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There is a magic in giving. There’s a certain feeling of joy when you give a gift to a family member – especially a child – or to a close friend. And then you see their face light up with gleeful smile. Hugely appreciated. You really ‘nailed it.’ Gave them something they’ll truly love. So, fantastic. Yet, there’s a way to do even more – and this involves not just giving a gift, like a present, but the giving of yourself. Giving your time, donating your efforts, sharing advice, mentorship and essentially, sharing a part of yourself.
It's often said that the holidays are the ‘season of giving.’ The tradition of giving and receiving presents is certainly one of the many exciting activities we participate in during this time of year. The joy of that comes with not knowing what you’ve received and then unwrapping a present on Christmas morning for example is a truly magical feeling. Yet there’s also something to be said about the magic of giving, and what the act of giving, beyond even a neatly wrapped present, can do for ourselves, and for others.
In fact, there’s an interesting little phenomenon we experience when we give called ‘helper’s high.’ Helper’s high is a distinct physical sensation associated with helping or giving. Think back to a moment when you’ve leant someone in need a hand or seen the joy on someone’s face after giving them a gift they’ve really wanted. That sensation is a real thing our bodies experience that helps us feel calmer, happier, and more valued. Giving and generosity actually activates regions of our brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating that warm glow we might feel when we’ve shared part of ourselves with others.
Not only that, when we tend to give, we create stronger bonds with others. I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase ‘you get what you give’ and by giving, we’ll tend to receive more in return. Being kind and generous can help to positively change our perspective of others because of the trust it builds. More often than not, others may feel more inclined to give back to us as a result. When we give, we don’t only help the immediate recipient of our gift. We also spur a ripple effect of generosity that can have incredibly positive implications within our family, social circles, and communities. As one researcher writes, giving and generosity, “fosters a heightened sense of interdependence and cooperation in your social community.”
Generosity comes in so many different forms. So, whether you’re buying gifts, volunteering your time, or donated money to a charity this holiday season, what you give is so much more than just some year-end chore. It could help you build stronger connections with family or friends, or even inspire others to act more generously. The great thing too, is that practicing generosity and giving isn’t strictly reserved for the holidays, it’s something we can do at any time throughout the year. Not only that, it’s almost certain to bring you joy, happiness and sense of fulfilment all throughout the year. Why not give it a try.
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