I have always heard and I believe that “it’s better to give than to receive.” The implication is that there’s something noble about giving, while there’s something selfish about receiving. Don’t get me wrong. I place the utmost importance on giving. There’s much truth to the Biblical phrase, “Give and it shall be given unto you.” In fact, giving is a prerequisite to receiving or that is how I feel and how I was raised from the time I can remember as a child growing up.

It has only been in the last years that I have been able to enjoy the role of receiving as I should so please let’s not shortchange the role of receiving, either. To maximize our success and experience life to the fullest, we must learn how to give AND receive. I thought I would share with you a few things which might enhance the quality of your life through both giving and receiving:

1. Expand your view about giving. Some people think of giving solely in the context of money … and, indeed, many individuals do donate funds to worthy causes or organizations. However, you can also give of your time by volunteering. You can share your knowledge by serving as a mentor and don’t overlook one of the most important ways we have to give—one so many forget and that is simply by listening attentively to another person.

2. Consider the spirit in which you give. Do you give grudgingly … and with the hope that you’ll get a quick return on your “investment?” Or, do you give just for the satisfaction you get from giving and because of your willingness to serve others? When you give cheerfully and without expectation of return, you’ll reap many tangible and intangible benefits over the long haul.This is the truest and most pore form of giving and the form which I so LOVE to give.

3. There are no small acts of giving. Don’t overlook the seemingly small, everyday acts of giving. A smile to a cashier or a few words of encouragement to a co-worker - those are significant acts of giving. Simply put, giving is not limited to donating large sums of money . So, resist the temptation to judge one type of giving as superior to another. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to make someone’s day a little easier. Simply SMILE!

4. Be a giver and not a taker. Of course, every person thinks of himself or herself as a “giver” as opposed to a “taker.” But the way others perceive us may be the contrary. This isn’t an “all or nothing” issue. Sometimes, we get out of balance and don’t even realize we’ have crossed the line from giver to taker. Frequently, we do this when we’re in need of help, What others can do for us suddenly becomes the focus of our conversations.Make absolutely certain that you’re taking an active interest in serving others - as opposed to pushing your own agenda most of the time. By all means ask for help when you need it. But recognize that people are less likely to help “takers,” whereas they’ll willingly help “givers.”

5. Give to yourself by saying “NO.” You see, giving to yourself is also important. Sometimes, we think we have to help others whenever they ask for our assistance. Not so! When you do that, you stretch yourself too thin and get burned out. It’s essential that you honor yourself by declining some requests that are made on your time and your resources.

Now that we’ve looked at some fundamental principles of giving, let’s turn our attention to the equally important skill of receiving.

6. Receive all compliments willingly. Some people can easily give compliments to others, but when it comes to being on the receiving end of praise, they’re very uncomfortable and will often “reject” the compliment. “You did a great job” is often followed by “Oh, I really didn’t do anything.” From this point on, no matter what compliment you receive, just say “thank you.” If someone says you’re the nicest person on earth, don’t get into a debate about the merits of the comment. Just accept it with “thank you.” When you reject compliments, you rob others of the satisfaction of giving to you and diminish your own value and self-esteem.

7. Receive all material gifts willingly. If someone offers you a gift without any strings attached, accept it. Here again, it’s important to allow others to give to you. They do so because of the satisfaction they get from this act and because they feel you deserve this gift. Allow them to have that satisfaction … and pay enough value to yourself to believe that you deserve it.

8. Be grateful for what you’ve already received. Simply put, gratitude enhances receiving. The more you appreciate what you’ve already received, the more you’ll receive in the future. So, stop taking the many gifts in your life for granted. Your health, your loved ones, your material possessions. Appreciate these things on a daily basis and you’ll receive even more!

9. Receiving requires patience. If you’ve been a generous, cheerful giver, you will receive. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you when it will happen … or where it will come from. The universe takes care of these details - and in ways that you could never predict. The people you give to are not necessarily the people who will give back to you. But rest assured that giving creates a boomerang, and in the long run, you’ll receive in equal or greater measure to what you have given.———

The Boomerang always returns it to me and I have finally began to learn and enjoy the gifts.”You really can’t give anything away. It will always come back to you.” Isn’t that a magnificent concept? And I’ve found it to be true. Giving is wonderful on many accounts. The real joy in life comes from being of service to others. It gives us a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that our lives make a difference. However, just as we want to give to others, we must allow others to give to us.

So, become a cheerful giver and a willing receiver. It’s a prescription for a happy, meaningful and successful life Yes Life IS Simply Good