Magic Tricks

Can you guess what this is?

     Your body is being flooded by oxytocin, the hormone, and you are overcome
     with feelings of euphoria and a deep sense of connection, a high lasting up
     to two hours.

     You didn’t take any pills, and no medication was prescribed.

     You are not dying and in some blissful state, and there is no self-proclaimed
     guru leading you into an imaginary Heaven.

     Each of us can do this anytime, anywhere and all day long. 

     No tools are needed, and there are no side effects.

     Many people have a plethora of reasons for not doing it or not often
     enough.

It doesn’t make sense, does it? Any clues?

Answer:  The act of giving.

Francis of Assisi knew it in the 12th century. 
He said: “For it is in giving that we receive.” 

And now, 8 centuries later, neuroscientists and sociologists are proving that this is true, and in a number of different ways.
Their research shows that “the reward centers of the brain light up just as much when we see someone giving money to charity as when we receive money ourselves.”  

Yet, we often walk around thinking that giving is sacrificing something, it is us being good to someone else who benefits from our goodness, where in reality, it is the giver who receives all the benefits.

Now our brains are lighting up with excuses and self-defense: 
but I don’t have enough money, I don’t have time, somebody else needs me more, I have nothing to give. The selfish part of us can be loud.

All we need to give is a kind word. A moment to listen. A compliment. Share a little joy or laughter. To give of our time and attention is offering respect to another. And that is contagious.

We all have time. If we don’t have enough time to be kind to another, we only lack clarity. We can all be selfless for a moment. If you don’t think you can, try this:
Find a stranger on the street, someone down on their luck, maybe someone churlish and needy. Buy him a meal, give her a granola bar, or offer a kind word. You will create a little magic on the spot.

Did I say there were no side effects? I was wrong. 
There are lots.

Potential, and almost certain, side effects of giving include feeling happier, feeling healthier, feeling grateful and connected, and as negative energies are overruled, stress and anxieties have a harder time ticking away at you. Common side effects include sudden actual connections with others (meeting new people), unexpected displays of gratitude from others, invitations from nowhere, and new possibilities. Not to mention hits of feelings of freedom and liberation.

The mental and physical changes that follow such simple acts of helping others seem no-brainer tools to improve our own lives.

It is like creating something out of nothing. Who doesn’t want to be able to do that?

At the beginning of a new year, we all think of ways to improve ourselves and our lives. This is an easy one. No work involved. No sacrifice. Only benefits. To yourself AND someone else.

This year especially, the year of The President-Taker, is a good time for each of us to do something to show the way back to shared compassion and kindness. We may not all be able to give lots of money or time, but we can all exercise a little service of sharing our humanity with others.

Make it your goal to create such moments each day and watch the changes in you. 
No journal needed, no calendar, no alarm reminders. Just do it.

 “You’ll get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar

If you want to read about the scientific studies, go here:
https://www.wsj.com/ articles/hardwired-for-giving- 1377902081?