Generous people: these 8 virtues take them far in life
What characteristics do kind and generous people have in common?
Generous people are often described as being the most disadvantaged in modern Western societies, where individualism and the pursuit of pleasure for oneself are the norm. societies in the West, where individualism and the pursuit of pleasure for oneself prevail.
This, which is based on a part of truth, is a distortion of reality, because being generous is also rewarded by a series of physical and psychological benefits.
The advantages of being generous
And the fact is that, contrary to what we might think, pure selfishness also leaves certain blind spots through which problems and adversity can strike: the instability of relationships, the relative lack of support systems and a strong community that serves as protection, etc.
Following here are some benefits that generous people are the first to enjoy.
1. They have better mental health
When the demands of caring for others are not too demanding in terms of time and effort, altruism is correlated with a higher propensity for good mental health, altruism is correlated with a higher propensity for good mental health.. The psychological repercussions of knowing you are of service to others in need may be behind this.
2. They may feel better with less
Unlike selfish people, who need to get material rewards in return for their effort in order to feel good, generous people are able to feel good simply by doing tasks that they do well. are able to feel good simply by performing altruistic tasks, which they can do whenever they can do them.which they can do whenever they want because they only depend on themselves. After being involved in these tasks, many of them feel physically more energetic, with less Pain and stress, and with a better self-image, which has repercussions in all areas of their lives.
3. Affection helps young people grow up better.
It has long been known that those caregivers who, in addition to providing children and adolescents with the "obligatory" formal care with formal "obligatory" care such as food, water and a place to sleep, are much more likely to surround themselves with offspring who can care for them in old age. This is so because, with the creation of attachment bonds, the capacity of young people to feel affection for other people also appears.
4. They create trust networks easily
The hormone oxytocin, which is related to generous and altruistic behaviors, is also associated with the creation of bridges of mutual trust, which can be very useful for developing ambitious and costly projects that can only be carried out if several people agree and collaborate over a long period of time. This means that generous people will be somewhat more likely to devote their efforts to making projects whose objectives are long-term reach their goal.
5. They can become the most visible part of the community.
Generous people are able to give selflessly over long periods of time, whether or not there are rewards or rewards. whether or not there are rewards or rewards related to extrinsic motivation. This means that they are able to make others perceive them as generous at the same time, rather than sequentially: there are times when many people have benefited from the help of this type of profile without having given anything concrete in return.
In this way, it often happens that the members of a community, seeing that everyone considers that there is someone especially generous, the public image of this person reaches a new level, which is often related to a protective role and, therefore, of authority.
6. They are farther away from depression in old age
People over 65 who volunteer to help others are less likely to develop depression, thanks to the social integration that these tasks produce. This is very useful, considering that self-concept and self-image may decline in old age if retirement is interpreted as a sign that one is no longer useful to anyone.
7. They can concentrate more on positive thoughts
Generous people are more likely to help others in a selfless way, which creates a climate that is more conducive to the development of a positive attitude.This creates a climate of positivity and a certain optimism.. This makes them more exposed to situations in which attention is shifted to optimistic and cheerful ideas, which is useful for maintaining good levels of well-being.
8. A propensity for greater longevity?
Although studies on the longevity of kind people have yet to be conducted, a tendency to increased longevity has been found.Although studies on the longevity of kind people have yet to be conducted, a tendency to focus on positive thinking and affection-based behaviors has been shown to increase longevity and is associated with a strengthened immune system.
Referencias bibliográficas:
- Musick, M. A. y Wilson, J. (2003). volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups. Social Science & Medicine, 56(2), pp. 259 - 269.
- Post, S. G. (2005). Altruism, Happiness, and Health: It’s Good to Be Good. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 12(2), pp. 66 - 77.
- Schwartz, C., Meisenhelder, J. B., Ma, Y., & Reed, G. (2003). Altruistic social interest behaviors are associated with better mental health. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, pp. 778 - 785.
- Zack, P. J., Kurzban, R. y Matzner, W. T. Oxytocin is associated with human trustworthiness. Hormones and Behaviour, 48(5), pp. 522 - 527.
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)