Want to Be Happier? Be Generous – Episode 495

It’s a fact and there’s plenty of research to support it: Being generous makes you happy. If you want to be happier, give to others.

It doesn’t need to involve money. Giving of your time and effort in the service of others feels good.

However, research has shown that being generous or donating money, even if you don’t have much, has measurable financial benefits.

Want to be happier? Listen to this episode and make it a point to give more. Don’t be surprised if you get more than just greater happiness.

Listen to this podcast episode now:

I just turned 66 years old, and I find that at this stage of life I’m doing a lot of looking back.

I’m looking back at not only the things I’ve experienced but also the things that I’ve learned.

Today I want to share with you one of the most important lessons that I have ever learned.

When I was in college, I got a job selling books door to door. The promise was that I could make in one summer what I would make in a year as a student working part time. I did it but I didn’t like that experience of selling. I felt uncomfortable with some of the sales techniques that I felt were manipulative.

I went on to have many sales jobs: door to door, in home presentations, retail.

I had a sales job where the managers and owners drove expensive cares, wore expensive watches and expensive suits. As a young man, I got caught up in that. I wanted that.

However, I found out some things about the company that made me not want to work for them anymore. I quit and was broke for quite a while. I was very unhappy.

I became disillusioned with that measure of success: cars, watches, suits, etc.

I considered becoming a monk and going to live in a monastery. Seriously.

It was about this time that I got into a relationship that ended shortly thereafter in a painful breakup, which I’ve talked a lot about in this podcast and in my blogs.

I learned a lot from that challenge. One of the things that I  learned was that I tended to be selfish. I was always asking “What can I get? What’s in it for me?”

As I tried to get back on my feet after being broke and broken hearted, I looked back and I saw how many people had helped me not only financially, but emotionally as well.

They gave of their time and money for no other reason than they wanted to help.

I noticed that these people were happy. They were content. None of them were wealthy, they were just generous.

It occurred to me that the happiest people I knew were people that were happy giving.

I had been humbled. I had been knocked down a peg.

So, I started asking “How can I help you? What can I do for you?” That felt good. Better then “What can I get from this?”

I started donating money to a children’s charity. This was a real turning point in my life. I didn’t have a lot of money but it felt good to give a bit of money every month to children whose families didn’t have as much as I had. In fact, that habit was so impactful in my life, that I still donate to that charity 40 years later.

Life started getting better. I started feeling better about me.

It’s true. The reason for living is giving. I believe we are here to contribute. And I believe each of us has our own unique contribution that only we can give.

Did you know that there is a science of generosity? Turns out that we are wired to be generous.

Do you want to be happier? Be generous. Research shows that if you give your money and time away, you’ll be happier for it.

Giving creates wealth and happiness by triggering rewards in our brain, reducing stress, and fostering an “abundance mindset” that attracts opportunities.

Being generous releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which reduces stress and gives us what some people call “helper’s high“.

Giving without expecting anything in return builds trust as well as reputation.

Do you think that could help your career? Create stronger relationships? Better financial returns?

There’s an article on the website LIFEUSA titled “Why Giving Makes You Wealthier” that states:

“Research from the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS) shows that this connection between giving and earning is more than one way. In fact, if you give just $100 more than your neighbor this year, you might see as much as an extra $375 in your income next year. That’s a 275% return on investment! It’s not too shabby for something that also makes you feel good inside.

A 2009 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that charitable giving leads to higher income. For every dollar you give to charity, you can expect to make approximately $3.75 in return, on average.

Studies show that generous people are 43% more likely to say they are very happy compared to those who don’t give, according to the Harvard Business School.

It could be as simple as holding the door for someone or buying a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line. The science is in: one of the simplest ways to increase your happiness is generosity.

Do you want to do a deeper dive into this subject? Listen to the Feb 19 2024 episode of the 10% Happier Podcast with Dan Harris titled “The Science of Generosity: Why It Makes You Happier and How To Do It Effectively (It Doesn’t Need To Involve Money).

We are happier when we’re thinking about how to help others, rather than thinking about ourselves and our own problems.

If someone comes into my hypnotherapy practice and tells me they want to make more money, I’ll suggest that they start donating money.

If someone comes in and they are grieving, I’ll suggest that they volunteer to help others that grieve.

If someone comes in and says that they feel their life has no purpose or meaning, I’ll suggest that they find a way to give.

“Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.”

Martin Luther King Jr. said that.

Remember that you can listen to Ted in Your Head on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Soundcloud or TedinYourHead.com. Or,  watch it on YouTube.

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If you feel that a mindset shift to be more generous can be helpful to you, reach out to me at https://TedMoreno.com/contact. Let’s talk and see how hypnotherapy can support you.

Thanks for reading this, I appreciate you!

Ted