Your ability to give does not necessarily depend on how financially blessed you are.  It is important to remember that giving depends on one’s personal will. The best exercise for your soul is indeed giving; it helps reduce self-centeredness, promotes good health, both physical and mental, reduce fears, allows us to make good use of our abilities and help us find meaning and fulfillment in life. No matter what your financial or social status is, the want to give comes from within you. It is the power of giving that attracts so many people around the world to get out of their comfort zones and make a difference in the lives of others.  Anything given unconditionally, without any expectations in return is a charitable gift and it is these charitable gifts that make the world a better place to live in.

Giving does not necessarily means giving out money or material things; it can mean giving your time and effort by volunteering at shelter or old home.  Some people give simply because it is in their nature to give even when they do not have the resources to do so. In fact, many popular philanthropist did not start charity when they got rich but perhaps started charity simply because they wanted to give back to the world they lived in.

While true charity is selfless, research suggest that regardless of whether you are seeking any benefits or not, giving can benefit both the giver and the recipient. Here are some of the powerful ways giving is good for you and your community.

Makes You Happy

Studies have found that spending money on someone else or donating it makes you happier than spending it on yourself. People feel much more happy and satisfied when they give money to someone else who needed it rather than spending it on their own pleasure. This creates a feeling called the” helper’s high”.

Promotes Cooperation and Builds Social Connections

When you give, you are more likely to put yourself in other people’s position and empathize with them. It is also likely that when you give, you get back down the line. These exchanges build social connections and promote greater health, wealth and happiness.

Evokes Gratitude

Whether you are a giver or a recipient, the mere act of the giving process evoke feelings of gratitude and thankfulness. You realize how blessed you are for even the tiniest things in your life. Gratitude, in turn instills happiness and positivity.

It’s Contagious

Seeing one person help, encourages others to do so too. That is the power of giving, it can be contagious. One person can spur a ripple effect. Research has shown that one person in a network can influence dozens of people, even ones he/she has never met before.

We have all grown up hearing about the extra-ordinary work of philanthropists who go out of their ways to help people. The key to helping people and giving back is to put yourself in their place and empathize with them. Empathy can go a long way. Weather you need a reason to give or you simply do it because you want to, start today!