What is the secret to happiness? The list of nominees is the same for almost everyone: income, health, family, success. Results of a Harvard study, however, indicate that the answer is none of the above.
What is it, then?
Volunteering to help others. Another way to say it: Serving.
Research conducted by Dr. Eric Kim concludes that people over the age of 50 who volunteer to help others for at least 2 hours a week have a higher sense of well-being than those who don’t.
And it goes beyond a sense of well-being. Helping others is a catalyst toward other lifestyle benefits, such as lower risk of death, a lesser chance of health-related complications, and increased physical activity.
Kim says that serving others doesn’t just strengthen communities, it also “enriches our own lives by strengthening our bonds to others, helping us feel a sense of purpose and well-being, and protecting us from feelings of loneliness, depression, and hopelessness.”
Maybe this is one reason why Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than receive: Your gift of service to others come back your way, in full measure, even running over. [Acts 20:35, Luke 6:38]
In the words of King Solomon…
Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)