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Do you think that generous people — those who give freely of their time, talents, and money — are actually weak pushovers? Ever think that they are doormats who don’t care about themselves?

There are people who believe this and even voice that opinion. And when others hear that, they wonder if they should not give freely to protect against it? Well, the good news is you can give freely without appearing weak or losing yourself. Here’s how.

Give Freely Without Appearing Weak or Losing Yourself

Image by Marco Verch Professional Photographer via Flickr Creative Commons License.

How to Give Generously Without Being a Pushover

• Assess each situation honestly. Giving freely doesn’t mean giving up your intellect and intuition. And when you do, if the situation doesn’t seem right or make sense, think again before moving ahead.

• Know how to spot manipulators. It prevents you from being a pushover. You can then give freely to others.

• Receive help as well as give. This sends a message to others that you aren’t a pushover. You simply believe in give and take.

• Remember that giving freely doesn’t mean you must give to everyone all the time. Your generosity will peak and ebb. That’s OK.

• Be kind AND realistic. Give generously with your eyes wide open.

Give Freely Without Losing Your Sense of Self

• Know why you give. If you do it to fit in, be liked, or avoid conflict, stop and take time to value yourself.

• Give yourself permission to set limits. Seeing the truth about a situation and not giving at that time doesn’t mean you are selfish.

• See giving as your strength. When you choose to give, it’s a wonderful strength. When you feel you have no choice but to give, it’s a warning sign. Your self-image may be on the cliff. Take time to reflect on your options.

• Shift gears as you evolve. It’s pretty common for people to give a lot and then realize others are taking advantage of them. OK. Learn from it without swinging too far the other way. Don’t become bitter and selfish. Grow from it.

• Surround yourself with other givers. Find friends who are generous in spirit. Give freely to each other. You can be yourself and live the generous life you want with others.

Summary

You never have to be a pushover or a doormat to give freely of yourself, your talents, time, and resources. Your self-awareness, intellect, and intuition will guide you through each situation. There is nothing to fear. Trust yourself and give freely! You will make this life better for you and everyone.

Related Post:
Leaders, How Comfortable Are You and Your Teams With Generosity? Really?

©2020 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. I appreciate your sharing the link to this post on your social streams. However, if you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com for permission and guidelines. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.

Tags: Career, communication, compassion, donation, empathy, entrepreneur, forgiveness, generosity, giving, inspiration, kindness, Leadership, leading morale, people skills, self-awareness, Soft Skills, Teamwork, trust