helping others is the key to happiness essay

New research shows that helping others may be the key to happiness.

By Lisa Farino Few of us are immune to the frustrations and challenges of daily life—family problems, conflicts at work, illness, stress over money. When we get depressed or anxious, experts may recommend medication and/or therapy. But a newly emerging school of thought suggests that a simple, age-old principle may be part of both the prevention and the cure: Help others to help yourself. There’s no shortage of research showing that people who give time, money, or support to others are more likely to be happy and satisfied with their lives—and less likely to be depressed. Could helping others be the key to weathering the inevitable storms of life? Feel-good research Carolyn Schwartz, a research professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, didn’t start out looking at the value of helping others. Instead, she wanted to see if receiving monthly peer-support phone calls from fellow multiple sclerosis sufferers would benefit others with the disease. But over time, a surprising trend emerged. While those receiving support appeared to gain some mild benefit, the real beneficiaries were those lending a supportive ear. In fact, those who offered support experienced dramatic improvements in their quality of life—several times more so than those they were helping. The benefits of giving aren’t limited to those who are ill. When Schwartz later looked at more than 2,000 mostly healthy Presbyterian church-goers across the nation, she found that those who helped others were significantly happier and less depressed than those who didn’t. This phenomenon is nothing new. Paul Wink and Michele Dillon found a similar pattern when they looked at data collected every decade on a group of San Francisco Bay Area residents beginning in the 1930s. Those who volunteered and engaged in other forms of giving when they were adolescents were much less likely to become depressed, even as they got older. New research suggests there may be a biochemical explanation for the positive emotions associated with doing good. In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, participants’ brains were monitored by MRI scans while they made decisions about donating part of their research payment to charitable organizations. When participants chose to donate money, the brain’s mesolimbic system was activated, the same part of the brain that’s activated in response to monetary rewards, sex, and other positive stimuli. Choosing to donate also activated the brain’s subgenual area, the part of the brain that produces feel-good chemicals, like oxytocin, that promote social bonding. Why doing good works These results may seem surprising, especially since our culture tends to associate happiness with getting something. Why should we humans be programmed to respond so positively to giving? “As Darwin noted, group selection played a strong rule in human evolution. If something like helping benefits the group, it will be associated with pleasure and happiness,” explains Stephen Post, Ph.D., a research professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University who co-authored the book Why Good Things Happen to Good Peoplewith Jill Neimark. While evolution may have primed us to feel good from giving, it may not be the only reason helping others makes us feel better. Since depression, anxiety, and stress involve a high degree of focus on the self, focusing on the needs of others literally helps shift our thinking. “When you’re experiencing compassion, benevolence, and kindness, they push aside the negative emotions,” says Post. “One of the best ways to overcome stress is to do something to help someone else.” Even better, feeling good and doing good can combine to create a positive feedback loop, where doing good helps us to feel good and feeling good also makes us more likely to do good. “Numerous studies have found that happy people are more helpful,” says Dr. David Myers, a social psychologist at Hope College and author of The Pursuit of Happiness. “Those who’ve just found money in a phone booth are more likely to help a passerby with dropped papers. Those who feel successful are more likely to volunteer as a tutor.” When giving isn’t good While doing good is generally good for the doer, Post stresses that there are two important caveats. First, the caregiver can’t be overwhelmed. There’s ample research showing negative mental and physical consequences for givers who are overburdened and stressed by their duties—or who do so much they don’t have time to have fun and take care of themselves. In addition, while helping others can be a great antidote to the mild depression, stress, and anxiety that is a normal part of the ups and downs daily life, Post emphasizes that it’s not a cure for severe depression. “If you are clinically depressed, you need professional help,” Post says. But for people who aren’t severely depressed and who give within their limits, helping others can bring joy and happiness—and better health and longevity too. Some people wonder if these positive benefits make helping others an ultimately selfish act. “If the warm glow and ‘helper’s high’ that people experience when they help others is selfish, then we need more of this kind of selfishness,” says Post. How to help others—and yourself Incorporating kindness into your daily life isn’t difficult. Here are five easy things you can do to help others—and yourself:

• Volunteer.  Research shows that people who volunteer just two hours per week (about 100 hours per year) have better physical health and are less depressed. To find volunteer opportunities in your area, visit Volunteer Match or contact your local church or school.
• Informally offer help to family, friends, and neighbors.  Lend a needed tool, bring dinner to someone who’s sick, feed pets for neighbors on vacation, or offer a ride to someone who lacks a car.
• Donate.  It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Toss change into coffee cans at cash registers or support local organizations by buying a raffle ticket. Look for opportunities to give within your means. You’ll help make the world a better place and make yourself feel better too.
• Listen.  Sometimes all others need is someone to lend a sympathetic ear to make them feel heard, cared for and loved.
• Make other people (and yourself) smile.  The easiest way to make other people happy is to act happy yourself, even if it’s not how you feel. “Sometimes we can act ourselves into a way of thinking,” says Myers. “So like the old song says, ‘Put on a happy face.’ Talk as if you have self-esteem and are outgoing and optimistic. Going through the motions can awaken the emotions.”

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Becoming Minimalist

Own less. Live more.

Here’s the Science: Helping Others Is the Key to Happiness

Written by joshua becker · 11 Comments

When is the last time someone helped you? Was it carrying the groceries into the house? Or taking time to brainstorm solutions to a tricky situation? How did you feel after they helped you?

Now think of the last time you helped someone. Did you hold the door for a stranger at the store? Did you do a family member’s chore for them? Did you volunteer at the middle school dance? How did you feel afterward?

Helping others is a benefit to us. In fact, according to studies, helping others makes us even happier than when others help us.

Carolyn Schwartz, a research professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, was looking for ways to support those with multiple sclerosis. She arranged monthly peer-support phone calls, and was surprised to find that those who offered support were helped even more than those who received the support.

“A newly emerging school of thought suggests that a simple, age-old principle may be part of both the prevention and the cure: Help others to help yourself.”

In your search for meaning in life, helping others may be overlooked. But “kind and helpful behavior causes us to feel that our lives are meaningful .” 

When we think of things that matter and ask ourselves What really matters to me? we often keep ourselves at the center—it’s even in the question above: me .

But according to studies (and experience), when we look beyond me and begin asking what really matters, we find that helping others really matters . What may start out as a selfish pursuit—helping others so that I can feel better—will end up a selfless benefit, for everyone.

We feel good because we have helped someone else feel good. And it’s inevitable that we’ll want to do it again.

This feedback loop has been found in studies of helpful people.

“Since depression, anxiety, and stress involve a high degree of focus on the self, focusing on the needs of others literally helps shift our thinking. ‘When you’re experiencing compassion, benevolence, and kindness, they push aside the negative emotions,’ says Stephen Post, a research professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University. ‘One of the best ways to overcome stress is to do something to help someone else.’ Even better, feeling good and doing good can combine to create a positive feedback loop, where doing good helps us to feel good and feeling good also makes us more likely to do good.”

Additionally, when we direct our resources of time and money toward others, we begin to discover pursuits more valuable than accumulating material possessions.

Removing the trappings of possessions seems like a detour in the pursuit of helping others, but it’s more like a mathematical equation: (My money or time) – (material possessions and a full calendar) = external and internal resources to help others.

In a very real way, since helping others leads to happiness (and theirs), then reducing possessions and distractions can offer more opportunity for happiness.

You can read more about why this works, but if you want to jump to the benefits, here are a few ideas to get you started helping others.

1. Start small.

Give your place in line to someone at the grocery store. Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk, or place their Sunday paper on their front stoop on a rainy day. Jump up to open the door, let the dog out, carry a package, or take out the trash for someone. Practice helping others every day.

2. Then move to helping others in larger ways, once a week if you can.

Buy a coffee or a grocery store gift card for the man without a home that you see every time you go to the local shopping center. Send an email to your child’s school staff, thanking them and cheering them on in their service to the students. Offer rides to people who need to get to the doctor or the store. Stop by a neighbor’s house to check in and ask if there is anything you can help them with.

3. As these things become second nature, try helping others as a lifestyle.

Volunteer a couple times a year at the soup kitchen—ladling soup, cleaning bathrooms, or raking leaves. Ask your local synagogue or church if there are any building or personnel needs you can fulfill a few times a year. Reach out to a nearby school to see if you can tutor students or run a coat drive.

Start by asking the question: “Can I help in any way?” That’s all it takes.

That, and a willingness to hear the answer and give your help. And happiness will be right around the corner.

May 29, 2022 at 6:07 AM

You’re helping me. Thank you. I agree wholeheartedly.

May 29, 2022 at 6:03 AM

May 28, 2022 at 7:33 PM

Ah Joshua, this is an interesting conundrum. It is easy to get into a mindset where the very act of giving/ volunteering complicates one’s own goals in achieving minimalism or simplicity. The tools of the girl scout trade, storing supplies, sourcing low-cost and meaningful activities and equipment, the time involved in planning weekly meetings and weekend/ week-long camps, the management of other volunteers, keeping in touch with parents, and taking care of other people’s children alongside a busy working and parenting life. Let’s not simplify the act of giving too much – it has a cost and also needs to be balanced, otherwise the act of giving in and of itself can become problematic. I appreciate the sentiment in this piece, but I find the assumption that readers do not already give more than they can afford demonstrates a gap in understanding.

May 30, 2022 at 3:00 PM

Minimalism has never been greatest goal in life. I’ve always dreamt bigger dreams than minimalism . If giving/helping others complicated minimalism in my life, I choose serving.

May 27, 2022 at 9:33 AM

David Brooks touched on this in his book “The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life.” The first half of our lives are often ego-centric. We chase money, recognition, possessions. But when we get to the top of our first mountain, the view isn’t that satisfying. So we climb down in search of our second mountain, which is how we become other-centric. We focus on helping others. And that’s where true happiness is found.

May 27, 2022 at 7:50 AM

Excellent article! I agree 100% with showing kindness and helping others. It brings me tremendous joy.

May 27, 2022 at 7:35 AM

I agree. I get so much joy, yes, joy, out of helping others in small ways all day long. And what is extraordinary is that when I reached the point where I do these small things without even thinking about it (because they have become second nature to me) they nurture my attitude even when I am not doing them.

One thing I have added is something that I am very excited about. I have ordered business cards that I intend to hand out to those working with the public, especially when they have had a bad encounter with said public. The cards say this: “Thank you! I wanted to let you know that I think you. are doing wonderfully at your job. Please always remember that it is only your actions and. your thoughts that matter in your life. And you are doing great today.” There is a picture of a bouquet of red roses on the front and I will tape a piece of candy to the back. I can hardly wait to get started because I am very tired of hearing that “someone needs to do something.” Yes, yes, someone does. Me.

May 31, 2022 at 10:21 AM

Lauren, I love your idea! It’s beautiful ~ you have a good heart!

May 27, 2022 at 7:25 AM

Find a way to volunteer around something you are passionate about and it will fill your heart. Animal shelters need lots of volunteers doing varied jobs, from walking dogs to office work. Find a shelter with a greater need if your local one has lots of volunteers! CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocate ( for neglected and abused children) is a very special and important way to volunteer that can change a life! What we do is more important than what we have!

May 27, 2022 at 6:43 AM

Thank you for this gracious thought! So much today is about “me”. Jesus is our perfect example of stepping aside from ourselves and with His Love in our hearts, live for others….which also means taking care of self so that we have the anchor of His strength to reach out to any around us. May He help us to recognize our opportunities!

May 28, 2022 at 8:15 AM

Amen to that!

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The Key To Happiness, According To A Decades-Long Study

Sending a text to a friend can bring a smile to your face. Now, research suggests it could also help bring long-term health benefits. guoya/Getty Images hide caption

Sending a text to a friend can bring a smile to your face. Now, research suggests it could also help bring long-term health benefits.

If you could change one thing in your life to become a happier person — like your income, a job, your relationships or your health — what would make the biggest difference? That's the question Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Robert Waldinger has been attempting to answer through decades of research. He's the director of "the world's longest-running scientific study of happiness," and he spoke with Ari Shapiro about the factor that appears to make the biggest difference in people's lives. Waldinger is a co-author of The Good Life: Lessons from the world's longest scientific study of happiness . In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at [email protected] .

This episode was produced by Lee Hale and Megan Lim. It was edited by William Troop and Christopher Intagliata. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

10 Keys to Happier Living

Everyone's path to happiness is different. based on the latest research, we have identified 10 keys to happier living that consistently tend to make life happier and more fulfilling. together they spell great dream., you can explore them all below..

Do kind things for others

If you want to feel good, doing good is a great place to start..

Helping and being kind not only contributes to the happiness of others, it can also help us to feel happier ourselves! [1] Studies have shown that when we do kind things it can literally gives our brain a boost, activating its ‘reward centres’ [2] and that feels good. It can take our minds off our own worries too. 

Giving and kindness also help us feel connected to others which is important for our wellbeing and contributes to building stronger communities and a happier society for everyone. [3]

There are lots of different ways we can give and  help others .

Every act of kindness counts

From small acts like a friendly smile, a few kind words, helping with bags, or offering up our seat, through to regular volunteering - there are lots of different ways we can give or be kind. We can of course donate money to good causes if we are able to and we can give in lots of non-financial ways too, such as giving a moment of attention, some of our time, knowledge, ideas, energy or support, or even sometimes by giving people the benefit of the doubt, instead of instantly judging them. Acts of kindness add up for our own and others wellbeing and all contribute to creating happier communities. [4]

Reflection: What’s a small act of kindness you could do today?

Helping others can boost happiness in many ways

Scientific studies show that helping others can contribute to our happiness in different ways. These include: experiencing more positive emotions and satisfaction with life [5]; increasing our sense of meaning [6], and boosting our self-confidence. It can reduce stress and help us feel calmer too. [7] Some studies have found that people who volunteered regularly were found to be more hopeful and experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety and may even live longer. [8]  Not all acts of helping boost how happy we feel – to maximise the benefits, it’s important that we’ve chosen if or how we help; we can see or sense that it will have a positive impact; and it helps us feel more connected to others. [9]

So if you want to feel good, find ways you can do good! 

Reflection: When was a time that you chose to give or help others that boosted how happy you felt? What contributed to that?

Everyone needs kindness

Giving and being kind can help us feel more connected to others and contribute to nurturing our relationships - and that’s good for wellbeing all round! [10] Our acts of kindness might be for family, friends, colleagues, or neighbours or even strangers. They could be old or young, nearby or far away. It could be a one-off spontaneous gesture or something we do regularly. It could be a compassionate response in a time of crisis or need or simply because it’s a nice thing to do. There are always ways to be kind.

Reflection: Who have you been kind to recently? Who has been kind to you?

Create kindness ripples

Studies have shown that when we do something kind both the recipient and other people who witness that kind act are more likely to be kind themselves. [11] So our kindnesses are amplified, contributing to a happier world! Expressing gratitude for help others give us also ripples out too. [12]

Reflection: Who can you thank for what they give to you?

Ask for help when you need it

Think about it - if helping others boosts happiness, asking for help when we need it could give the person we ask the opportunity for a feel good boost. It can also mean they are then more likely to ask for help when they need it. Certainly communities where people feel they can rely on others to help are happier and more resilient. [13] Asking for help builds connection - so it isn’t only for when we are struggling. We can also ask for help to share experiences, when we’d value support, or when we want to learn something new. 

Reflection: What’s something you’d like help with? Who can you ask?

Balancing your own needs and those of others

Helping is associated with increased happiness and health, but feeling obligated or overly burdened by it can be detrimental, [14] as can be the case for long-term carers. If you are a carer, taking care of your own wellbeing matters – for yourself and the people you are helping. Even small actions that give you a quick break or a boost can help you sustain your physical and psychological health and so your ability to continue caring for others.

Reflection:  What is an action you can take to maintain your own wellbeing, to help you sustain caring for others?

Sustainable giving

As a general rule, we can be more effective, regular givers if we find ways to help that we enjoy, which are in line with our own strengths and feel worthwhile or meaningful. If we are happier givers, the recipients will likely benefit more, and we are more likely to continue to give. Choosing how we help and give to others, giving in ways that boost our sense of social connection and in which we feel effective and impactful all matter in order to sustain giving and helping others. [15] Happier people tend to help others more, so taking care of your own wellbeing helps you sustain giving too. [16]

Reflection: What ways of helping others do you enjoy or find energising?

1 Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., &; Norton, M. I. (2012). Happiness runs in a circular motion: Evidence for a positive feedback loop between prosocial spending and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(2), 347-355.

2 Harbaugh, W. T., Mayr, U., &; Burghart, D. R. (2007). Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations. Science, 316(5831), 1622-1625.

3 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Okabe-Miyamoto, K., &; Lyubomirsky, S. (2021). Social connection and well-being during COVID-19. World Happiness Report, 131-152.

4 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Okabe-Miyamoto, K., &; Lyubomirsky, S. (2021). Social connection and well-being during COVID-19. World Happiness Report, 131-152.

5 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.

6 What Works Centre for Wellbeing Briefing Paper (2020) Volunteer wellbeing: what works and who benefits? https://whatworkswellbeing.org/resources/volunteer-wellbeing-what-works-and-who-benefits/

7 Luks, A. A. (1988). Helper's high. Psychology Today, 22(10), 39.; Piliavin, J. (2003). Doing well by doing good: Benefits for the benefactor. In C. M. Keyes, J. Haidt, C. M. Keyes, J. Haidt (Eds.) , Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 227-247). Washington, DC US: American Psychological Association.

8 Aknin, L. B., Whillans, A. V., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2019). Happiness and prosocial behavior: An evaluation of the evidence. World Happiness Report 2019, 67-86. Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., &; Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette. Lyubomirsky, S, Sheldon, K M, &; Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111 - 131

9 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette.

10 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; Helliwell, J. F., Aknin, L. B., Shiplett, H., Huang, H., & Wang, S. (2017). Social capital and prosocial behaviour as sources of well-being. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 23761

11 Jung, H., Seo, E., Han, E., Henderson, M. D., and Patall, E. A. (2020). Prosocial modeling: A meta-analytic review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 146(8), 635

12 Algoe, S. B., Dwyer, P. C., Younge, A., &; Oveis, C. (2020). A new perspective on the social functions of emotions: Gratitude and the witnessing effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(1), 40.

13 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; Helliwell, J. F., Aknin, L. B., Shiplett, H., Huang, H., &; Wang, S. (2017). Social capital and prosocial behaviour as sources of well-being. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 23761

14 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34

15 Aknin, L. B., & Whillans, A. V. (2021). Helping and happiness: A review and guide for public policy. Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 3-34.; King, V. (2016) 10 Keys to Happier Living – A Practical Guide for Happiness. Hachette.

16 Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., & Norton, M. I. (2012). Happiness runs in a circular motion: Evidence for a positive feedback loop between prosocial spending and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(2), 347-355.

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Gratitude is like breathing in – letting ourselves be touched by the goodness in others and in our world. Generosity is like breathing out – sensing our mutual belonging and offering our care. 

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The Secret to Happiness Is Helping Others

• Jenny Santi

6 tips to living a life with purpose and meaning

There is a Chinese saying that goes: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” For centuries, the greatest thinkers have suggested the same thing: Happiness is found in helping others.

For it is in giving that we receive — Saint Francis of Assisi The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity — Leo Tolstoy We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give — Winston Churchill Making money is a happiness; making other people happy is a superhappiness — Nobel Peace Prize receipient Muhammad Yunus Giving back is as good for you as it is for those you are helping, because giving gives you purpose. When you have a purpose-driven life, you’re a happier person — Goldie Hawn

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

And so we learn early: It is better to give than to receive. The venerable aphorism is drummed into our heads from our first slice of a shared birthday cake. But is there a deeper truth behind the truism?

The resounding answer is yes. Scientific research provides compelling data to support the anecdotal evidence that giving is a powerful pathway to personal growth and lasting happiness. Through fMRI technology, we now know that giving activates the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by food and sex. Experiments show evidence that altruism is hardwired in the brain—and it’s pleasurable. Helping others may just be the secret to living a life that is not only happier but also healthier, wealthier, more productive, and meaningful.

But it’s important to remember that giving doesn’t always f eel great. The opposite could very well be true: Giving can make us feel depleted and taken advantage of. Here are some tips to that will help you give not until it hurts, but until it feels great:

1. Find your passion

Our passion should be the foundation for our giving. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. It’s only natural that we will care about this and not so much about that, and that’s OK. It should not be simply a matter of choosing the right thing, but also a matter of choosing what is right for us.

2. Give your time

The gift of time is often more valuable to the receiver and more satisfying for the giver than the gift of money. We don’t all have the same amount of money, but we all do have time on our hands, and can give some of this time to help others—whether that means we devote our lifetimes to service, or just give a few hours each day or a few days a year.

3. Give to organizations with transparent aims and results

According to Harvard scientist Michael Norton, “Giving to a cause that specifies what they’re going to do with your money leads to more happiness than giving to an umbrella cause where you’re not so sure where your money is going.”

4. Find ways to integrate your interests and skills with the needs of others

“Selfless giving, in the absence of self-preservation instincts, easily becomes overwhelming,” says Adam Grant, author of Give & Take . It is important to be “otherish,” which he defines as being willing to give more than you receive, but still keeping your own interests in sight.

5. Be proactive, not reactive

We have all felt the dread that comes from being cajoled into giving, such as when friends ask us to donate to their fundraisers. In these cases, we are more likely to give to avoid humiliation rather than out of generosity and concern. This type of giving doesn’t lead to a warm glow feeling; more likely it will lead to resentment. Instead we should set aside time, think about our options, and find the best charity for our values.

6. Don’t be guilt-tripped into giving

I don’t want to discourage people from giving to good causes just because that doesn’t always cheer us up. If we gave only to get something back each time we gave, what a dreadful, opportunistic world this would be! Yet if we are feeling guilt-tripped into giving, chances are we will not be very committed over time to the cause.

The key is to find the approach that fits us. When we do, then the more we give, the more we stand to gain purpose, meaning and happiness—all of the things that we look for in life but are so hard to find.

Jenny Santi is a philanthropy advisor and author of The Giving Way to Happiness: Stories & Science Behind the Life-Changing Power of Giving

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Helping others makes us happier -- but it matters how we do it

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Helping others makes us happier— but it matters how we do it - elizabeth dunn.

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One of the best ways to increase your own happiness is to help other people. This turns out to be a cultural universal— an aspect of human nature that scientists have detected around the world. But, giving to others doesn’t always make people happier. So, what are the factors that determine whether good deeds produce good feelings? Elizabeth Dunn shares how we can make a greater impact— and boost our own happiness along the way.

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Why is helping others the key to happiness?

Have you ever experienced a sense of joy and fulfillment after lending a hand to someone in need? This feeling is not just a coincidence, as research has shown that helping others is a key to happiness. Whether it's donating to a charity, volunteering, or simply supporting a friend in need, giving back has been linked to positive impacts on our emotional and mental well-being.  [ 1 ]

Yet, in our modern world, it's becoming increasingly common to seek purpose and fulfillment through accumulating achievements and dedicating excessive amounts of time to work. However, this can often result in isolation from others, leaving us feeling disconnected and unfulfilled.

At Mudita, we believe that a meaningful life involves helping others. This idea has been present for centuries, as seen in Aristotle's teachings. He emphasizes that true happiness and fulfillment are attained not through being loved, but by showing love to others.

Helping others not only brings joy to their lives, but also nourishes our soul with a sense of purpose and interconnectedness.

Now, let’s delve into the reasons why helping others can lead to happiness, and explore how making a difference in someone else's life can deeply affect our own. 

We'll examine the science behind the release of "feel-good" hormones and the increase in social connections that come with acts of kindness, and discuss why helping others should be a fundamental part of our lives. 

Increases Positive Emotions : One of the key reasons why helping others is the key to happiness is that it increases positive emotions. When we help others, our brain releases oxytocin, which is commonly referred to as the "feel-good" hormone. This release of oxytocin can lead to increased feelings of happiness and joy, making us feel better about ourselves and the world around us. Additionally, lending a helping hand can bring a sense of calmness and decrease stress levels. Those who volunteer regularly tend to have a more positive outlook on life, and experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, which may also contribute to a longer life.  [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]

Improves Sense of Purpose: Helping others can also provide us with a greater sense of purpose. When we help another human being, we often feel like our actions have meaning and that we’re making a difference in someone else's life. This sense of purpose can give us a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, which has the ability to increase our overall happiness.  [ 5 ]

Enhances Social Connections: Helping others is a great way to not only build, but also strengthen relationships. When you help someone, they are more likely to reciprocate that help in the future and feel closer to you. This can lead to stronger social connections and a greater sense of community, both of which are vital components of happiness. [ 6 ]

Provides a Sense of Accomplishment: Helping others can also make us feel good about ourselves. When we help someone, it gives us a sense of accomplishment and pride in what we've done. This sense of accomplishment can be a powerful motivator and lead to increased happiness.

Brings Positive Change to the World: Finally, helping others can bring positive change to the world. By making a difference in someone else's life, we can help to make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. This can bring us a sense of satisfaction and happiness, knowing that our actions have had a positive impact on the world.

Helping others is a key component of happiness.

By helping others, we can increase our own happiness. Volunteering, donating, or simply lending a hand to a friend can have a positive impact on our emotional and psychological well-being. 

By incorporating acts of kindness into our lives, we can experience many benefits and live a happier life.

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Helping Others Could Boosts Happiness

A new study suggests that kindness and generosity may increase happiness..

( My Good Images / Shutterstock.com)

What makes you happy? You may want to answer that spending time with your family, taking a vacation or driving a new sports car makes you happy but the key to happiness may be altruism. Helping others may actually boost your happiness.

According to Time Magazine , the greatest thinkers in the world have suggested that true happiness is found in helping others and now there is scientific research from a team of psychologists at the University of Missouri-Columbia to prove it.

While Americans are guaranteed the pursuit of happiness in their Declaration of Independence, it is usually referring to individual rights and is self-serving. The researchers led by Liudmila Titova and Kennon Sheldon looked at whether pursuing happiness for others will actually make people happier. They found that it does.

Two experiments were conducted by the team, according to Psychology Today .   In the first experiment asked participants to recall a time that they tried to make themselves or another person happy. They were asked to write about the event and rate how happy it made them feel.

In the second experiment, they were asked to remember a time they tried to make someone else happy and also write about how it made them feel. This experiment elicited a higher rate of happiness than the first.

“The results of these studies extend findings from previous research by showing that people derive boosted personal happiness from attempts to make other people happy — an approach that might seem counterintuitive for a lot of people at first,” researchers wrote in the study.

But how does the research translate into real life? How can people help others in constructive ways that will benefit them without making you feel used or being taken advantage of? Here are some helpful tips.

First, according to Time Magazine, find your passion. Give to people or causes that move you and share your values. If you don’t have extra funds to contribute, you can give your time. Read to children at the library or virtually, or volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen. If you love animals, help out at a pet adoption day or spend time with shelter pets.

If you are donating money, make sure that the organizations aim and actions are transparent. “Giving to a cause that specifies what they’re going to do with your money leads to more happiness than giving to an umbrella cause where you’re not so sure where your money is going,” Harvard scientist Michael Norton told Time Magazine.

Whatever you do, the key is to find an approach that works for you and let it come naturally. Remember that boosting happiness is a benefit of helping others and not the goal.

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Find Happiness in Helping Others

Happiness is found in helping others.  Despite the self-help messages so prevalent today, life is not all about your happiness.  For many people this is hard to hear. It’s not the uplifting message they’re looking for, but it is true nonetheless.  Current culture makes it very easy to think that our own happiness is the main goal and the most important pursuit.  However, to the contrary, life is about serving others and caring about the good of those around us. 

I was asked recently what one piece of advice I would give to the youth today.  My response was, “Look beyond yourself”.   Kids, teens and millennials are growing up in a very self-focused and egocentric culture.  Much of their social life and free time centers around cameras, selfies and image projection.  They’re being raised in a world of digital photos, social media and video calls.  Everything seems to be recorded and documented. 

I am not blaming them or suggesting that they choose this scenario, in fact my own teenage kids would rather have most of that go away.  I also admit that I’m guilty of participating in this egocentric culture too and can easily fall victim to this mentality.  We don’t choose the culture around us but we do choose how we react to it.

Look Beyond Yourself

If we can make an effort to shift the focus away from ourselves and our circumstances, we often find more joy.  Why does this happen?  It happens because when we focus on others, our problems, needs and wants stop taking center stage in our life.  We realize that we are not alone in our trials. We start to see the needs of others and recognize the bigger picture.

Looking beyond yourself is why it’s important to not be isolated.  The more people we talk to and get to know, they more stories we learn.  I know people who are so isolated from others that the issues of their world become all-consuming.  On the other hand, the people I know who spend time listening to others, getting involved in the lives of those around them and using their time to help people are happier. 

There are many ways to look beyond yourself.  Getting to know others, making an effort to show interest and be involved in your community, educating yourself about an issue you are passionate about and exploring how you can make a difference. All of these things will help take the focus away from yourself.

The happiest people are those who do the most for others. Booker T. Washington

People seem to be more energized and fulfilled when they are making a difference for others.  They realize that they are not the most important thing and that their happiness is not all that matters.  Ironic, isn’t it?  Finding happiness by not focusing on your own happiness?

Helping Others

It feels good to serve others.  We get a feeling of purpose and accomplishment knowing that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.  I think there is a built-in desire inside all of us to feel useful and purposeful.  If we don’t fulfill that desire, then we often feel an emptiness.

One of the easiest ways to fulfill this purpose is to volunteer. Volunteer and service opportunities are everywhere.  The opportunities are not just in a third world country or on a mission trip (which are great and noble ways to serve) but also right in your own backyard!  Helping in our cities, tutoring kids in our schools, serving neighbors, etc.  There are so many ways to give and serve in an area that meets your passion. 

We all serve differently. You may have resources or talents that you can share with others.  Maybe you have the gift of organization for your kid’s school, their team or your neighborhood group.  Perhaps you have expertise and can advise on a committee or lend your skills.  If you don’t feel like you have money or a specific skill to share, then maybe time is the thing you give.  Often the sacrifice of time to listen and to talk is the most valuable service you could give.

Don’t let what you don’t have keep you from giving what you do have. Mark Batterson

Benefits of Helping Others

It builds resiliance.

When the world is not all about you, then it’s harder to become overwhelmed with your problems.  You gain a perspective that other people have needs too and that your issues are not unique.  You become inspired by the stories and lives of others and that makes you stronger to handle your own life.

We Gain Purpose

Having a sense of purpose has been shown again and again to increase our well-being by providing meaning. A meaningful life is a measure of happiness and contentment and research has found that giving to others can make our lives more meaningful (more on that here ). It’s hard to find meaning by gathering up personal accomplishments and focusing on our own good. Gaining a sense of purpose is a direct benefit of helping others.

We Build Connections

Helping others helps us build connections which are so essential for happiness. We need to be in relationships to find true joy. This means caring about others and taking the focus away from ourselves. It means not being isolated but, instead, getting involved in the lives of those around you. When we volunteer, give to others and even take time to listen to others, we are building connections.

Removes the Stigma of Asking for Help

The more we reach out to help others, the more comfortable we are asking for help ourselves. We see the gratitude and strength it takes to ask for and receive help. The stigma we feel in admitting out own needs decreases every time we help others. Asking for help is a good thing (read more here ) and it is one of the benefits we gain from helping others.

However you serve, I know you will find happiness in helping others.  Volunteering, being generous and having a service mindset and all ways to help others that will also bring you joy.

Challenge for this week:

Get out of your comfort zone and look for ways to help others. Seek opportunities to look beyond yourself….like starting a conversation with a stranger, reaching out to a neighbor or finding an area where you’d like to volunteer.

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The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life Essay

What most people wish for in life is how to remain happy. However, being happy and remaining satisfied with one’s life is a great challenge. Today, people associate happiness with having money and the ability to afford world pleasures. Many studies have shown that happiness is affected by different factors and money may not be among the top factors. For example, a study by Lingnan University’s Centre for Public Studies (2015) showed that there was an increase in the happiness index for people with a monthly household salary ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 by 7% while those with a monthly income less than $10,000 rose by 3%. Interestingly, those with high-income brackets of between $20,000 and $30,000 had their happiness index drop by 4.7%. These figures denote that happiness is not solely dependent on one’s wealth. Being surrounded by people especially friends and family is the key to happiness because they provide moral and social support, directs an individual in doing what pleases him, and provides real and lasting contentment with life.

Happiness has been mainly associated with moral and social support. Citing the sentiments of St. Aquinas and Aristotle, Mills (2014) pointed out that belonging to a tight-knit society enhances the feeling of being wanted which is a key factor in being happy. Even though the arguments by Aquinas and Aristotle were mainly based on the sense of belonging to a religious community and trusting in a Supreme being, their sentiments depict the importance of moral and social support. In modern society, such support can be realized if people have supportive families and friends. The social bonds between an individual and the family or friends provide a system where one feels protected and comfortable (Shannon, 2016). This is based on the understanding that compassion and the feeling of closeness between two or more people lead to a genuine and happy union in general life (Wu, 2014). It is in this regard that Mills (2014) states, “New friends expand your world by providing an entrance to new interests, opportunities, and activities and can be an invaluable source of support and information – and, just as happiness-inducing, you can play the same role for them” (p. 10).

Family members can guide individuals in the carrying out of the activities that please them. According to Shannon (2016), living well and happily is mainly dependent on one’s relationship with a spouse, other family members, and friends. For example, in the documentary ‘Happiness,’ the hunters and gatherers of Namibia in Africa were found to be having a high happiness index (Belic, 2013). This is despite their poor living conditions in the forest. Their happiness can be attributed to the family ties and support system that they use in the course of hunting and gathering. In the documentary, Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor at the University of California, advises that people should have the intention to be happy irrespective of the prevailing situation. For instance, the hunters have the intention to stay happy because they do not worry about material things. Their meaning and purpose in life are tied to getting daily food.

In conclusion, happiness is not defined by having material things. From the examples provided in the documentary “Happiness” and the assertions by Aristotle and Aquinas, the aspect of compassion that emanates from belonging to a social network, such as the family, leads to the feeling of satisfaction. Thus, friends and a supportive family are invaluable sources of happiness.

Belic, R. (2013). Happy: Happiness & its causes [Video file]. Web.

Lingnan University’s Centre for Public Studies. (2015). Happiness index for Hong Kong. Web.

Mills, R. (2014). A study of happiness. Journal of Undergraduate Research , 13 (1), 5-7.

Shannon, V. (2016). The keys to happiness. The New York Times . Web.

Wu, Z. (2014). Family is the most influential factor on happiness in high school students. Health , 5 (1), 336-341.

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IvyPanda. (2020, September 17). The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-key-to-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life/

"The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life." IvyPanda , 17 Sept. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-key-to-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life'. 17 September.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life." September 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-key-to-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life." September 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-key-to-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Key to Happiness and Satisfaction with Life." September 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-key-to-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life/.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

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Who finds joy in other people’s joy, who feels good when a good thing happens for someone else our ggsc sympathetic joy quiz results suggest it has almost nothing to do with money or politics..

What is sympathetic joy ? Imagine how a loving parent feels seeing their child giggle in playful delight, or rock their spotlight in the school play. Sympathetic joy is about feeling uplifted, connected, and endeared when something wonderful is happening to another person, and it can involve the urge to approach and offer affectionate, nurturing touch like a hug.

The concept of sympathetic joy has origins in Buddhism, where feeling glad, contented, and affiliative in response to good things happening to other people, or in witness to other people’s happy expressions, is a core aspirational virtue (and one of the four immeasurables of loving-kindness). Sympathetic joy is often contrasted with jealousy, or feelings of competitiveness or inadequacy, that come up when we compare ourselves to others who are celebrating, being honored, or experiencing greatness. Not only does sympathetic joy feel better than the aforementioned alternatives, but as a 2019 paper in the journal Mindfulness suggests, it can strengthen social connections, make relationships more satisfying, and contribute to greater happiness in life. 

Sympathetic joy is an innate capacity. We spontaneously mirror each other’s enjoyment, like when babies smile back or laughter spreads through a room even though folks don’t know where the funny started. Like many interpersonal skills, however, the amount of sympathetic joy that people experience in life can differ by individual characteristics, life circumstances, and day-to-day habits of thought, experiences, and behaviors.

How often do Greater Good ’s readers experience sympathetic joy? Between January 1, 2023, and March 18, 2024, 2,179 people took the GGSC’s sympathetic joy quiz , choosing responses on a scale from “Almost Never” to “Almost Always” for questions like: “When I see another’s wish finally come true, I often have the feeling of ‘How wonderful this is,’” and “I feel joyful when I see other people immersed in their happiness.” 

Questions on this quiz were drawn from a validated measure which was published in a 2017 paper called Development of the Appreciative Joy Scale , by a team of researchers from China, Hong Kong, and Australia. After the 13 questions included in the sympathetic joy quiz, we asked questions about age, ethnic identity, gender, income, political view, religiousness/spirituality, and feelings of connection with people in general. We analyzed quiz scores according to these factors to explore how associated they were with average levels of sympathetic joy.

Sympathetic joy scores rise with age

Quiz-takers who indicated being under 18 years old reported the least experience of sympathetic joy. That increased for people in their 20s, followed by a slight upward trend for people in their 30s and 40s. People in their 50s and 60s reported stepwise increases in sympathetic joy, followed by a decline among people 70 or older. This pattern of age-related increase in feelings of sympathetic joy among our voluntary pool of GGSC quiz-takers is consistent with the trajectory of another psychological tendency that is linked to well-being: generativity. That’s the inclination to act in ways that promote the well-being of younger generations, which one 2021 paper links to more well-being in older adults.

Why do people in the 70-and-older group show a decline in experiences of sympathetic joy? While our data cannot reveal insights into the causes of this decline, it is possible that people in this group have fewer opportunities to share space and time with other people, in good times or bad, or they may be experiencing more difficulty with physical comfort, mobility, and sleep, circumstances that also could reduce their capacity to embrace joy in others.

Women score higher than other gender identities

Typical of most GGSC quizzes, 68% of those who took the sympathetic joy quiz were female. Of the remaining, 27.4% selected male, and 4.6% selected non-binary or “prefer to self-identify.” Female quiz-takers, on average, reported experiencing it more often than other gender-based groups, which is also typical with our quizzes. This pattern is not evidence or proof that females have more sympathetic joy. Rather, it suggests that female visitors to the GGSC’s sympathetic joy quiz may be more interested in it, more likely to recall having experienced it, and more motivated to describe themselves that way. This could be related to complying with gender-based cultural expectations, or fulfilling identity-based goals. It could suggest a more basic sex difference, but that is very hypothetical and not at all shown by results from this quiz.

While the score for quiz-takers who selected non-binary or prefer to self-identify appears to be lower, it is statistically equivalent to the average score for male quiz participants.

Income and political views don’t really matter

The pattern of sympathetic joy differences between people in low and high income brackets is inconclusive. While there were small differences between the lowest and low-middle income categories, with lower scores among people reporting less than $25,000 annually compared to people making between $50,000 and $100,000 annually, the pattern drops back down and stays flat thereafter. While it may be plausible to interpret that very low income, or financial distress, can get in the way of sympathetic joy, nothing in this data suggests that higher income has a systematic influence. As for political orientation, the line from very liberal to very conservative was unremarkably flat, suggesting that people with different political ideals experience sympathetic joy to similar degrees.

Neither does race (maybe)

We weren’t able to draw strong conclusions from the data about ethnicity. Over 200 people who finished the quiz chose not to answer this question. That could be because the choices offered didn’t feel like a good fit. In addition, there were too few quiz-takers who selected Native American, Middle Eastern, and multiethnic (less than 100) to confidently include their scores in this analysis. Though self-described whites scored slightly higher in sympathetic joy than the other three major ethnic groups, a deeper look at response patterns for individual questions on the quiz reveals some interesting nuances.

For example, Black people reported experiencing the following more often than any other ethnic group: “Even if my friends or family are better than me at something, I am still quite willing to see them succeed”; “I still have the ability to share in other people’s happiness even when I am going through bad times”; and “I feel blissful for the celebrations of friends or family, such as weddings and birthdays.” Could it be that some aspects of sympathetic joy resonate more strongly with people and communities with certain cultural identities? Could it be that the language and style of the questions themselves make more sense to some people than others and, as written, fail to fully capture the true experience of sympathetic joy? If so, we’d get better answers with more inclusive (or more targeted) psychological assessments, as this 2023 article argues.

Scores are higher for people who feel more spiritual/religious, or more connected to humanity

For each increase in response to the statement “How religious or spiritual are you?,” there was a concurrent increase in sympathetic joy. Many religious and spiritual traditions espouse the virtue of sympathetic joy, and many have specific rituals that involve behaving as such. These experiences may explain why people who see themselves as more religious or spiritual also score higher in sympathetic joy.

The strongest link with sympathetic joy occurred in people’s responses to this question “How much do you identify with (that is, feel a part of, feel love toward, have concern for) other people in general?” Studies have long shown that feeling more similar to other people increases empathic processes, from activation of emotion-processing regions of the brain to simulating gestures and facial expressions to offering support. For example, the studies described in a 2011 paper published in the journal Emotion find that making people feel more similar to each other, by having them tap out synchronous patterns with their fingers, increases their compassion toward each other. Because sympathetic joy is a kind of positive empathy, feeling closer and more connected to other people in general likely strengthens this capacity.

Sympathetic joy is like a healthy emotional dessert—we get to feel terrific in moments that have nothing to do with ourselves. As a practiced trait, sympathetic joy can make you a kinder person, as other people’s happiness can contribute to your own. From our exploratory analysis of GGSC quiz scores, the biggest barrier to sympathetic joy appears to be harboring feelings of separateness, and a sense of disconnection from people in general, which some might describe as loneliness.

The good news is that there are many science-backed techniques for strengthening social connection, like doing a loving-kindness meditation or a journaling exercise to reflect on shared identity . Small activities that strengthen shared humanity pave the way for more joy in life, both when good things happen to you and when good things happen to other people.

About the Author

Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas

Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, Ph.D. , is the science director of the Greater Good Science Center, where she directs the GGSC's research fellowship program and serves as a co-instructor of its Science of Happiness and Science of Happiness at Work online courses.

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The Connection Between Love, Happiness, and Good Health

To stay healthy, fight stress, and live longer, strive for solid relationships..

Posted March 29, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• Supportive mind-body interventions help reduce stress and keep people well.
• Love, in its many forms, can help buffer one's reaction to stressful situations.
• Social relationships with friends, family, and community members help a person to feel loved and supported.

Practitioners of mind-body medicine (MBM) have long suggested that we can limit the negative effects of chronic stress and promote overall well-being by taking steps to ensure we live a happier, healthier, and more socially connected life. Now, an article reviewing all the research on MBM and other aspects of life that support good health, published by researchers from the German Institute for Integrative Health Care and Health Promotion, confirms that common MBM tools, treatments, and interventions that help put you in a positive emotional state, along with love, social connections, and happiness , can reduce the effects of stress and support your overall health.

Such MBM practices include mindfulness techniques, cognitive-behavioral or positive psychology, good nutrition , physical activity, relaxation techniques, meditation , and other physical, psychological, spiritual, and cultural interventions. These stress-reducing behaviors and practices improve mental and physical health by increasing the sense of rootedness, love, compassion, strength, and empathy we feel within ourselves, as well as the connectivity we feel toward others.

Unresolved or uncontrolled stress can lead to overreaction in challenging situations and an overproduction of stress hormones in the body, which can negatively impact all aspects of health. Excess stress hormones can interfere with cognitive functions, such as memory , learning, and flexibility. At the same time, feeling as though you lack the ability or resources you need to cope with, adapt to, or deescalate life’s many challenges is stressful in and of itself and can lead to physical, psychological, emotional, and social issues.

The researchers found that love in its many forms, social connection, and happiness (defined simply as a feeling of personal well-being) are all interconnected and associated with reduced stress and increased social activity that can ultimately lead to improved mental and physical health. Love encompasses romantic love , love for family and friends, or love for a pet, and can extend to love for specific places, material objects, and favorite activities.

Love is described as feelings of attraction , attachment , passion, trust, and enjoyment, all of which stimulate reward centers in the brain that reinforce feelings of pleasure. When love isn’t stressful, its calming influence can promote a state of relaxation that helps buffer or balance a potentially overactive stress response.

Social connectedness—the degree to which you feel connected to and supported by your family, friends, and community—has well-established mental and physical health benefits and has even proven to be a predictor of longevity in both healthy individuals and those who suffer from chronic diseases. That’s why it’s important to continue building and sustaining social relationships throughout your life.

Happiness, optimism , laughter , agreeableness , and an extroverted , easygoing, or other positive personality type have all been found to reduce the risk of disease and early death in healthy people, though the effect on people with chronic illnesses is still unclear. An important measure of happiness is your subjective well-being, or how you perceive and experience your own life rather than how anyone else sees it. Your personality, socioeconomic status, health, and level of social support are just some of the factors that can determine your subjective well-being and, by extension, your overall health.

Overall, the researchers concluded that when efforts are made to promote a positive psychological state that encompasses aspects of love, social connection, and general happiness, your overall well-being is improved, and you may live longer. Because happiness can be considered essential to overall health and well-being, the researchers suggest that future studies consider which recommended health interventions also contribute to an individual’s level and perception of happiness. They say it is also imperative to consider the impacts of spirituality , culture, motivation , and access to support systems on love, social connectivity, health, and happiness. The goal of mind-body medicine, after all, is to enhance overall well-being, in great part by reducing negative responses to stress that can ultimately lead to physical and mental disorders.

Esch, T., Stefano, G. B., & Michaelsen, M. M. (2024). The foundations of mind-body medicine: Love, good relationships, and happiness modulate stress and promote health. Stress and Health , e3387. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3387

Susan McQuillan is a food, health, and lifestyle writer.

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