GIVING IS A TWO-WAY STREET
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Blog. It’s December, the holidays are upon us, and another new year is right around the corner.
This is the season of family, friends, festivities, food, and fun. December is a month of celebration for many different cultures around the world in many different ways. Yet above all, this month is one of giving. It’s a time of exercising gratitude for all we have and lending a helping hand to those who have less.
Of course, the benefit of giving is obvious to one on the receiving end. Giving our emotional support to another, offering time, volunteering for an organization or making a financial contribution to charity, clearly helps others and makes the world a better place.
Yet, did you know that giving also benefits the person who is doing the giving? And it’s not just speculation or wishful thinking, these benefits have research and science behind them.
The act of giving can actually boost our physical and mental health, and provide us with that warm, cozy, happy feeling that we bring to others. So, let’s discuss just a few of those benefits.
BOOST OUR FEEL-GOOD CHEMICALS
When we do something nice, or when we are kind, our body undergoes a chemical response and our brain increases its production of three chemicals, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. The first boosts our mood, the second increases our sense of pleasure, and the third which is known as our love hormone creates a sense of connection with others. All these feel-good chemicals make us feel happier and more peaceful.
CREATE A HELPER’S HIGH
Doing good for others stimulates our brain’s reward center. This involves the brain’s mesolimbic pathway, which allows the brain to release more endorphins. And when this occurs, a positive feeling is created that is called a helper’s high. In turn, this helps us feel good about ourselves, enhances mental balance, and fights depression.
DECREASE STRESS
Gift giving, volunteering or being kind can reduce our level of cortisol, which is known as our stress hormone. When this occurs, we feel less anxious, less confused, more peaceful, and more confident of ourselves.
LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
There’s no doubt about it, giving and being generous not only comes from the heart, they are good for the heart. Research has shown the act of gift giving lowers our blood pressure. And when we lower our blood pressure, we help protect our heart from disease, heart attacks and strokes.
INCREASE OUR LIFE SPAN
Believe it or not, the act of giving and showing generosity can actually increase our life span. Perhaps it’s the combination of feel-good chemicals, our helper’s high, less stress and depression, and a healthier heart that keeps those who volunteer and engage in giving on the planet longer than those who do not.
And always remember, giving is not about money. It’s about acts of service to another. Giving can be easy. Offering to walk a neighbor’s dog, grocery shopping for someone housebound, reading to a children’s group, making cookies for an organization, driving someone to a doctor’s appointment are all wonderful ways to give to others and show generosity.
The act of giving is something that simply makes everyone feel good about themselves, about each other, and about the world. Now that’s what the holidays, and every day, should be about.
Many thanks everyone for joining me again. And may you enjoy your December and your special holidays in safety and good cheer with those you love. Until next time, stay in GOOD HEALTH and . . .
TAKE THE COURSE AND TAKE CHARGE!
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