Is it about give and take?
Giving to others without regard to personal gain is commonly referred to as self-sacrifice. Gifts, time, resources, support, emotions, etc. are all forms of giving that can be given to others.
But what if we conduct good deeds for others because we know we’ll get something in return? Is it still altruism if that’s what you’re doing? For ages, scholars and philosophers have been debating this question. Is there such a thing as a selfless act of altruism? Or is it always driven by the desire for one’s own benefit?
For example, we laugh to make others happy, but also for our own amusement, or because we have a desire to make the other person like us more. As you can see, it’s tough to separate the various factors at play here.
Acts of kindness have a similar effect on others as laughter does on us. However, this very thought makes the altruism of selfless giving questionable: Are we doing it to be awarded as virtuous, or are we doing it because we really want to give?
We might also ask ourselves the following questions when pondering these thoughts and reflecting on our own motivations:
To what extent, if any, are the replies relevant?
As a result, is it more important for us to feel healthy and connected to others, or for others to feel cared for and significant?
Answering these questions is up to each and every one of us. While you’re waiting, here are some of the most significant components and outcomes of giving.
Fortunately, they’re all good.
Giving Is Good for Our Well-Being.
Many studies have looked at the link between kindness, positivity, giving, and other such positive actions and human health, especially since the advent of psychological science.
Giving back to the community
People who are generous and selfless are more likely to live longer and healthier lives, according to research. Pain and discomfort are less prevalent in their lives. In terms of lowering your risk of death, studies have shown that volunteering is more important than exercising four times a week–almost as significant as giving up smoking.
For those with chronic illnesses, Stephen Post, a professor of preventative medicine, found that willingness to donate to others can boost their immune systems.
Giving and mental health
When it comes to our mental health, acts of generosity and kindness also serve as a preventative measure. Dopamine and endorphins are released in the brain as a result of such behaviors, making us feel happy and uplifted. This has a profound effect on our thoughts, feelings, and psyche, and boosts our self-esteem, confidence, and self-assurance. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns can be avoided this way.
It’s hard to comprehend how this is possible. In order to understand why giving is so beneficial for our physical health, we need to answer the following question:
Giving produces balance
This way, instead of excreting “bad” neurotransmitters and hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that alert our organism and harm our health, we are much more in balance with our entire being.
People reported feeling more energized, less depressed, and more self-respecting after helping others, both physically and emotionally. Giving back has the power to make you feel euphoric.
Making Others Happy Makes Us Happy
Giving, in addition to boosting our energy levels and making us healthier and more energized, it makes us joyful. Dopamine and endorphins are released when we engage in acts of kindness or volunteerism, as we’ve already explained.
This all suggests that giving is more essential than receiving when it comes to happiness.
When we are able to give, we feel as if we are making a difference in someone’s life, which inspires us to do more good and help others. Volunteering has been found to have a strong association with happiness, according to research. As compared to their classmates, teenagers who are driven by altruism are happier, more enthused, engaged, involved, and active than those who are not. As a result, they are more socially savvy and confident as well.
Giving Inspires Positive Attitudes and Behaviors
Giving encourages others to do the same. Instilling positive ideals such as these is simply one of the benefits of giving. In addition to feeling grateful for being a part of someone’s life, recipients often become motivated and want to give back in some way.
Furthermore, if you give to others, you are more likely to be rewarded and to receive something in return, whether it is from the same person or from someone other than that person. The foundation for other positive emotions and values, such as trust, cooperation, intimacy, and life happiness, can be found in these types of interactions.. Additionally, giving improves the beneficial ties and collaborations within a social community.
As a general rule, communities where everyone knows one another and participates in communal activities together (such as babysitting one another’s children and exchanging/borrowing one another’s things) tend to have lower crime rates and higher levels of satisfaction in life.
Gratitude and the Art of Giving
It’s surprising how both the giver and the recipient can feel appreciative in the act of giving. It’s possible that the giver is showing their appreciation for something while also encouraging the recipient to feel the same way.
Grateful people are happier, healthier, and more connected to others, according to current studies. It is yet another modulator of perceived stress that helps us to be more resilient and cheerful when life gets difficult.
Giving to others is a wonderful way to spread the joy of gratitude. The more you appreciate what you have, the more inclined you are to want to share that happiness with others.
