Although it might seem paradoxical, the act of giving can be good for you. Giving seems to imply that only the receiver has anything to gain—doesn’t to give mean to give up something? Yes, but somehow, exercising altruism also has numerous intangible gains for the giver. You’ve heard the adage, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. If you’re not yet a giver or you are not yet generous when you give, here are some ways you’re missing out.

Humans are wired with a need to share and contribute. Showing compassion and empathy by giving your time through volunteering, your resources by emptying your pantry or closets, or your money by cutting back on expenses in order to give generously, reaps psychological and spiritual rewards. When the need to give is exercised, the psychological benefits include lower blood pressure, less depression, lower stress levels, longer life, increased self-esteem, greater happiness, and a higher sense of self-worth 1 . Spiritually, giving helps a person to keep a loose grip on the things of this world—after all, you can’t take any of it with you to the next. Giving keeps greed and discontent at bay and instead breeds gratitude in both the giver and receiver. Giving is good for your soul. Particularly in the fall season, taking the opportunity to give eases the stress of the most wonderful (read: stressful) time of the year, and I submit that being a giver is actually part of what makes November and December “the most wonderful time of the year.” The season is a reminder to pause and seek ways to give.

In the movie Elf, Will Farrell’s caricature “Buddy” highlights the benefits of generosity in compliments, smiles, time, and relentless love. In contrast, a lack of generosity is actually harmful to a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual health. Consider the miserly “Mr. Scrooge” from Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Through this extreme example of the inward deterioration caused by selfish and hard-hearted living, Dickens shows a true callousness that develops from considering one’s own needs as more important than those of others. This can also be seen in nature. If water doesn’t flow in both directions, it becomes stagnant, smelly, and undrinkable. The Sea of Galilee in Israel, which feeds lush landscape, is teeming with life, and is life-giving, has both an intake from the river Dan above it and an outtake in the Jordan River below it. It receives, and it gives. The Jordan River then flows south, directly into the Dead Sea, which has no outlet. As a consequence, the Dead Sea (as its name indicates) is unable to support life at 33% salinity (regular oceans have about 3% salinity). There are no plants surrounding the Dead Sea and no fish, frogs or other creatures within it. Similarly, if a person does not exercise the need to give, his/her soul can steadily become over-saturated and lifeless.

Does giving “count” if you give because you know it’s good for you? Of course it does! As with exercise, at first you might do it because you know in your head it’s good for you, but then you will see you actually enjoy it and you might even start to crave it and push yourself to do more. Pretty soon, you do it not because theoretically you should but because you have experienced and enjoy the inward and outward changes in your life. The very act of giving causes you to focus on what you have to let go of instead of what you lack. Giving engenders a grateful heart in the giver. Start small or start big, but either way, find ways to incorporate more giving as a way of life, and see for yourself why it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Cleveland Clinic https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-giving-is-good-for-your-health/
Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/201011/generosity-what-s-in-it-you