How did the listening text make you feel about giving money to others?
The truth is that giving is an experience threaded into the daily lives of
most people. Research shows that those who volunteer live longer and
have happier lives. I think so, too. Charity can boost both mental and
physical health. Charitable giving delivers a host of benefits to the body
and brain.
- Giving makes me feel happy
But why? Why is it that spending our money on others makes us
happier?
It’s partly because giving to others makes us feel good about ourselves.
Good feelings are reflected in our biology; when people give, it
activates areas of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection
and trust, creating a ‘warm glow’ effect. Generosity makes us feel good;
and when we feel good, we're better at making those around us feel
good, too. It helps promote a view of ourselves as responsible and
giving people, which in turn makes us feel happy.
- Giving helps social connection
It’s also partly because spending money on others helps cement our
social relationships. When I give to others, my generosity is likely to be
reciprocated down the line at some point, sometimes to the person I
gave to or someone else. What’s more, giving to others makes me feel
closer to those I give to as well as them feel closer to me.
Most people still think they’ll be happier if they spend money on
themselves instead of other people. But it's better to give than to
receive" , that mean spending money on others or giving to charity puts
a bigger smile on your face than buying things for yourself.
