The Three Gs: Gratitude, Giving and Generosity
The Three Gs: Gratitude, Giving, and Generosity
( Jenni Wright 2008
How do you feel when someone gives you a gift? In particular remember a gift that you have really wanted, or a gift that has been handmade. Or how do you feel when you receive a gift from a child that they have lovingly prepared for you?
If you say that you “feel warm and fuzzy”, that you “feel good inside”, that’s a part of your brain that feels enjoyment or joy. Scientists have discovered that “feeling good” in such a way increases the levels of serotonin in the body. Serotonin has a part in mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality, and appetite. Serotonin may also promote cell regeneration.
What is even more interesting is that scientists have also found that these same feelings can occur when you give gifts, not only when you receive them. And, seeing someone else enjoying an occasion can produce the same feelings – how else do you explain getting so involved in movies, especially happy endings?
6seconds, the emotional intelligence network, has a model that is in 3 main parts (called actions or pursuits), Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, and Give Yourself. In particular I would like to focus on the Give Yourself pursuit.
When examining the Give Yourself actions, you can ask yourself some questions. For those who keep a journal, write the answers to the questions in it. If you don’t already keep a journal, you might like to consider writing the answers in your diary or a notebook for further reflection. Here are the questions.
Give Yourself
* Am I leaving a legacy of good?
* Am I healing or hurting?
* Do I live the golden rule?
* Will I die knowing I lived well?
The questions require of you some thinking about how things are going for you and those around you at the moment. How are your relationships at home and work? Are they lacking a certain something at the moment? Digging deeper to answer these questions for yourself may provide some clues for
( Jenni Wright 2008
How do you feel when someone gives you a gift? In particular remember a gift that you have really wanted, or a gift that has been handmade. Or how do you feel when you receive a gift from a child that they have lovingly prepared for you?
If you say that you “feel warm and fuzzy”, that you “feel good inside”, that’s a part of your brain that feels enjoyment or joy. Scientists have discovered that “feeling good” in such a way increases the levels of serotonin in the body. Serotonin has a part in mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality, and appetite. Serotonin may also promote cell regeneration.
What is even more interesting is that scientists have also found that these same feelings can occur when you give gifts, not only when you receive them. And, seeing someone else enjoying an occasion can produce the same feelings – how else do you explain getting so involved in movies, especially happy endings?
6seconds, the emotional intelligence network, has a model that is in 3 main parts (called actions or pursuits), Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, and Give Yourself. In particular I would like to focus on the Give Yourself pursuit.
When examining the Give Yourself actions, you can ask yourself some questions. For those who keep a journal, write the answers to the questions in it. If you don’t already keep a journal, you might like to consider writing the answers in your diary or a notebook for further reflection. Here are the questions.
Give Yourself
* Am I leaving a legacy of good?
* Am I healing or hurting?
* Do I live the golden rule?
* Will I die knowing I lived well?
The questions require of you some thinking about how things are going for you and those around you at the moment. How are your relationships at home and work? Are they lacking a certain something at the moment? Digging deeper to answer these questions for yourself may provide some clues for