Giving can feel really good. But there are times that we can over-give. Or we can give in ways that are disruptive or disrespectful to those close to us and ourselves. We all have an internal limit, a sense of when and how we should give. This is influenced by the type of environments we grew up in, our environments today, and the social norms of these places and times. Some signs that we’ve over-extended ourselves might be: resentment for those you give to, feeling burnt out, losing your sense of self, feeling taken advantage of. To give is a beautiful thing. And as we pay attention to it, over time we can learn what are the right ways for us individually to give. Along that path there will likely be times of giving with an “ugh” feeling at the end; instead of the sense that you’ve spent your time well by contributing. A sign that you are improving with how you choose to give, is having less of the “ugh” experiences when you give, and more of a sense of having contributed in meaningful ways.
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