5 Reasons why Contribution is Good for Mental Health

Have you experienced the joy of someone lighting up when they open the present you gave them?

That is the power of contribution – the feeling of joy when you can influence someone else in a positive way.

Contribution is now deemed as one of the top 2 factors in creating strong mental health (the other is community.)  And the wonderful thing is that whilst being part of a community can take time, contribution is something anyone one can easily do.

Contribution needn’t be financial, it can be time, it can be love, it can be kindness.  Contribution is a way of impacting someone positively.

And here are 5 reasons why it is good for your mental health

We’ve already said  it – when you make a difference, it makes a difference to you.

The impact of generosity leads to a release of dopamine into the blood stream – the happy drug.  And tests have shown that even anonymous donors also get a dopamine hit when they know that through their action (even if they dont see the immediate response) they have made a positive contribution.

By contributing you create a value – self worth.

Even though we now live in separate houses, we are still fundamentally pack animals that want to be part of a tribe.  In caveman times, if you did not make a positive contribution to the tribe, then you would be ousted.  Even though we have moved on physically and the structure of society has changed fundamentally, this psychological need to be accepted by others is deeply evolutionarily embedded.

Most people do not thrive alone!

Helping others can not only move your focus away from your own issues for a while, but also put things in perspective.    When we exist purely within our own world, you can lose sight that others are also struggling, sometimes even more than you.  And through contributing to helping them, you can often find ways to help yourself too.

One of the strongest motivators in purpose.  People will achieve outstanding things when they have a big enough reason to.  If you have ever seen sports aid or comic aid and seen the things people will put themselves through to raise money, you are seeing purpose in play.

A purpose that results in a contribution to others will typically deliver a much higher result than one that is purely focused on your own benefits.

When you contribute meaningfully, you often use and recognise your own skills and strengths. This reinforces confidence and a sense of capability, which can go a long way to  protecting against feelings of helplessness or inadequacy.

How do you feel if you let someone out in a traffic jam and they do not thank you ?

Are you more likely or less likely to do it next time?

And what about the reverse?  You open a door to let someone through and they show genuine gratitude for your kindness.  Would you open a door for someone again?

We could get into quantum physics…..but quite simply when you recognise a contribution, the energy not only keeps flowing but tends to grow.  Whereas if a contribution goes unrecognised, it closes the transaction – the energy dissipates.

Absolutely!

When you contribute, you feel better.  When someone recognises your contribution, even more dopamine hits your system.

And when YOU recognise someone elses, contribution, you also get a dopamine hit whilst giving a dose to that person too.

Everyone wins!!

We are living in a world where there is a lot of masculine energy – anger.  Consider Trump, Putin, Netanyahu – all men who are seeing to take from others.  This energy is emanating around the world.

However, it can be re-balanced.  Feminine energy (and this is not about just coming from women) is one that comes from a place of kindness and love.  And the brilliant thing is that the energy emitted in one kind act is much stronger than one act from anger.

So the more we contribute, the more we not only help ourselves by helping others, we will all get to live in a less angry world too!

And if you would like some ideas on acts of kindness that make a contribution to others, please download ‘Random acts of kindness’ for 50 suggestions on something you could do today.

Are you up for it?

Caroline Cavanagh is an anxiety specialist  and hypnotherapist in Salisbury, Wiltshire.  She is an author and professional speaker and would love to talk to you if you would like to know more about her work