The Secret of a Healthy, Happy Life

You probably know the story that goes with this picture. A man sees an old lady sitting by the side of the street looking very bright and happy.
“What is the secret of your long and happy life?” he asks
“Well, I smoke ten of these big cigars a day. I drink two pints of good rum, and I always have a boyfriend who is half my age.”
Man: “Wow! That’s amazing. How old are you?”
Woman: “Forty-two.”

A more serious answer to the question of how to live a healthy and happy life is to give to others.
An article in Ode magazine describes the work of Paul Wink of Wellesley College, (Click Here) who did a comprehensive study of what brings health and happiness to the lives of people. He quickly discovered that “generativity” (the ability to give to others) ranked high on the list.

According to Wink, the protective effect of giving on mental and physical health buffers an entire lifetime. Wink found that teens who scored high on generativity in high school were healthier and happier half a century later. “There was a strong correlation with mental health in particular,” he says.

Wink also sees “generativity” as strongly linked to faith. “Religious individuals see giving and altruism as the natural outpouring of their faith.”

A March, 2008, report in Science magazine, “Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness,” (Click Here) found that, "spending more of one's income on others predicted greater happiness both cross-sectionally (in a nationally representative survey study) and longitudinally (in a field study of windfall spending)."

Of course, giving does not have to be just financial giving. Below are 10 low-cost ways to give from consultant Britt Bravo. What would you add to the list?

• Volunteer in your community, or virtually.
• Listen to someone who needs an ear.
• Visit someone who needs company.
• Give away stuff (i.e. clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, furniture).
• Double a recipe, put half in a tupperware, and share it.
• Share the skills you get usually get paid to use for free.
• Recommend someone on LinkedIn.
• Send a card or letter to someone who would love to hear from you.
• Give a loved one a shoulder or foot rub
• Show appreciation for the people you love.