You spend Thanksgiving Day working in a soup kitchen. You invite the man on the street into the sandwich shop and buy him a sandwich for lunch. You volunteer in the PTA helping organize events for students and families. You visit an elderly neighbor and invite her out for a walk. You put canned goods out on your porch for the local food drive. You set aside your needs, your schedule, your agenda for someone else. You show your generosity.
And in these moments, a sense of warmth fills your heart. Your shoulders relax and your smile broadens. Soon enough, you find an appreciation in what you have, and more importantly, what you can give others. And you’re filled with joy.
Though these acts of selflessness should be year-round, the last month of the year is a perfect time to bring them top-of-mind. And it is why we have chosen the theme Generous & Joyful. Because being generous brings joy.
There is compelling research that helping others lights up the pleasure center in our brain and delivers us a little shot of the happiness hormones oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine. This feeling of joy you get by helping others has been dubbed the “helper’s high” and brain mapping has shown it is a real thing.
And here’s the remarkable part. It doesn’t matter if you are doing a generous act with a goal of making yourself feel better. If you’re inspired to read at a nursing home, walk puppies at a local shelter, or hold the door open for the group of people behind you because you know it will make you feel good, that’s okay too.
This month, let’s look for ways to be generous. And let’s watch our joy grow. Together.
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