Do you give (i.e., money, time) to feel good about yourself or do you give so others feel good?

daisymae: Do you give (i.e., money, time) to feel good about yourself or do you give so others feel good?
What motivates you?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Brett D
I give what I can to people who need it because I truly believe in 1) Karma and 2) that the person you did something good for will pay it forward to someone else. If I was able to help someone then I am happy. As far as what motivates me personally, it is the fact that life is short. I’m already 22 and it feels like a flash. Do whatever you can or have to do to be happy because once you’re on your way outta this life, it’ll be too late.

Answer by Catherine E
It makes me feel good when I help others to feel good, so I guess the honest answer is both.

Answer by trinity
both….it is in giving that we receive

Answer by lme
I do so because I see a need that I can mee t. So I guess so others can feel good or loved.

Answer by Jett
I prefer volunteering, so I know my contribution has helped. I do it because that is when I’m the happiness.

Answer by tonks_op
I wait to see what no one else wants to do and if it is a genuine need then I do it because someone has to. I try to give because there is a need. It has nothing to do with anyone ‘feeling good’. One person can not do everything. If others will come forward and do it, fine. If no one else does, I will, if it is something that I am able to do, of course. Otherwise, I will find someone to do it.

Answer by gwhiz1052
If I can help anyone or bring happiness to them,that is what makes me feel good.

Answer by searcher
I get the biggest kick out of seeing the joy in a person’s face when I do something good for them. So, I do it because I want them to be happy. To me, it’s the challenge of finding something that will help them, not because I want them to praise me. In fact, I get embarrassed when someone says to me, “Oh you did such a nice thing” I want my blessings to be in heaven, not here on earth.

Answer by expertless
“it is more blessed to give than receive”. I would say some of both; mainly for others, but it does make me feel good, which is fine.

Answer by katie c
50/50

Answer by Poohcat1
To answer honestly, I would have to say both. My primary desire is to help others….but there is no question that it makes me feel good also. I like to make people happy.

Answer by KJ
I work with Cancer patients. Whether it’s my time, my shoulder, my ears, my money, or my car to get them to their chemo, I’ll do it. Not for me though. I see first hand what the chemo does to them. I see what the Cancer does to them and it amazes me every day how high spirited some of these people are.

And when I walk into work and find out that one of our patients passed away the night before, I know that even the littlest things that I did made their last few moments maybe a little less stressful.. I like to think that I bring some sort of sunshine to people who spend 8 hours a day in our clinic getting treated for a disease that ends up taking their lives anyways.

Added…now that I think about it, yeah, I guess you could say it’s partially for me. I’ve learned a lot from a lot of our patients. Life lessons from people who truly know what it’s like to know when you’re going to die. It makes me feel good to be a part of their limited days and I feel that I have become a better person jsut by being around Cancer patients.

Answer by shell answer man
Hey, great question. I used to think it was better to do things for a “pure” reason like to help others. But not any more. If doing good deeds makes you feel good, you owe it to yourself to feel good about it. Making anybody else happy or actually relieving their suffering is a crapshoot and it really depends on them “becoming” happy.

You can’t ever claim to own or cause the happiness of others – but you can own and cause your own.

Answer by Esther
A need that really touches me. An urging, perhaps of the spirit of God, to do something about it.