Hi lovelies!
♥
Today’s post is going to be a bit more serious. Austria is
currently overwhelmed with an influx of refugees unlike anything we’ve seen in
our recent history. This has obviously
brought about a variety of reactions, from people saying we should secure the
borders and quit letting anyone in to others working their fingers to the bone
50 hours a week to ensure all those coming in have food, warm clothes and some
form of shelter until they continue their journey.
I’m somewhere in between. I’ve taught and organized a few
German lessons and taken some food, drinks and hygiene products to train
stations, where it’s needed most. I might have helped more if I didn’t have a
full-time job and a degree to finish, but I did as much as I felt I had the
time and energy for. And I felt happier for it. Suddenly, I thought, who cares
if I don’t have a career in the traditional sense or if I end up unmarried with
four cats. Today, a small child who has been through unspeakable things is
going to have cake for dessert, and I bought that cake. And that matters.
Research does in fact show that, as long as it doesn’t make
you feel overwhelmed or put you under too much pressure, altruistic behaviour
has lots of physical and psychological benefits. (A nice literature review on
this came out in 2005 in the International Journal of Behavioural Medicine, Vol.
12, by Stephen Post, if you’re interested.) Helping others and doing things
that are greater than yourself, such as volunteering on a regular basis, may
help prolong your life, protect you from dementia, depression and anxiety, and enhance
your creativity and your resilience. Altruism also improves your self-esteem,
your well-being and your overall mental health. People who volunteer regularly
have also repeatedly been found to be in better physical health and suffer from
fewer illnesses even in old age. And I haven’t even mentioned the obvious
physical and psychological benefits gained by those on the receiving end of
altruism.
So this week, be selfish. Donate some money (GiveWell can
help you decide on a cost-effective charity). Volunteer some of your time. Clear
out your closet and give away last season’s winter clothes.
You deserve it!
Damita
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