I’m not a proponent of Christianity or other organized religions. But the concept behind the “Golden Rule” is quite sound.

I truly believe that when we heap goodness and blessings on others we are directly tending to our own wellbeing. When we give others exactly the kind of love and treatment we want for ourselves we set into motion a vibration that impacts not only the life of our recipient, but also our lives.

There truly is no scarcity. Letting someone else take the last piece of pie, giving a homeless man your last dollar, or  letting a partner take credit for her part of the project without stepping in and tooting your own horn are all destined to benefit both giver and receiver.

When have you truly given from a center of love and not received back many times what you gave?

The media preaches scarcity and we often find it easy to buy this. We become scared of having too little or of the well running dry, so we start to horde our blessings.

This is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.

And giving is about more than money and materials. We can do great good in the world by giving a smile, a hug, or loving thoughts.

Furthermore, as entrepreneurs we give by putting our hearts into our products and services. Yes we receive a fee in exchange for these gifts but because we labor in love the buyer is fully blessed by our efforts.

Giving makes the world go around. And giving is the ultimate source of abundance and satisfaction.

Too often we refrain from sharing and giving because we want to be  sure we have enough for tomorrow. But the truth is we only need to plan for this moment.

Many of the cells in our body carry only enough fuel and oxygen for three seconds of life. We should learn to trust and flow in this manner.

I’m not saying it’s bad to plan and save for the future. But do it and then let go; don’t become obsessed with having enough for later because right now is all we really ever have.

The true pinnacle of spiritual living is embracing the present moment with the whole of our being. Living here and now with no concern for the past or future is the ultimate freedom.

We either live from the center of fear or the center of love. When we fear, we fail to give and share and justify this by saying there may not be enough to last until the end of the month.

When we live in love, we are happy to share with those around us because we know we can never ever run out of good things. Imagine a wolrd if more people gave freely with no fear.

The current and manufactured “recession” can only have a real impact if people become fearful and stop spending money. If this happens there will be much suffering.

But if people refuse to be afraid and continue to circulate money joyfully, there will continue to be more than enough to go around. Whenever you pay money for a product or service, think of this as circulating wealth, not as spending anything.

The money we share and circulate will always come back to us in many forms. And it’s such a joy to help the greater good by circulating our money through many different avenues.

The more you give, the more you in turn receive. This is part of the law of abundance and I challenge you to put it to the test.

The symbiosis of giving and receiving lies at the heart of what we call life. And your role on either side of this interaction can open doors to amazing new opportunities.

By giving to others without expecting a return we make the world a better place. You could give food to the needy, give time to someone who needs to talk, give love to a stranger on the street through a smile, give value to your customers by over-delivering on your promises, or whatever the case may be.

This open transfer of energy attracts like activity from those around us and the Universe itself. By giving freely you vibrate generosity and life tends to give freely back to you.

On the other side of the coin, being a good receiver not only allows you to benefit from the kindness of the world, it allows others to experience the joy of giving. This part of the equation is often missed.

Most people will actually argue with someone who wants to give them something. How many times have you refused to allow someone else to pay for your lunch, for instance?

Not long ago I was in line at the grocery store. I saw two men in line. One fellow kindly threw his friend’s bag of candy on the counter and paid for it.

Instead of being thankful, the fellow on the receiving end began to argue. Despite his friend’s insistence that he relax and just take the candy, this fellow threw his money on the counter and left the store.

Not only did this gentleman make an ass of himself over a bag of candy, he deprived his friend of the joy of giving. Perhaps more importantly, he vibrated strongly from a place of non-receiving.

I happen to know the guy who was miffed by his friend’s attempt to buy his candy. He works hard on a construction crew and will never make more money than what his boss decides he is worth.

And if his attitude toward life is anything like what he displayed in the store that day he is NOT open to receiving more than what he currently has. This is so critical - I hope the reader grasps the value of my point!

Being a good receiver is a must if you really plan to live an abundant life. If you make a point to decline the generosity of others you are saying to divinity “I do not want more.”

Whether it’s an offer to buy your bag of candy, a compliment about the way you look, or an invitation to get in front of somebody at the checkout line, be a good receiver and take the gift!

I believe a balance is needed between giving and taking. And I believe people who are happily ready to do both (give and receive) will always be more prosperous than people who are either stingy and won’t give or insecure and won’t receive.