It may not be Christmas, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the perfect time for giving. More and more research shows that when you give to others, you actually benefit. I know, it seems silly to even say that, every knows that the giving is the gift itself. If that’s the case, then why are so many of us unhappy? Why are so many people sick, obese, having drug overdoses, suicides, early deaths? It’s a shame to bare witness to wonderful people who leave our earth too soon. What’s equally frustrating is watching someone be unfulfilled, unhappy and not reach their potential during their life. Life is truly a gift and it’s a shame to watch people waste it. In the last month, I’ve had two dear friends loose their lives in their late 40’s. Both could have been avoided with proper care.
It is amazing what a little gift can do. In fact, a study showed that giving actually released oxytocin, the pleasure hormone that is released during sex. Not a bad benefit if you ask me. Another study showed that 120 out of 136 countries surveyed, people who donated to charities reported greater satisfaction with life. In a UnitedHealth Group survey of people who volunteered within the previous year, 78% felt less stressed, 76% felt physically healthier, and 94% said volunteering improves their mood. The list goes on, the benefits are widely known and it’s simply one other way to add to our happiness.
In Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Stephen Post writes that those who were known to give to others had an increase in health benefits. The increase was notable because it benefitted people with chronic illnesses like HIV, multiple sclerosis and heart problems.
Here is a short list of 5 things to do to start your giving and improve your quality of life:
Make eye contact. That’s right, making eye contact shows that you are paying attention to whomever you’re in a conversation with. It shows you’re listening. When you are fully present with another person, whether it be in line at the grocery store or at the dinner table with your family, you will feel a sense of satisfaction from that connection.
Spend quality time together. It seems simple, and it is in fact. All you have to do is spend some quality time together with your friends, family, or even strangers. This reminds me of a great IKEA commercial where kids wrote letters to Santa for Christmas asking for the latest gadget, but when they were asked to write letters to their parents they asked for more time spent together. “I wish daddy would eat dinner with us more. I wish I could sit on mommy’s lap more. I wish we could spend more time together as a family.” These were just some of the requests. Quality time is a gift worth giving.
Plan an experience. Gifts that give experiences people will remember are more powerful than stuff that people will put on a shelf and forget. Plan a hike with the family (yes, that’s my family above). My lovely little family hikes on a regular basis and it really is a gift when we spend that time together, in nature, out of our daily routine. It has a nurturing feel to it and we get a little exercise while we’re out there. You can also plan an afternoon tea, a vacation, a staycation, a visit to a museum, restaurant, and so much more.
Give a little gift. It was showed that when a group of people were given $5 to spend on themselves and $5 to spend on others, the people who spent money on other folks gained a greater sense of fulfillment. It’s really simple, helping others helps you, it’s a win-win situation and it doesn’t take a lot.
Volunteer. Like the study referred to above shows, volunteering has it’s benefits. I used to receive great satisfaction from volunteering at an after school program for inner city kids. You could tell most of the kids had a rough household and really what they needed was someone to love them. Multiple times I was brought to tears of joy because I could see with very little effort, I was having a profound effect. It doesn’t take a lot to have a big impact, we just have to do it.
I’ll leave you with a great Winston Churchill quote, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” The proof is not only in the pudding, it’s in the feeling too! So today, find a place to give your time, give your smile, share your warm heart. I guarantee it’s big enough to have a positive impact on someone else. As always, I’m here to help. Send me a message on social media @teddymcdonald.
Originally posted on the author’s website.