The Secret to Making Memories More Meaningful

Would you give away your most precious possession? Something that held tremendous meaning and personal value to you?

Giving things away can be a meaningful and fulfilling experience, especially when giving is done to help others or positively impact the world. Whether it is your expertise, time, or something tangible, giving is a powerfully positive experience for the giver. Here are a few ways that you might find meaning in giving things away:

1. Purpose: Giving can create a sense of meaning in your life by allowing you to contribute to something larger than yourself.

2. Connection: Giving can help you connect with others and build relationships by showing your care and support.

3. Emotional well-being: Giving can bring joy and happiness to both the person receiving the gift and the person giving it.

4. Gratitude: It can be a way to express appreciation for all you have received in your own life.

5. Lasting memory: Giving can be a way to honor or memorialize someone special to you.

Finding meaning in giving can be a personal and subjective experience, and what brings meaning to one person may not for another.

For one woman, parting with her engagement ring to fund meaningful causes brought her pleasure beyond the piece of jewelry. The New York Times covered the generous donation—raised by auction of the gem—to fund humanitarian support efforts in Ukraine. The donor knew her act of giving would help change the world in a way that mattered beyond what she could have done by volunteering.

The ring had personal significance, but she felt the philanthropy would also be meaningful to her late husband, who had given her the ring. She consulted him in her mind, talking about the ring, which had its own rich history, and remembering the whirlwind engagement—and now the profound impact of the joint donation of her most precious possession. Her loving memories of her husband deepened with the connected gesture.

Source: Photo by Jasmine Carter: Pexels

"'Tis better to give than to receive" rings true, whether giving time, expertise, or possessions. We have the urge to engage in giving once we reach midlife, as Erik Erikson's developmental theory suggests. And giving comes in many forms. You don't need to auction a 1.2 million dollar ring to reap the emotional rewards; any form of giving will do!