The Best Things about Being Generous
They say “the more you give, the more you receive”. Sharing something with others – whether it’s your time, energy or money, is one of the keys to happiness. A large body of research suggests that being generous has a wide range of benefits, from lowering your stress levels to improving your overall health and lengthening your life.
Benefits of Giving
It strengthens your marriage. One of the keys to a happy marriage is generosity, according to the 2011 report from the National Marriage Project in the US. Researchers found that people are happier in their marriage when they make regular effort to do simple ways for their spouse, from preparing them a cup of coffee to giving them a gentle rub on the back, and going out of their way to be affectionate or forgiving.
It’s good for your health. Numerous studies have shown that generosity promotes good health, even among the elderly. Giving has also been shown to increase health benefits in people with chronic illness, including those with HIV and multiple sclerosis.
It helps you live longer. A 1999 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that elderly people who volunteered for two or more organisations were 44 per cent less likely to die over a five-year period than those who did not engage in volunteer works. The findings hold true even after taking into account other factors like age, smoking habit, physical activity, and general health. Researchers from the University of Michigan found similar results. They found that individuals who provided practical help and support to their friends, family and neighbours had a lower risk of dying over a five-year period than those who didn’t.
It boosts your mental health. A review of 40 studies published in the journal BMC Public Health found that volunteering does not only boost well-being and life satisfaction, but also reduce the likelihood of depression and premature death.
It makes everyone happy. Giving benefits both the giver and the receiver. According to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, being generous, where there is cooperation and everyone benefits from working together, led to more success than being selfish. “You might think being generous would be a stupid thing to do, and it is if there are only two players in the game, but, if there are many players and they all play generously, they all benefit from each other’s generosity.” study researcher Alexander Stewart said in a statement.
It promotes gratitude. Whether you are on the giving or the receiving end, the act of generosity elicits feelings of gratitude. And just like generosity, gratitude is essential to happiness and health. Being grateful also promotes long life.
Giving is contagious. A study by James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, and Nicholas Christakis of Harvard revealed that seeing someone behave generously inspires observers to behave generously later, toward different people. That means each simple act of giving initiated by one person can influence the lives of a hundred more. And the cycle continues.
So whether you buy gifts, donate to charity, or volunteer your time to community works this holiday season, giving puts you in a “win-win” situation. Being generous could expand your social relationships, strengthen your marriage, improve your health, give you long life, boost your mental health, and help you cultivate your sense of gratefulness. What’s more, it can make you happier too.
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