Yesterday, the first meeting of the Cyprus Happiness Club for 2018 took place. Our discussion revolved around the issue of ‘giving’ and its relationship to happiness. Members gave their own perceptions and definitions of what ‘giving’ means to them and explained how ‘giving’ makes them feel.
Despite the various meanings of the term, everyone agreed that giving to others makes them feel good, and latest research on ‘giving’ backs this up. More specifically, research on ‘giving’ reveals that giving to others creates a sense of meaning and increases our life satisfaction. Also, ‘giving’ improves our mood and reduces stress as a euphoric feeling is created in the body through the release of endorphins (hormones that are released in the brain) which make us feel good. Moreover, ‘giving’helps us take our mind off our own troubles.
In short, through small or big acts of kindness, we connect to others, something that meets our basic human needs. If you like to feel good and stay calm and happy, try to match your giving activities to things you find enjoyable in your everyday life. This way, you can live a happier life!