I don’t think any of us could argue that the world could use more generosity. After all, selfless, kind words and behavior have the potential to make huge changes on the planet.
What exactly is generosity?
Generosity is simple: it's the behavior of giving in such a way as to benefit another. It’s selflessly adding value to others, while not expecting anything in return.
Certainly, generous acts benefit others, but how can being generous benefit you?
When you're generous, you just feel better about yourself. It helps give your mental health a boost. Of course, others benefit when you are generous, and that naturally feels good.
We're not just talking about being generous with money either.
You can be generous in many ways, such as:
Haven’t you ever had someone sit with you when you were going through a tough time? They could have cut the time short when they found out you were grieving or upset, but they were generous with their time.
They sat with you (or talked on the phone) for as long as you needed.
Or maybe your car broke down and your neighbor gave you rides to work while it got fixed. They were generous with their time and resources, and that makes a difference too.
The bottom line is - we can all commit to being more generous in all aspects of our life.
Recently, I went to a coffee shop drive through to treat myself to a favorite drink. When I went to pay for it, the clerk said the car ahead of me paid for it. I felt so grateful! This was the first time someone “paid it forward” for me and it felt great.
What did I do?
I could have driven off and simply accepted their generosity, which would have been just fine.
But I decided to pay it forward and pay for the car behind me, to keep that spirit of generosity going. Who knows how many people were generous that day, but the reality is that it created a ripple effect that boosted people’s feelings.
That’s what generosity can do – create a ripple effect. One person’s generosity can cause another to want to be generous too. And all that generosity can help people feel more valued.
If you’re being generous to get something from another, that’s not the true spirit of the word. This doesn’t mean you should never give, but when you do, aim to do it without expectations.
When you give wanting or expecting something in return, you set yourself up for disappointment and resentment.
Try giving just because it feels good and generosity is a lifestyle you commit to. Try performing random acts of kindness consistently and enjoy the good feelings that come along with that.
If you want to become more generous, there are all kinds of things you can do to cultivate this kind of habit.
Maybe you just don’t think of being generous. If this is the case, make a list of ways you can be generous and put it in a spot that you can see daily. This will serve as your reminder that you are committing to be a more giving person.
You can also write on a notecard, “I am a generous person” and put that on your fridge, mirror, car dashboard, office, etc. After seeing this for a while, and indeed practicing, it will become habitual.
Not sure how to be more generous? Here are some great ideas:
12 Easy Ways to Show an Act of Kindness to a Stranger→
Today, make a commitment to be more generous.
What are some ways you can be generous today? Who can you reach out to? What can you do?
Make that list and enjoy being a generous spirit in the world. And, just watch how your generosity creates a ripple effect that helps many others too.
LATEST
December 15, 2025
December 14, 2025
December 14, 2025
CATEGORIES
Wake up to dailymotivation!
Get Motivational Quotes, Affirmations, and insightful content delivered to your inbox every morning!
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
I have read some of your articles and found them amazing. Thanks for your generosity.
Thank YOU Maruja. We love to hear from our community, so thank you for your generosity in telling us you got something from our articles. Take care!
Thank you for your generosity in informing us about it and sharing it with us
Thank you for generously reaching out to tell us you enjoyed it! Take care 🙂
I love the article on generosity. Sometimes I rush so much that I don’t think of others. I needed a reminder. Have a blessed day.
The littlest things can make the biggest difference, Shirley. Thank YOU for reaching out, we are grateful for you too!
Many thanks for sharing this knowledge on generosity. Sometime I think of others more than my self.
I am a generous person naturally and I’ve been faulted for it at times by others who think I try to do too much but I really don’t. I’d like to help others more than I do but I’m trying hard not to neglect myself or my own responsibilities in the process. Managing my time and balancing these types of things that are so important to me is a real challenge for me. Your motivational messages are such a big help in clarifying things for me. Thank you so much for YOUR generosity! You help many!
If you are a generous person by nature, and love to give to others, then you don't have to stop. You know your true intentions! But as you said, it is very common for generous people to not fill their own cups first. It's wonderful to hear we are encouraging you to take better care of yourself, and we all need reminders that it's ok to ask for help, take breaks and sometimes just focus on what YOU need :).
Generosity to others is actually a gift of joy to our selves. Love your article! Bravo!
Well said, Deborah! Thank you for your support, so happy to have you in the community 🙂
These comments about generosity has helped me. I am a generous person by nature myself and love to share my generosity and to give compliments. To all those who share these traits let's make the world a better place to be in.
Take care and God bless 🙌 🙏
It's true Dorrele, we need generous people to spread that positivity and make people feel good. Thank you for sharing with us!
I am a very generous person and lots off time people abuse my good nature. I am a person who if anyone asks me anything I never say no.l I want to be more generous in the future. Lovey articles about generosity. Love yourl all be blessed
It's good to be generous Dayalan, but don't let people take advantage of you. It's ok to say no, or to focus on people who will appreciate you or what you have done for them. Recognition is not the reason to be generous, but make sure you fill your own cup as well, we need people like you 🙂
Lovely sweet enjoyable article, thank you so much,it is a joy to be generous and it also feels good .
Wonderful to hear, thank you for letting us know you enjoyed it! 🙂
I’ve always volunteered and have found that I didn’t think of it as ‘giving’ because I got more from it than I gave.😊
That's a great way to look at it Kathleen! Where do you volunteer? I find it changes your perspective when you help other people, and it reminds you that we are all human, and connected, and capable of kindness if we choose it. Thank you for your message, you will inspire others to do the same 🙂