Most of us would say that we want to be more generous.
If we pause for a moment, we can probably think of an instance in our lives where we have been touched by the generosity of someone else. Maybe we were surprised by an unexpected gift, or buoyed by someone's kind and encouraging words.
Generosity is something that consistently moves us outside of ourselves and tells others around us that they matter too. Giving is usually a matter of the heart as well as the wallet and, as many have found, it is not just the privilege of those who live in abundance. Some of the most moving stories of selfless giving involve those who have little material wealth.
It seems that giving is a natural human impulse that is perhaps sometimes too easily squelched by the demands of busy schedules and monthly bills.
Why Canadians Give
According to the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 65 per cent of Canada's most prolific givers identified themselves as "religiously active." Responsible for 82 per cent of all donations made in Canada, members of this group indicated that they were motivated to give by their religious beliefs.
One reason for this may be that most religions stress the virtue of empathy: the ability and power to identify with others around you.
Guided by faith or not, empathy seems to be a powerful reason why the most generous people give.
The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy in its report "The Philanthropic Spirit in Canada: Motivations and Barriers" says that 94 per cent of donors cited a sense of compassion for those in need as the reason they give.
(Interestingly, the appeal of the tax credit that comes along with a charitable gift, did not register high on the list of motivations for giving. Only 13 per cent of donors said that was why they gave.)
Working Past Our Obstacles
It can be very helpful to reflect on why we give, and also why we sometimes choose not to. Through these insights, we can create giving goals for ourselves and our families to grow in the direction we wish to move. And for most of us that will be the direction of greater empathy and deeper compassion for those in need.
It may be possible that generosity will even lead to greater personal happiness. People who give money charitably are 43 per cent more likely to say they are "very happy" than those who do not give—another great motivation for giving.
To discover five simple ways to become a more generous family, click here.
