The Science Behind Why Giving Makes You Happy
We give gifts all year long — Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, graduations, and sometimes, just because. The process of planning for, and selecting or making a meaningful gift often causes us to feel good. We feel even better once we actually give the present to someone, and see their reaction to our careful planning. Elite Daily published a wonderful article a few years back about why giving gifts makes you feel so good:
There’s something inexplicably satisfying in witnessing people unwrap a gift and respond with unadulterated amazement and happiness. You have made them smile, and that’s worth far more than money or any material item.
Simultaneously, we find great satisfaction in giving back to the world around us. Many of us are far more privileged than others, and when we become aware of that, we often have an innate desire to help the less fortunate.
After all, we can’t move forward as a species when such a significant number of people are left to suffer in the shadows.
As Winston Churchill once aptly stated:
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Money can’t buy happiness, unless you spend it on others.
Research has shown that giving makes us far happier than receiving. Thus, in a way, we are actually being both selfish and selfless by giving to others.
Numerous studies have shown that giving money to others or to charity will put a much bigger smile on your face than spending on yourself.
Michael Norton, a professor at Harvard Business School, conducted one such study. Along with his colleagues, Norton questioned 632 Americans about their level of income and what they spent their money on. They were also asked to rate their own happiness.
North and his colleagues found that, regardless of income, those who spent money on others were decidedly happier than those who spent more on themselves.
True wealth is not acquired through earthly possessions, but by leading a fulfilling life. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing you have made a palpable difference in the lives of other people.
Giving to others might take money out of your wallet, but it could mean the difference between life and death for some people. You never know how far a dollar might go. A tiny stone can create a massive ripple when thrown into water at the right moment.
At the same time, there is widespread evidence that we could all give much more, and that we need to be more careful about how we give.
In other words, don’t just give because it feels good. Make sure your generosity actually has an impact.
So remember, next time you need a little emotional pick-me-up, consider giving someone a gift. It’s a surefire way to lift someones spirits, as well as your own!
— The team at WJS Canada