Life Lessons on Giving Back

Over the years, there are so many lessons I’ve learned from giving back. Becoming a part of the communities we live in means learning about the lifestyle and culture, but it also means proactively impacting the lives of other people.

You’ll recall the quote, “the more we give, the more we will receive”. This quote reigns true; In fact, happiness is actually linked to giving back. In this study from 2018, researchers asked participants to spend $5 on either themselves or someone else over a period of five days. Those who spent the money on others sustained happiness throughout the duration of the five days.

The study just goes to show that the more we pay-it-forward, the more we can increase our own joy and get others on board to give back, too.

Volunteering your time benefits the greater good of the community. When we serve in these projects, we are automatically submitting ourselves to being part of the community. This allows us to create new life experiences and gives us the opportunity to meet and learn from people with different backgrounds.

In the workplace, promoting team volunteering activities encourages cooperation and social connection, which can solidify our ties with each other. Employees are more likely to rate their corporate culture as a positive experience if their company participated in workplace volunteer activities. It also paints a positive picture on the organization as employees respect companies that care for their community - it simply raises morale, and increases loyalty to their employer.

If you are looking for ways to give back on a daily basis, it really doesn’t take much effort to show others that you care. For example, you can make someone else’s day by simply holding the door open for them, providing concern, spending quality time, reaching out to someone in need or putting their needs ahead of your own. If you have expertise in something, giving back can mean teaching someone else a skill such as gardening or baking a cake.
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Giving back goes well beyond volunteering. On a human to human level, it’s about treating others with dignity and respect. One thing is for certain, helping others is a practice that we can consistently come back to create long-term happiness.