The Power of Giving

Last January, I spent a week in El Salvador working with an organization called Magicians Without Borders (www.magicianswithoutborders.org) As a magician and educator, my role was to teach a couple dozen teenagers some basic tricks; how to perform them and how to develop showmanship. But my real underlying goal was to help those kids to connect with their inherent value and their sense of possibility.

These were not ordinary teenagers. They were kids rescued from the garbage dumps of San Antonio where they slept, worked, and foraged for food to stave off hunger. Most had no future to look forward to other than more desolation and despair. Many had little or no education.

MWB has been working to bring joy and to empower struggling communities in refugee camps and poverty stricken areas around the world for about seven years. We perform magic shows, visit orphanages, and create gatherings to introduce kids to the possibility of rising above their circumstances. The experience of being part of this mission has filled my heart with happiness and gratitude.

While some of the kids I met still live below the poverty line, some like Juan, a joyful and intelligent young teenager, have begun to perform magic around their region, helping to bring joy to others in similar or worse straits. Juan sees the possibility of a real future; he dreams bigger dreams. And, as we all know, if you can dream it you can do it. The act of entertaining and inspiring his peers has raised his self esteem and his sense of possibility.

Before arriving in El Salvador, I was facing a difficult period in my life. I’d been floundering in my business trying to decide what was next for me and in my personal life, having just ended a relationship. I lacked a clear sense of purpose. After participating in this wonderful program, I became more hopeful, clearer about my vision, and generally more relaxed and peaceful.

I now realize that whenever I’m feeling small, unworthy, inconsequential, or empty, there’s one thing guaranteed to bring me back to center. That thing is giving. There’s nothing more powerful than the act of giving to foster a sense of worthiness and appreciation. When I give of my time, my financial bounty, my knowledge, or my wisdom, I come to realize my contribution; my reason for being.

There are times when we all forget who we are and what our value is in the world. When we give, we reconnect with our value and with the fact that, no matter how lacking we feel, there are others who can benefit from what we have to offer.

More importantly, giving breaks the feeling of isolation that accompanies depression, despondency, anxiety, and frustration. Giving rewards not only its recipient but its giver as well; not just with a feeling of pride but with a feeling of mutual regard and connection.

When clients ask me how to deal with emotional challenges, I recommend they make giving a central part of their lives. Often people make the excuse that they lack the resources to give. They’re too busy, too broke, too tired. But the laws of prosperity clearly dictate that the more you give, the more you receive. As you sow, so shall you reap. So, if you lack time, give your time. If you lack money, give your money. If you lack clarity, counsel someone in need of clarity.

This paradoxical approach will insure your success and will break the hold of your ego. Your ego lives in a world of lack and survival. It says, “Hold on tight to what you’ve got. If you give it away, you’ll have less and you won’t survive.” The truth is quite the opposite. If you give, you’ll have more. When one candle lights another, it isn’t diminished in the least, and the room becomes brighter.

Make the commitment to become a giver. Take the risk of giving what you lack most. Watch the feelings of gratitude and love arise within you. Watch your sense of joy and connection skyrocket. Watch your resources begin to grow. And watch your sense of calm and confidence increase as you come to experience the strange and mystical power of giving.