Escaping the Commercialism of the Holidays (Part 5)

A Welcome Contagion (Part 5 of 5)

As we bring this series in for a landing, I am excited about all the results from our effort to test the hypothesis that giving is good for YOU and your pathway to rise above the corrosive and hollow effects of commercialism. So we set out to not only look at things from a spiritual point of view, but also scientific and practical.

In review, here is what we found in the research from a recent UC Berkley article and my own practical findings. I would love to hear yours so post in the comments below.

The first benefit we discussed was:

1. Giving makes US (the giver) feel happy – As mentioned, many of us are doing the 5 acts of kindness/week challenge through the holidays to test this principle and see for ourselves if this doesn’t help our own happiness level. Thank you to all those who have joined.

   (MY FIND: Seeing the gentler spirit and greater appreciation of my husband when he feels given to in unexpected ways. Makes for a lot better romance too. 😊)

   The second benefit:

2. Giving is good for YOUR health – Elderly people who volunteered for 2 or more organizations were shown to be 44% less likely to die over the 5-year period they volunteered. (even after controlling health indicators such as eating, exercise etc.)  Giving was shown to reduce stress thought to be a major contributor to health complications.

   (MY FIND: excited to meet my day, better sleep, more energy)

3. Giving promotes cooperation & social connection – John Cuciopp, author of Loneliness: Human Nature & the Need for Social Connection, shared how “the more extensive reciprocal altruism from social connection, the greater the advance toward health, wealth and happiness.”

   (MY FIND: unexpected acts of kindness are not only making me feel closer to my daughter, it is spilling over to her being kinder to her sister even when they disagree.  And since we have a very politically divided household with my girls, this is wonderful. Seeing their kindness to one another is reestablishing a bond that took a few hits recently. After all, we don’t have to agree to respect or love each other.)

   When we give to others, not only do they feel closer to us, but we also feel closer to them. Being kind and generous leads you to perceive others more positively.

4. Giving evokes gratitude – either way on the giving or receiving end, the gift or act of kindness elicits feelings of gratitude which is integral to happiness, health, and social bonds.

   The research project on gratitude and thankfulness with college students teaching them to count their blessings cultivating gratitude caused marked and surprising positive changes…
   🔹 They exercised more.
   🔹 They had more general optimism.
   🔹 They felt better about their lives overall – a greater feeling of abundance.

   So as we get closer to the actual holiday, let our unexpected acts of kindness and giving fuel our gratitude and who knows… maybe we too will exercise a little more, feel happier and realize HOW much we actually have in spite of what the media says or family brings up.

   (MY FIND: And when I think of you reading this…THAT is something I am super grateful for that warms my heart and fills me.  I will pray for you today in gratitude that we are sharing this journey together.)

   And finally, one of the coolest benefits of giving…

5. Giving is Contagious – when we give, we don’t only help the immediate recipient, but we create a ripple effect in our community. A UCSD study showed that when 1 person behaves generously, it inspires observers to behave generously later toward others up to 3 degrees.

(NOTE: I’d like to site the above effect again…as I gave an unexpected act of kindness to my daughter, I watched my daughter do the same with her sister and her sister do the same with her father.)

In conclusion, yes…we give at this time of year, but my hope is that this is more than just a tradition of the season. My message is one in hopes of building stronger social connections and even jumpstarting a cascade of generosity through your community.  Don’t be surprised if you too feel an added boost of happiness too. 😊

Merry Christmas my friends.