Authentic Giving - Newsletter

The highest expression of love

A truly authentic gift comes with no strings attached. It is an act of selfless contribution inspired from a place of genuine love.

Yet how many of us have used our gifts as a means of validation or control?

In my past I have fallen into this form of unconscious giving. These motives can be very subtle and often hide beneath our conscious awareness.

But what’s the big deal? Why does it matter as long as someone is given a gift?

There is a hidden power within an authentic gift that is lost otherwise. This power extends far beyond what anyone could do to manipulate a situation.

When the receiver of an authentic gift is moved by this genuine contribution they are given the opportunity to transform this energy into a ripple effect that impacts others. Now it has become a viral transmission of selfless love with unlimited potential.

The act of authentic giving aligns the individual with this hidden power that amplifies the bounty and blessings of life. Over and over again.

Photo by Erol Ahmed

And yet for some people the act of giving is a form of debt they use to imprison another. Their gifts serve as social contracts they use to manipulate their relationships and serve their own interests.

On a global scale this manipulative behaviour is amplified accurately in John Perkins book, “Confessions of an Economic Hitman”. The seemingly noble loans of money from the International Monetary Fund to developing countries are the ultimate form of control as Mr. Perkins explains in his book.

We seek to conquer the injustices of the world but fail to see the roots of these atrocities in our own lives. We sow these same seeds of inauthentic giving with expectations and social pressures in order to achieve our own selfish desires. It only makes sense that if we collectively practice this manipulative behaviour, that those with the money and power to amplify this disfunction would do so as well.

Photo by fikry anshor

So how do we give authentically?

We must separate our own wants and desires from those whom with we wish to contribute to. We must see our receiver as whole and complete and not someone who we must save. We must listen and learn what exactly is needed in the moment of contribution. We must give from an inspired place without attachment to outcome or reciprocation.

Empower your gifts with authenticity and allow them to multiply organically throughout our world.

Give yourself the space to witness what comes up for you in the moment of contribution. Are you feeling social pressure to contribute? Maybe you have expectations of validation or significance in the eyes of others? Are you giving as a way to avoid acknowledging yourself and the love you so desperately need?

This was what I uncovered for myself. I urgently wanted to feel worthy of being loved that I would give endlessly to others in hopes they would give to me what I only could give myself. This unconscious desire for acceptance and love infused itself into my generosity, making it unsustainable over the long term and led to an eventual burnout.

Taking the time to witness yourself during the act of giving will enable you to see any unconscious patterns that may emerge. This will then allow you to simply address what needs to be unified and balanced within yourself. Finally having the understanding of what was tainting any generosity in the past, you will be empowered to give more authentically each and every day.

Photo by Marta Matyszczyk (I love pomegranates)

What might need to change for you to give more authentically?

---

New Podcast Episode!

I am blessed to share with you all my interview with The Honourable Brian Peckford. He is a prime example of someone who has stepped off into the unknown and carved his own unique path in life. Mr. Peckford is the last living architect of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He has had many accomplishments and contributions to Canadians as a former premier of Newfoundland and also as a former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. My favourite part of our conversation was learning exactly what it takes to turn our communities and ultimately our country around. I am so honoured to have had him on the podcast. I hope you can feel his honesty, sincerity and his love for humanity.

---

You can now read my newsletter and that of many others from the new Substack app!

---

Thanks for reading my latest issue of my newsletter. If you’re not yet subscribed you can do so by clicking below! Every Tuesday I also send out a new piece of writing with a video as well for the paid subscribers.

Continued Blessings,

Graham