The Value of Giving of Yourself: Lessons from Tutoring by Lucia Venegas
There’s something timeless and universal about the idea of “giving of yourself.” It’s not about money or material things. It’s about offering your time, your patience, and your energy to lift others up. In classrooms, in communities, and in our daily lives, the act of showing up for someone else creates ripple effects that reach far beyond a single moment.
For Lucia Venegas, one of the clearest ways she’s experienced this has been through tutoring.
“I’ve learned that the value of giving of yourself is so much more than just helping someone in the moment; it changes both people. For me, tutoring has been one of the clearest ways I’ve experienced this,” she explained. “When I sit down with a nursing student who’s struggling in chemistry or anatomy, I’m not just going over formulas or terms with them. I’m trying to give them something bigger: confidence, clarity, and the reminder that they can do this. Seeing that look on someone’s face when things finally click is such a powerful reminder of why I love giving my time to others.”
Lucia’s words remind us that giving of yourself isn’t transactional: it’s transformational. A student who feels capable and supported is not just prepared to pass one test; they carry that confidence into every aspect of their journey.
“What’s special about giving of yourself is that it doesn’t stop in that moment,” she said. “When a student feels supported and capable, it carries forward into everything else they do. I’ve seen it change the way they approach other classes or the way they encourage their peers. When you pour into one person, it spreads far beyond what you can see.”
This ripple effect is the hidden magic of teaching, tutoring, and mentoring. By investing in one person, you invest in a community. Confidence multiplies. Hope multiplies. And leadership begins to grow in unexpected places.
But giving of yourself doesn’t just shape the person receiving help; it transforms the giver, too.
“At the same time, I’ve realized that giving of myself has shaped me just as much,” Lucia said. “Tutoring has taught me patience, empathy, and how to meet people exactly where they are. It’s made me a better communicator and has even deepened my own understanding of the material. More importantly, it’s shown me that leadership is about serving others and reminding them of their worth, not about being the one who knows it all.”
These lessons reach far beyond the classroom. They speak to the heart of what it means to be human: to lift others up, to grow alongside them, and to discover your own strengths in the process.
“When I think about giving of myself, I think of how tutoring has let me shine in a way that makes others shine too. That’s why it’s become one of the most meaningful parts of my college journey,” she said. “It’s not just about grades or classes, it’s about showing up for people and seeing how much that can change their story.”
Lucia’s journey through tutoring reflects a powerful truth: the act of giving of yourself is not one-sided. It is a shared exchange, a mutual transformation that benefits both the giver and the receiver. It’s a reminder that the most meaningful impact we make often comes not from grand gestures, but from the everyday decision to sit down, listen, and share what we know.