There are many benefits of giving. Whether you’ve made a donation to charity, helped your friend go through a rough time, or given a meaningful graduation gift to someone you care about, you will have to agree it feels great. By making someone happy, you’ll make yourself happy, too. But it’s not just that. Giving comes with a lot more benefits for both receiver and the giver. In this article, I’ll share with you what some of them are.
Different ways of giving
Giving doesn’t only imply gifting and buying expensive presents. It’s so much more than that. It also refers to generosity and giving freely without any expectations.
Here are just some of the ways you can give and make someone feel special:
- Spending money on someone is a great way to make yourself and the receiver feel good. Even research confirmed that. For instance, Michael Norton from Harvard Business School conducted research in 2008 that proved that people are happier when they spend money on others versus on themselves.
- Giving your time to others is probably more meaningful and fulfilling than buying a present for someone. Our time and dedication are much more worth than money, especially nowadays.
- Be emotionally available for the people that are the closest to you. It won’t only show your loved ones how much you care, but you will also experience many benefits.
- Performing an act of kindness, no matter how small it might seem to be, can make someone’s day better. For instance, holding a door for someone or helping an elderly cross a street. Even giving a compliment to someone can completely change their mood.
- Making someone laugh is the most fun form of giving. Laughing is an antidepressant, so you help a person relieve the pressure and stress they’re carrying by making them laugh. At the same time, you’ll be doing the same for yourself, too.
What are the benefits of giving?
Giving comes with a lot of benefits for both the giver and the receiver. Let’s take an example. Even though holiday gift shopping can be overwhelming and stressful, you’ll have to agree that it’s worth it. You get to see your loved ones smile while feeling cared for and appreciated.
But giving goes even beyond that and brings a lot more benefits for everyone involved.
Health benefits of giving
The first, and the most important benefit of giving, is that it improves our health. There were different studies done on this topic, and they all got to the same conclusion – various forms of generosity are linked to better health. This is true even for the sick and elderly.
Giving influences both our physical and mental wellbeing positively. For instance, giving can help you lower your blood pressure. Also, it will help you boost your self-esteem, lower your stress levels and reduce the risks of depression. All of that combined will help you lead a longer life.
Giving makes us feel happy and good
One of the most obvious benefits of giving is that it evokes the feeling of happiness with both receiver and the giver. For example, let’s say your best friend became a homeowner for the first time. By getting them a housewarming present they will love, especially if you put effort into personalizing it, they’ll feel cared for and happy. Consequently, you’ll feel good as you have brought joy to someone you genuinely care about.
Giving is an essential part of being human. Another research done by Jorge Moll at the National Institutes of Health explained that giving to charities activates a region in the brain associated with trust, pleasure, and social connection. It’s also believed that giving and other altruistic behaviors release endorphins in the brain, responsible for producing feelings of positivity and happiness.
Giving strengthens social bonds
Giving can help us create and improve the bonds we have with other people. For instance, if you send a get-well gift to your friend or you start volunteering at the soup kitchen, you’ll strengthen your social bonds. Having positive social interactions is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing.
Also, when you’re generous, you are more likely to get back. Many studies have shown that if you give to others, you’ll be rewarded somehow somewhere along the line. Giving promotes trust and makes others feel closer to us while making us feel closer to them, too. It can also help you perceive others more positively.
Evoke gratitude by giving
Giving evokes feelings of gratitude, no matter if you are on the giving or receiving side of a gift. You can either express or instill gratitude in the recipient, and gratitude is crucial for health, happiness, and social bonds.
Many studies confirm that cultivating gratitude will, in return, cause more positive actions and feelings. For instance, it can inspire you to exercise more, feel more optimistic and happier about your overall lifestyle. By expressing gratitude to someone close to you, such as a family member or your partner, you will strengthen your connection with them.
Expressing gratitude in everyday life is a key to increasing your overall happiness. By showing appreciation and thankfulness in your words and actions, you’ll make sure everyone’s positivity is boosted, including your own.
The bottom line
We hope that our list of benefits of giving inspired you to spend your holidays making others happy. Giving is contagious, so hopefully, you’ll be an inspiration to others to start giving more, too.