Generosity and Gusto!



As we were enjoying a fantabulous! Sunday morning breakfast at a local jaunt (Gusto) in South Perth this morning with family – I did go to Pilates first! – we took the time to consider together what we think generosity looks like:

My man, Mark, reflected to say, “I always see kindness as generosity. It’s giving of our time, giving space for people…”

My brother, Phil, recalled a time when he visited friends who were opening another great cafe in the area, Halo. He said, “I couldn’t do much to help but I had $10 on me so I bought a coffee and then tipped the rest to the kitty.” We talked about generosity not being defined by how much we had, but acknowledging what we did have in our hands, what we could do, and give a bit of that away.

My daughter, Tayla who is 10 years of age said, “It’s helping others and taking the time to do stuff for others and not just yourself. Even if its helping doing the washing up so it gives others time to do what they need to do.” I loved this.

For me I think generosity often comes down to believing the best in people, and giving people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their actions and motives. Obviously wisdom prevails here, but generosity towards others, especially those who are close to us; family, those we work and interact with can at times be difficult. Believe the best first, Penny. It’s something that is not always easy to choose but I believe all parties benefit if we can.



About Penny

Penny was born in England, raised in New Zealand, lived in America and settled in Perth, Australia. Together with her husband Mark, she is raising a teenage daughter and has twin twenty-something sons. "Coming home at the end of a solid working day to family and friends is my delight" says Penny, Co-author of the book – She’s Not Your Competition. She is a heart-felt communicator who believes in the power of a person’s story. Penny has over 25 years experience as a high level leader and spokesperson in both the private and non-profit sectors with significant public relations experience. She is currently the CEO of South Coastal Women's Health Services, and prior on the Leadership Teams of Rise Network and Riverview supporting people in areas of mental health, domestic and family violence, and children overseas at risk of exploitation. She holds an MBA and MBL, and is a Board Director for the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia. For the past 15 years she has provided pro-bono support as a mentor for leaders and consultant to not for profits. Penny’s personal life endeavour is a determination to "make life better not bitter".