To love and to give
8 October, 2018
Would you like to jump out of bed in a good mood and full of energy? Smile more often? Are you satisfied and is every new day wonderful? We have no doubt that you would respond positively. Yes, we would also love to be happy every day.
But how can we achieve it? It's easy - BE FRIENDLY AND HELP OTHERS! We have all heard these words from our parents when we were 7 years old. And now, probably smiling, we find it inadequate - how can we just be good, because successes are linked to strenuous efforts and pursuing goals.
How does being so good will make us happier? The explanation lies not only in the biochemical reactions and elevated levels of the hormones of happiness that occur when we see the joy and smile of a close one or a stranger. Nor is it just that we move the focus from our own troubles and concerns to the troubles and concerns of others.
We all have a deeply rooted desire to be good and generous, a need to love and to give.
Being loving and giving can strengthen not only our happiness but our chances of success. Economist Arthur Brooks, in a survey conducted by more than 30,000 Americans, finds that for every extra dollar earnt, the money for charity increases by 14 percent. Conversely, for each dollar given to charity, the donor's personal income rises by 375 percent! I.e. the payers are more likely to succeed in their careers, for example, than those who make them - those who are primarily interested in their own well-being, but not in others.
Kindness and generosity are amongst the most reliable sources of happiness and success, but that does not mean that the more you give, the happier you will be. Prof. Adam Grant of the Wharton Business School, in his book "Give and Take," uses the term "selfless giving" for those who give so indiscriminately that they risk becoming exhausted, and the term "reasonably giving" for those who apply generosity, judging when, how, what, and to whom to give.
To be "reasonably giving" and happy, follow these three basic strategies:
- Limit the cost of giving - try to maximize the positive effects of your generosity. If you find that four, five or more people need the same kind of help, have a meeting with them altogether, rather than individually.
- Expand the value of this - manage your own emotional resources in the direction of satisfaction from the good that your actions create. Be thankful that you have the opportunity to be good and generous, and that will give you the energy to continue giving.
- Make sure you see the result of giving - according to Prof. Raj Raghunathan, those who are witnessing the impact of their generosity receive the strongest boost to increase their happiness.
If we want to be happier (and at the same time to make this world a better place), then we need to be kind and make good. Because helping others and being happy go hand in hand. Many studies confirm that volunteers, for example, are happier than other people. As much as we cannot explain, volunteering, besides the spirit of peace, tranquillity and unlimited happiness, also brings a longer life. A scientific study proves that volunteering prolongs a person's life by up to 23%, so what are we waiting for?
Pay a sincere compliment to someone, thank the street musician for his music, help an adult or hard-moving person as he crosses, offer your seat in the tram, share your knowledge and skills with the new colleague, save no praise for the job well done, help the unemployed friend in his search for a job, share the baked cookies with your neighbour and be sure to be thankful for everything you have and share! And the next morning you will wake up in a good mood and a sense of happiness. Because happiness is above all a state of spirit!
Author: Veneta Aleksandrova Paeva
But how can we achieve it? It's easy - BE FRIENDLY AND HELP OTHERS! We have all heard these words from our parents when we were 7 years old. And now, probably smiling, we find it inadequate - how can we just be good, because successes are linked to strenuous efforts and pursuing goals.
How does being so good will make us happier? The explanation lies not only in the biochemical reactions and elevated levels of the hormones of happiness that occur when we see the joy and smile of a close one or a stranger. Nor is it just that we move the focus from our own troubles and concerns to the troubles and concerns of others.
We all have a deeply rooted desire to be good and generous, a need to love and to give.
Being loving and giving can strengthen not only our happiness but our chances of success. Economist Arthur Brooks, in a survey conducted by more than 30,000 Americans, finds that for every extra dollar earnt, the money for charity increases by 14 percent. Conversely, for each dollar given to charity, the donor's personal income rises by 375 percent! I.e. the payers are more likely to succeed in their careers, for example, than those who make them - those who are primarily interested in their own well-being, but not in others.
Kindness and generosity are amongst the most reliable sources of happiness and success, but that does not mean that the more you give, the happier you will be. Prof. Adam Grant of the Wharton Business School, in his book "Give and Take," uses the term "selfless giving" for those who give so indiscriminately that they risk becoming exhausted, and the term "reasonably giving" for those who apply generosity, judging when, how, what, and to whom to give.
To be "reasonably giving" and happy, follow these three basic strategies:
- Limit the cost of giving - try to maximize the positive effects of your generosity. If you find that four, five or more people need the same kind of help, have a meeting with them altogether, rather than individually.
- Expand the value of this - manage your own emotional resources in the direction of satisfaction from the good that your actions create. Be thankful that you have the opportunity to be good and generous, and that will give you the energy to continue giving.
- Make sure you see the result of giving - according to Prof. Raj Raghunathan, those who are witnessing the impact of their generosity receive the strongest boost to increase their happiness.
If we want to be happier (and at the same time to make this world a better place), then we need to be kind and make good. Because helping others and being happy go hand in hand. Many studies confirm that volunteers, for example, are happier than other people. As much as we cannot explain, volunteering, besides the spirit of peace, tranquillity and unlimited happiness, also brings a longer life. A scientific study proves that volunteering prolongs a person's life by up to 23%, so what are we waiting for?
Pay a sincere compliment to someone, thank the street musician for his music, help an adult or hard-moving person as he crosses, offer your seat in the tram, share your knowledge and skills with the new colleague, save no praise for the job well done, help the unemployed friend in his search for a job, share the baked cookies with your neighbour and be sure to be thankful for everything you have and share! And the next morning you will wake up in a good mood and a sense of happiness. Because happiness is above all a state of spirit!
Author: Veneta Aleksandrova Paeva
