5 Reasons Why Giving is Good For You

We all know the saying - "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”. Giving brings about a sense of joy and fulfillment, not just for the receiver, but also the giver. Here the 5 reasons why giving is good for you.

1. It makes us feel good about ourselves

It has been scientifically proven that by giving or performing random acts of kindness will increase self esteem and satisfaction for an individual. This is because of the "feel good hormones" your brain produces when you are happy. So don't be afraid to shower the people around you with love and kindness.

2. It helps to decrease stress

Being stressed can lead to a variety of health problems. By giving, not only do we feel good about ourselves, but also relieve some of that stress we got bottled up in ourselves. What are the benefits of reducing stress levels? Well, firstly, it increases longevity. Secondly, it also improves your physical health. It has been proven that people with chronic illnesses such as HIV have had an increase in their health when they started giving.

3. Lower risk of depression

When you are feeling so positive about yourself and also being surrounded by happy people, it's difficult to feel depressed, or depressive symptoms such as sadness or lack of energy. One study showed that people coping with grief of a loss recovered much quicker from their depressive symptoms when they started providing practical assistance by helping and giving.

4. Giving promotes bonding and social interaction

When you give, you're more likely to get back. People remember other people for their kindness. When you extend a helping hand to a person - especially when they are in need, they will always remember your act of kindness and will be much more willing to render any assistance should you require in future. It also promotes a sense of trust and cooperation that strengthens our bonds with others.

5. Giving is contagious

As mentioned, giving will spark a chemical reaction in our brains and release oxytocin. This "feel good hormones" will cause people to give more generously and feel more empathy towards others - and it can last for up to 2 hours. And everyone wants to feel good. By giving, you might unknowingly start a ripple effect of giving and helping and at the end of the day, everyone will feel good!