29. The Healing Power of Giving in Midlife

In this heart-centered Giving Tuesday episode of Midlife and Glowing, Alicia and Nicole explore the profound emotional, physical, and energetic benefits of giving—especially in midlife, when purpose, connection, and meaning become more essential than ever.

From micro-moments of kindness to honoring loved ones through giving traditions, this episode is a reminder that generosity isn’t about the size of the gesture—it’s about the love behind it. And in midlife, giving from overflow (not depletion) becomes one of the most powerful ways to elevate your mood, your energy, and your wellbeing.

If you’re craving more purpose, more connection, or simply a feel-good reset, this episode will leave your heart glowing.

⏱️ Episode Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Welcome & Why Giving Tuesday Matters
00:30 The Power of Giving in Midlife
01:40 Brain Science: Joy, Dopamine, Oxytocin & Stress Relief
04:00 The Ripple Effect of Kindness
05:00 Small Acts That Shift Someone’s Entire Day
06:00 Practical Ways to Give (Time, Presence, Energy)
07:00 Giving Without Burnout: Overflow vs. Depletion
12:00 The Heart of Humble, Quiet Generosity
15:00 Teaching Kids Gratitude & Community Support
16:30 The Contagious Effect of Witnessing Kindness
19:00 Mother Teresa’s Wisdom on Small Acts With Great Love
21:00 How to Participate in Giving Tuesday
21:30 Final Reflections & Weekly Challenge

📌 Resources
✨ The Daily Glow Rituals Guide → https://stan.store/thedailyglowlife/p/daily-glow-rituals-guide

Transcript

Alicia 0:00

Hey there. Welcome back to Midlife and Glowing. I'm Alicia.

Nicole 0:03

And I'm Nicole, and since today is giving Tuesday, we wanted to dedicate today's episode to something that feels really aligned with this season, and with everything we talk about here, the power of giving.

Alicia 0:14

Yes, this is one of those topics that really hits home, especially in midlife. It's so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day: family, work responsibilities, and we forget that one of the greatest sources of joy, purpose, and even health, comes from giving.

Nicole 0:28

Giving Tuesday started back in 2012 as a global movement to encourage generosity, not just donations, but giving your time, your energy, your presence, and that really fits what we talk about so often, living intentionally from a place of purpose and overflow.

Alicia 0:44

Okay, so let's start here. why does giving matter so much in this season of life?

Nicole 0:49

Midlife is this incredible and sometimes complicated chapter. It's a time when we start asking deeper questions. What do I want my life to stand for? What kind of impact am I making? And giving, in whatever form, helps us reconnect with that sense of meaning and contribution.

Alicia 1:06

Yes. And I think a lot of women listening probably feel that tug, the kids are getting older, maybe you're transitioning careers or you're just craving something deeper. Giving gives us that. It's we shift from achievement to fulfillment.

Nicole 1:21

Yeah, and it's not just emotional. There's a whole body of research showing that generosity actually changes your biology. Studies show that acts of kindness activate the same reward centers in the brain that light up when you experience joy or love, specifically the ventral striatum and the medial prefrontal cortex.

Alicia 1:40

And it's good for your heart too. A 2013 study in health psychology found that people who regularly volunteered had lower blood pressure And longer lifespans. And another in psychological science found that even thinking about giving can trigger a dopamine and oxytocin response. The same chemicals that lower stress and boost happiness.

Nicole 2:01

It's the perfect example of what we mean when we say the body, mind, and spirit are connected. Giving isn't just good for the soul, it's medicine for your body.

Alicia 2:09

and I think this quote by Picasso really fits well into this conversation. The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.

Nicole 2:20

I love that one. Let's talk about this from an energetic standpoint too, because giving is one of the highest vibrational frequencies we can operate in. It's right up there with gratitude and love

Alicia 2:31

Yes. And when you think about it, giving and gratitude are really two sides of the same coin. When you give, you're expressing abundance. You're saying, I have enough to share, and that instantly raises your own energy.

Nicole 2:43

That That is so true about giving and gratitude being two sides of the same coin. Gratitude is literally the reason I started donating to Tunnel To Towers. That organization, I saw one of their commercials and was like, oh my gosh, okay. You know, $11 a month is the least I can do to show my gratitude to the service men and women that protect our country and you know, just give of themselves so freely to protect our freedom. So I'm so grateful for what they do, and that was really the driver for choosing to give to that organization. When you give from a place of joy and gratitude, not obligation, it amplifies that energy in your body and in the world around you. There's even research from the HeartMath Institute showing that emotions like love, care, and appreciation, create measurable coherence in your heart's electromagnetic field yield.

Alicia 3:35

That's amazing. So when you talk about raising your vibration, this is it in real life, your energy affects the energy of the people around you.

Nicole 3:43

Right. Giving isn't just something you do, it's something you emit. Here's a great example of how it can raise someone's vibration. When I was reading the book signs, my cousin randomly sent me a Monarch Grow kit at a time when I was in a more emotional state and in a place of grieving and was kind of seeking signs, and her act of giving came at just the right time to lift me up and a few weeks later I then sent her a deck of Bible affirmation cards and she said in her message that that came at a time when she really needed it. So you know, the things that you do for someone, whether they're little or big, can have a really significant impact on someone else's vibration, frequency, energy, just how they feel, and that can make a big difference for them.

Alicia 4:30

Yes, definitely. And that leads us into the next point, that giving has this beautiful ripple effect. You never know how one small act of kindness will travel.

Nicole 4:40

There's research that backs this up too. Studies show that when people witness an act of kindness, their own oxytocin levels rise. It's called moral elevation. Basically, generosity is contagious.

Alicia 4:51

And it can be a simple act like buying the person behind you in line a coffee or sending a friend a random thinking of you text those things stick with people. They shift the tone of the day, not just for you, but for everyone that energy touches.

Nicole 5:06

And you never know what someone's carrying. A small gesture might be the thing that restores someone's hope or makes them feel seen.

Alicia 5:13

and that's what I love about this topic. It's not about how much you give, it's about the intention behind it.

Nicole 5:19

Okay, so let's get practical for a minute. Because giving doesn't have to be complicated. It can fit naturally into your life.

Alicia 5:26

Start with your time and energy. Call a friend who's going through something. Offer to help a neighbor. Listen without distraction. Those kinds of gifts don't cost anything, but they matter so much.

Nicole 5:37

Volunteer somewhere that lights you up. A woman's shelter, an animal rescue, a local food pantry. Studies show volunteering just two hours a week can lower depression and boost life satisfaction.

Alicia 5:48

And if you're able to give financially, look for causes that align with your heart. Even small reoccurring donations add up.

Nicole 5:55

And it doesn't have to be financial. Even donating blood is a great way to give you literally could save someone's life. And then give through connection. Invite someone new to coffee, compliment a stranger. Smile at the person behind the counter. Connection is giving and it changes both people.

Alicia 6:11

It honestly is the easiest way to bring light into the world, one small act at a time.

Nicole 6:16

So let's take a quick little science detour because this is where it gets fascinating. There's a 2017 study in Nature communications that showed just thinking about giving activated the meso limbic reward system in the brain. That's your brain's joy center.

Alicia 6:31

So even the intention to give starts a positive chemical chain reaction?

Nicole 6:35

Yeah exactly. It raises dopamine, lowers inflammation, and strengthens your immune system. There's even evidence that generosity helps regulate blood pressure and boosts lifespan.

Alicia 6:46

That's wild giving literally helps you live longer.

Nicole 6:49

Yeah. It's like nature's built in reward system for compassion.

Alicia 6:53

Okay, so let's bring this home for a lot of midlife women, giving can start to feel heavy, like one more thing to do, especially if you spent years taking care of everyone else.

Nicole 7:03

And that's such an important distinction. There's a difference between overgiving from depletion and giving from abundance. When you're constantly pouring from an empty cup, it leads to burnout, but when you give from a full heart, it replenishes you.

Alicia 7:17

Exactly giving should feel energizing, not exhausting. So, if you're listening and you're in a season where you feel drained, your job right now is to fill your own cup first and then let your overflow be what you share.

Nicole 7:30

When you're aligned, your giving becomes more powerful because it's backed by presence and intention and doesn't feel like a chore or something else you have to do.

Alicia 7:38

You know, growing up this was modeled to us daily. our dad was someone that would give you the shirt off his back. You know, you always said that, like when we described your dad, if he would give the shirt off your back, you know, if someone was on the side of the road flat tire or something, he would always stop. If somebody was in the ditch, he would pull them out. And I know you're not supposed to anymore, but you know, back in the day you were able to. Help people more without it being nefarious or like, oh,

Nicole 8:09

Yeah.

Alicia 8:10

whatever. So he was, and he didn't stop though, like he still would always pull over if somebody was on the side of the road, if somebody was in need. He modeled that daily, and he was very humble about it.

Nicole 8:22

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 8:23

Both of our brothers wrestled, but I believe this was one of our brothers teammate, that he wrestled with that didn't have the proper gear. He couldn't afford it and. They went and got him the gear, but he told our brother just to put it in his locker. He didn't wanna be recognized for that. It was just something that he felt good about doing

Nicole 8:45

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 8:45

would do it. You know, he didn't want the plaque, he didn't want, you know, all of that recognition or attention on him. In fact, he didn't like attention.

Nicole 8:55

Yeah. his response, if you ever thanked him for something that he did for you, his response was always just thank the good Lord we could do it. It was like he didn't, he wasn't taking all of the credit for it. He was, he was giving the credit away even so in that he was still in the spirit of giving in that regard. Yeah. You mentioned he'd, you know, take. People out of the ditch and stuff. There were several, several times growing up where my friends ended up needing his help and I remember one time it was winter and it was like the middle of the night and he came, he pulled my friend out of the ditch and no complaints. No, no nothing about it. It was like, you know, the attitude that he had when he did that kind of stuff was always. Joyful. Like, you know, he, he did, he

Alicia 9:43

He's happy to help. Like genuinely happy to help.

Nicole 9:47

Yeah. And you would think in a situation like that, you know, you're woken up in the middle of the night in the winter, I mean, in the winter especially, you know, you just wanted to like hibernate. I don't know. I wouldn't be super grateful for someone getting me out of bed in, in, uh, winter to go pull him out of the ditch. But he was just, he had the best attitude. And definitely was, you know, had that giving with a, open heart or a full heart.

Alicia 10:10

in a sincere way, like

Nicole 10:12

Yeah.

Alicia 10:12

not make you feel guilty for needing the help

Nicole 10:14

Right,

Alicia 10:15

you know, anything like that. I had a friend that told me, you know, when your dad asks me how I'm doing, he genuinely wants to know, because that's something that you are like, oh, hey, how you doing?

Nicole 10:27

and you're

Alicia 10:28

kind of like, don't even listen to the person's answer. You know? I, I think a lot of us are guilty of that.

Nicole 10:34

Yeah.

Alicia 10:35

But she said he genuinely wants to know and you know, and it kind of made me think like that's something that people notice,

Nicole 10:44

Yeah. And that is a gift. What a gift. You know, like talking about giving like that is a gift, giving someone your undivided attention and your care.

Alicia 10:54

Mm-hmm.

Nicole 10:54

actually caring what they have to say. Caring what the response is, Sorry friends, if you can hear like construction, our neighbors are, putting an addition on their house, so there might be some extra noises in this episode.

Alicia 11:08

Keeping it real here.

Nicole 11:09

That's right.

Alicia 11:10

Construction and outside noises do happen. You might hear some noises in my background too. I got. my kids are home for lunch. so that's just what

Nicole 11:20

it happens. Yeah, here's another example of how much giving meant to dad. I truly believe that he held on to his ability to speak until he gave, he had certain things that he wanted to give to certain people before he passed away, and there was a day where some of the extended family got to come over and everything, and he made sure he got the things that he wanted to give to them, to them. After that day, he no longer was verbal and I actually really, I could see how important that was to him and I, I think that kept him hanging on to that ability to do that until he was able to give those things to the people that he wanted to.

Alicia 12:04

Yeah, I agree. another example I just was am thinking of now is, you know, when your kids are in sporting activities, there's always a fundraiser going on. There's

Nicole 12:14

Oh yeah.

Alicia 12:15

for raising money. You know, it can get quite frustrating and annoying as parents of the athletes 'cause it's like you pay so much to have your kids participate and then you're constantly fundraising. Like, oh, buy this, buy that. And it, you know, it gets a little, awkward, I would say.

Nicole 12:34

Yeah.

Alicia 12:34

But one year they were making a big push to pay off something. It was during the hockey season and know, my kids were playing high school hockey and they were trying to get rid of like the locker room debt or something. So they had like $5,000 they needed to raise. And you know, we were talking to Dad about it and he's like, let me see what I can do. Cause we were, you know, like all a little frustrated, like, oh, I feel like we were just, you know, we had sold cookies already and now we have to, you know, raise cash. And it just got, he's like, let me see what I can do. So, you know, he called me later. He is like, I spoke to, you know, several friends and they're willing to donate, you know, X amount to the cause and. He's like, and Dad donated also, and he's like, and I don't want anyone to know that I donated or that I was behind getting these other donations. But all I ask is that after you get the donation, a handful of the hockey team goes into these businesses. Go in and see these folks that donated and shake their hand, look 'em in the eye and tell 'em how grateful and thankful that you are that they helped fundraise the money that they needed, so, you know, he didn't want anyone to acknowledge that he had donated, but he wanted to make sure that the donations that he did gather, that they got recognition. So that was a good lesson too for those young kids to see, you know, like this person donated to you, they care enough about, you know, someone on the team or, you know, whatever it is,

Nicole 14:15

I love this story.

Alicia 14:16

Yeah, so it was really neat. And the hockey manager, she's a mom absolutely amazing. Like that is another person that is so generous with her time and energy and, you know, when you're with her you think, gosh, how can I give more? You know, like she's that

Nicole 14:35

Yeah. Yeah.

Alicia 14:36

amazing. But she took it one step further. And had like a, i, I think it was like a plaque with like the team picture on it to like really go above and beyond and tell them how grateful that we were for their donations. So

Nicole 14:53

Oh, I love that.

Alicia 14:55

such a cool lesson too for the boys, as I said. And You know, and I felt like really good about that too, you know, and like these kids, you know, and I think our point in bringing these up is just to give examples and it doesn't always have to be financial

Nicole 15:09

Right, Or big. right. Or big. Yeah.

Alicia 15:13

you know, like now, nowadays it's a little bit more, scary to pull over on the side of the road for somebody. But you

Nicole 15:21

Right.

Alicia 15:21

what I've done is. I'll kind of pull over, not really close, but just have my window half down and say, Hey, I probably can't help you with anything with your vehicle, but I can call someone if You need. You know, and

Nicole 15:34

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 15:34

of do it that way.

Nicole 15:35

Right.

Alicia 15:36

But now you definitely have to be more careful.

Nicole 15:38

for sure.

Alicia 15:39

But, in today's world, I think we need more Johns in the world.

Nicole 15:43

I agree thousand percent.

Alicia 15:45

Mm-hmm.

Nicole 15:46

It makes a difference. It really does. And it's contagious. It feels good. And like we brought up in this episode, even just witnessing someone doing that act of kindness, like you said, it made you feel good to, you know, witness all of that happen. And I think probably on both sides, on, dad's, you know, generosity and then also from the standpoint of the team manager making sure that gratitude, you know, was, was given and expressed too. it makes a difference. It affects so many people. It really does have that ripple effect

Alicia 16:19

Absolutely. and

Nicole 16:21

it,

Alicia 16:21

thing that I was just thinking about actually, Dad was an avid woodworker. That

Nicole 16:27

oh, you, oh yeah.

Alicia 16:27

of his, he loved woodworking. Um, especially turning, so like making bowls or urns or, you know, whatever it was. He loved turning, he loved spending time in his workshop. You know, it was something growing up that he, you know, if he had some spare time, he'd go up there, but he always had us come up there with him too, you know, so he'd teach us, and, you know, we were probably more work, than not, but it, he made sure that he shared his love, and passion with us.

Nicole 16:57

Yeah.

Alicia 16:58

know, as we all had. gotten outta the house. You know, we all moved out. He actually took on, so there's a, I think probably most, most cities have them stem schools, so that it's not like traditional school. It's more of like a, a hands-on school learning environment. They had, I don't even know how, how the connection had been made.

Nicole 17:21

Yeah.

Alicia 17:22

was retired at that time and they reached out to see if he would be willing to let some of the students come up to his workshop and learn from him.

Nicole 17:32

Yeah.

Alicia 17:32

he did. He had some of those students come to his workshop, he'd teach them. He'd spend time with them, share his patience. Share his passion. And that really meant a lot to those kids, and it meant a lot to him.

Nicole 17:46

Yeah, right. It goes

Alicia 17:48

example of sharing your creativity. It doesn't need to cost anything.

Nicole 17:53

Your expertise, your knowledge, your, your passions. And those are the things your passions you know, those are fun to share. He, he totally enjoyed sharing anything that he was excited about. And, I think that's a really great way to give, because that truly is like, you know, that example of giving from your overflow, giving from a really aligned place when you're really passionate about something, you wanna share it. And, yeah, it's a, that's a beautiful thing. I love it.

Alicia 18:20

It really is.

Nicole 18:22

And another way that we use the spirit of giving and we honor him is mom actually, after he passed, she had the idea of every Christmas giving to some organization or individual or somebody that needed it in his honor to honor his legacy and the spirit of giving that he had. And she wanted to do that and each year one of us kids chooses who that donation goes to. So that's kind of another way that we use the spirit of giving and also honor dad and keep him as part of our family holiday tradition, and also use it as a way to do something that he was always doing.

Alicia 19:04

Mm-hmm. You know, he was also someone that was always willing to lend you a tool. You know, anything that he had, he didn't give things a lot of, you know, time and importance.

Nicole 19:18

Right. Yeah. Yeah.

Alicia 19:20

that he was, you know, like. Tied to. So

Nicole 19:23

Right.

Alicia 19:24

a tool and if I never got it back, you know, it is what it is. But you know, he definitely held people in the utmost importance, not things.

Nicole 19:35

Another really great example of someone that really lived by the principle of giving was Mother Theresa, right? And she, one of the things that she taught was that generosity is measured not by the size of the gift, but by the love with which it is given.

Alicia 19:53

love that

Nicole 19:54

She said, not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love. And I think that's, you know, a really great point too that we've touched on is it doesn't have to be this massive, you know, financial thing or a really humongous gesture. Even just smiling at someone that looks like they could use a smile is a really great example of a small thing that, you know, with great love that makes a big difference.

Alicia 20:23

What is that saying? Is it Dolly Parton? Something about Give him your smile.

Nicole 20:28

Oh yeah. Dolly Parton said, if you see someone without a smile, Give them one of yours.

Alicia 20:34

I

Nicole 20:34

I love that. I love her. I mean, she's just, she's another one with just like, what a positive, wonderful person. Hmm. Love

Alicia 20:44

we're,

Nicole 20:44

it.

Alicia 20:44

We're talking about positive, wonderful people, uh, Betty White, I think we were just talking

Nicole 20:49

Oh yeah.

Alicia 20:49

other day, like, oh my gosh, Spitfire just love her

Nicole 20:53

Such a great sense of humor. So, witty.

Alicia 20:57

Yes. And smiles for days. So as we wrap this up, giving Tuesday is one day, but generosity really is a way of life.

Nicole 21:05

And as we've said, it doesn't have to look big or fancy. The smallest acts matter. It could be donating to a cause, sharing your time, or just spreading kindness in your everyday life.

Alicia 21:16

And if you wanna take part in the Giving Tuesday movement, check out Giving tuesday.org. There are tons of ideas for ways to give back into your community.

Nicole 21:25

and let's leave you with this reminder from Winston Churchill. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Alicia 21:33

This week we challenge you to do one intentional act of giving big or small, and notice how it changes your energy, your mood, and your connection for the world around you.

Nicole 21:43

And if you wanna share it with us, drop us a message on TikTok or YouTube at midlife and glowing. We'd love to celebrate that ripple effect with you.

Alicia 21:51

Because when women get from a place of joy, the world glows a little brighter.

Nicole 21:55

We will see you next week, and until then, keep glowing and keep giving.