The power of giving (book by Azim Jamal & Harvey McKinnon)

Giving creates a symbiotic relationship; it benefits both parties. The recipients benefit from your gift. And you benefit personally by virtue of having been a giver. Sometimes it is easy to see the immediate benefits to those you help. Other times, the ultimate benefits of your action may occur many years in the future. What ever your gift, your time, your money, or effort will have a positive impact. The other side of the equation is the benefits to you. They may be visible and immediate, or they may be intangible and delayed. You may not even recognize them as benefits. You may gain a tax deduction. You may feel great about your ability to help. You may receive heartfelt thanks. What ever form the benefits take, giving brings meaning to your life. When you give, you have a chance to make an incredible impact during and often beyond your life. And when you give without expecting a return, you reap even more benefits.

True giving begins with love. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and when we love, we are in touch with our basic and most fundamental human need. Love is something all people need, no matter their background, culture or faith. Many people grow up in difficult circumstances, and almost everyone at one time or another has suffered emotional wounds, dashed hopes, or the loss of love. All people are complicated, and as they try to make their way in the world, sometimes they offend you, hurt you, ignore you, or lack compassion for you. You have probably caused the same emotional pain to others, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes not. This is why giving the gifts of compassion, understanding, and unconditional love is so important. It helps to break the negative cycle in relationships and leads to a revival of love and commitment because when people receive love, they learn to give love. Almost every week you'll hear the word love used in ways that distort its real meaning and power. Remember; "love is a verb." It's not passive. When you give love, you receive love. Real love is is an example of how giving and receiving are so intertwined. True love is selfless. Its free and liberated. Love is timeless, and deep love continues to live even after our death. Forgiving people for past mistakes and hurts is also a way to express love, and forgiveness is a wonderful thing to give. Like you, other people are only imperfect humans.

There is much sadness in the world, but there are also unlimited ways to make a positive difference. You can gain tremendous benefits from giving. Among these benefits are new friends, a feeling of security, better health, happiness and a sense of pride. You are at your best when you make a difference and contribute. You need only so much as an individual to be happy. Therefore, to live your potential and create abundance, you need to do something larger than yourself - thus the need to give. What can you give?

* Love

* Laughter

* Knowledge

*Leadership

* Hope

* Life

* Time

* Money

* Skills

* Health

* Touch

* Attention

*Advice

Being kind is the simplest way to become who we really are. To find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others. 

All or Nothing

First I thought all or nothing is a bad thing and life sould not be a battle like that. But it is... It is all or nothing.. There is no half-way freedom - you're either a prisoner or a free man. Either you eat or you starve to death. Either you love or you don't. You're life is about you, what makes you happy, you follow that path. No one ever goes to a place where they know they can't be happy or where they get hurt, you avoid it. When you do what you want and what you love, you do it with all or nothing mindset. You make it happen, you dedicate yourself to that, you don't just let it go, you want to fight for it. To me, All or nothing is not using the ESC-button when it doesn't work, it's the opposite. It's putting yourself on the line, jumping off the edge, taking the leap. You have so little time here so why hold back and play it safe. "I want to, but.." well, then no you don't. If you want to, if you love, you make it happen. There are no "but´s" in doing, doubting isn't part of wanting to make it happen and dedicating yourself to your life. 

Live your life with everything you have. Take the leap. Go and say you love someone if you do, quit your job and travel if you want to, move out of that place where you're not happy with yourself, say yes or no - lose the i don't knows and maybes when it's about 'do you want to', there will always be a way to make it happen, open your eyes and see it. And yes, you're going to make mistakes but you are going to do those anyways, playing it safe doesn't take them away. Remember that you are the one who loses the game if you don't truly play it. Play your game, live your life. Don't fall in to the pit of misery, unhappiness and decisions made for you. You make yourself happy, no one else can do that for you. You can be happy with someone but the ultimate happiness is you in you.