I still remember the moment I made the conscious decision to spend the holidays helping others instead of spending it with my family. I was just out of college and I decided that I wanted my holidays to instead be a time of giving back — a time where I tried my best to help those in need. One Thanksgiving, when the soup kitchen was not accepting any more volunteers, I decided to buy holiday meals [1] at the grocery store and hand them out to people experiencing homelessness. I was blown away by how many amazing people I met while giving out food. Many of those people I helped told me I had made their day, but little did they know, they had made mine as well.

Like many of us, I have always been drawn to helping others [2]. Whether it's by volunteering at soup kitchens, rescuing and rehabilitating countless stray animals, or making monetary donations to causes closest to me, looking for ways to give back gives me a deep sense of purpose.

Giving creates a special feeling; the words "elation" and "fulfilment" come to mind. While giving back is often described as "selfless," we all know that we also experience positive benefits from helping others and working in our communities. And science backs it up. In research done by the Greater Good Science Centre at UC Berkeley it has been proven that pro-social generosity generates good feelings [3]. Here are a few different reasons why we feel better when we are more giving:

1) Giving Can Improve Your Physical Health

In a study from the 2013 [4], researchers found that those who gave back by volunteering [5] had increased psychological wellbeing compared to those who did not partake in altruistic behaviour. The study also discovered that those who put in at least 200 hours of volunteer work per year also had a lower risk of developing hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Personally, I find that the more I give back and help those around me the better my mind and body feels.

2) Giving Helps You Feel More Connected to Those Around You

Don't know where to start giving? Start small in your own circle. In a 2013 study [6], it was proven that spending money on those who are a part of your community creates a boost in happiness [7] and fosters a deeper connection. Whether it is by donating to a certain cause via a friend, family member, or social connection, the positive feelings you get from giving to those around you is even larger than the positive feelings you may get from donating anonymously to a special cause.

3) Giving Can Help Reduce Stress Levels

Research from 2014 [8] has shown that being more generous can actually lower your stress levels. In this study, researchers utilized the ultimatum bargaining game (UBG), an experiment that examines the behaviour and physiological reactions of people while bargaining. They found that those who offered to give less exhibited mental stress which negatively affected their wellbeing. On the other hand, those who gave more felt more at ease, and I can definitely relate. Kind gestures, such as sending flowers [9] to my grandmother or taking my sister out to lunch, always put me in a happy mood.