective experience of changing behaviors, feelings, and thoughts.

On your journey to inner growth, you will have to develop who you are on the inside. Anything from letting go of bad thoughts and pointless criticism to being kinder to yourself to building your morale is part of the way.

Investigate shows that the concept of inner growth, whether achieved individually or with the help of an institution, culture or other people, constitutes the basic basis of one’s way of being and living.

Looking inward and developing is crucial, not only for your happiness but for others as well. If you can improve the way you are and the way you treat yourself, you will be in a much happier place from which you can give back much more than you could before.

5 Ways Generosity Can Help You With Inner Growth

Here are five ways that being generous can help you become your best self.

1. Generosity is related to better mental health

Central to your personal development journey is a healthy mind. If you don’t have a good base to start from, how can you embark on a self-help adventure?

Investigate at Berkley he collected data from different studies that support this theory. They examined a meta-analysis of 37 adult studies and found that those who choose to donate on their own reported a more significant quality of life. Another study found that those who help others frequently reported feeling increased vitality and self-esteem.

Interestingly, generosity is associated with the brain’s amygdala (the structure of the brain that processes emotions). The amygdala has increased its activity in times of anxiety. Studies have shown that the act of giving decreases the activity of the amygdala, thus reducing stress and anxiety.

Generosity has been found to give people a sense of purpose. As Aristotle said, fulfillment is achieved “by loving instead of being loved.” We can extrapolate this when it comes to the concept of giving. You’ll always feel more satisfied when you give someone in need money to buy a meal, rather than when you use that money to buy yourself some trick you don’t even need. Studies have found that people who engage in altruistic behaviors report a greater sense of meaning.

Not only that, but engaging in prosocial actions (like giving) helps us meet our most basic psychological needs:

• Autonomy
• Competence
• Relationship.

So the next time you have the opportunity to give, remember: if you do it freely because you want to give, you will also do yourself a service.

2. Generosity makes you physically healthier

It seems hard to believe. A social act like generosity linked to physical health? It just can’t be possible! Or can?

Investigate conducted in 2013 has found that generosity and volunteerism can help lower blood pressure by up to 40%. Not only that, but it was found that when teens are motivated to volunteer or support their communities, they tend to have lower cholesterol levels, inflammation, and a lower BMI after a few months, compared to a control group. .

Overall, it may not sound like much, but the direct health benefits along with reduced stress levels are vital to your body. Not to mention that inner growth is directly related to having the best possible vessel to actively begin working on your perspective on life. The healthier you are physically, the more time and energy you can begin to effectively change who you are on the inside. Therefore, your self-awareness can help you grow in personal health.

3. Being generous improves your relationships

The act of giving creates a bond between the giver and the receiver. The recipient feels gratitude and the giver feels compassion. Therefore, when you give, people not only feel closer to you, but you also feel closer to them, depending on Jason marsh and Jill Suttie, Psy.D., of the Greater Good Science Center.

Generosity leads to feelings of gratitude and achievement and can also make you a more empathetic person. When you give, you have to know why the other needs your generosity. Whether you volunteer, give money to a poor person on the street, or help your family and friends, the simple act of giving makes you think about the difficulties others face. This brings you closer to people and helps you explore the issues around you, helping you better understand the world. This may be the first step in acknowledging your problems and privileges. Besides that, it can make you explore them better.

Also, if we were to talk about romantic relationships, they often depend on the partner’s ability to give as much as they take, if not more. No love relationship can flourish unilaterally. The compassion you feel in the act of giving can bring you closer to your loved one. This can help you understand what they are going through and, in turn, help you be a better partner.

4. Generosity shifts focus from a self-critical mindset to a positive outlook.

There is nothing that can stifle inner growth so much as being overly self-critical. On your journey to self-discovery and personal development, you can often get caught up in negative thoughts about yourself. The first step to improving yourself is, of course, identifying what you can improve about yourself. Accepting that you have flaws can be difficult. Fortunately, being generous can help you break out of a negative state of mind.

Generosity has been shown to help us break through insults from our inner voice. It is quite difficult for your mind to show that you are not enough when you see someone benefit from your actions. How can you tell yourself that your flaws can’t be fixed when you see your friend smile because you bought their favorite flowers?

Not only that, but research It shows that when you give, the sensitivity you feel towards another person allows you to be more sensitive to yourself and give yourself more value.

By feeling valuable, good enough, you will gain the strength to work on your flaws, discover your attributes, and embark on the path to inner growth.

5. Being generous develops your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage emotions, both your own and those of others.

As we discussed, generosity makes you feel more in tune with other people and their needs. Therefore, this kindness allows you to better empathize with them. But by understanding how and why others feel the way they think and the difficulties they face, you will become better acquainted with emotions in general. You develop your emotional intelligence by facing a wide range of emotions each time you choose to give.

But why is it important? Because studies have linked high emotional intelligence with self-identity and happiness. In essence, it is a potential determinant of subjective satisfaction and the ability to feel good without any outside help, simply by being content with who you are. Thus, someone generous can reach a higher level of emotional intelligence, which helps their inner growth.

Final Thoughts on How Generosity Can Help With Inner Growth

It’s perfectly normal to feel that being generous is sometimes too much. It is also human to feel trapped and not know how to develop. But taking can be the first step, the incentive you need to take a leap in the dark and find out who you are and how to improve.

By allowing yourself to feel compassionate and understand what others think and need, you will create better connections, improve your mental and physical health, conquer self-criticism, and be happier overall.

So next time you want to have coffee, invite a friend and get him one too!