If, in giving we receive…here are 4 things to give if you want to be happier!

If, in giving we receive…here are 4 things to give if you want to be happier!

One of the most powerful (yet underutilised) strategies to become happier is…to make others happier!

If we want to enjoy more happiness we can…achieve this by bring happiness to others. 

These simple statements can massively change our lives for the better; which is why I'm sharing this Huffington Post article with you today so those of you who want more happiness (which is, I'm pretty sure, all of you) can start giving as much as possible as soon as possible…

by Kayla Matthews

It's no secret that doing good makes others happy — but did you know it can make you happy as well?

According to a study conducted by psychologists at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, people participating in meaningful activities were happier and felt that their lives had more purpose than people who only engaged in pleasure-seeking behaviors. The researchers also found that respondents' happiness came after they did something good for another person.

Giving doesn't just feel good, it's also good for our health, according to two different studies — one led by Doug Oman at the University of California in Berkeley, and the other by Stephanie Brown of the University of Michigan. These studies showed that elderly couples and individuals who provided help to neighbors and friends or volunteered for at least two organizations had a significantly lower risk of dying over the course of five years.

Try giving these four things to others to embark on your journey to a happier and healthier lifestyle.

1. Your Time

With a busy life, it can be hard to find any time to give away. However, volunteering your time has enormous benefits, including making new friends and connections, learning new skills and even advancing your career.

Dr. Suzanne Richards and her team at the University of Exeter published a paper in 2013 that reviewed 20 years of studies about the link between health and volunteering. According to the paper, volunteering correlates with lower instances of depression and reduces the risk of dying by 22 percent.

Let it be known, however, that volunteering offers the most benefits to people who are truly in it to help other people. Choose an organization that's meaningful to you and put your heart into it.

2. Your Attention

Most of us think we're good listeners, but according to psychologist Paul Donoghue, co-author of Are You Really Listening? Keys to Successful Communication, most people are aware that others don't listen as well as they could. In addition, they're not fully aware that they themselves aren't listening.

One of the simplest and most powerful things you can do for another person is to listen to them. Giving someone your attention shows that you respect them and can also improve the quality of your relationship with that person.

When practicing mindfulness meditation, you focus on what you experience in the moment and let your thoughts and emotions pass through without judgment. Did you know that giving someone your undivided attention helps you also? When done well, active listening strengthens your focus — which is a major component of good meditation…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE