As we wait in anticipation for Thanksgiving and the inevitable food coma that follows, we thought it would be the perfect time to discuss the benefits that generosity can have for your mental health.

Admittedly, generosity is not the first thing people think of when it comes to mental health, but there are actually quite a few mental health benefits to giving back. In this article, will go over some of the ways you can get into the spirit of giving this Thanksgiving season and the benefits it has for your mental health.

Volunteer

Whether it’s through making new connections, participating in activities outside of your everyday work, or the joy of serving others, being generous with your time can be a great way to boost your mental health. In fact, a study conducted in 2018 by BMC Public Health showed that 94% of participants that volunteered in the study felt their mood had improved and 78% said their stress levels had gone down.

Give to Non-Profits or Charity Organizations

As we continue to trudge through the pandemic and other social issues, it can be easy to feel helpless to change anything. Giving money to non-profit organizations or charities can help bolster your self-confidence and help you feel a sense of purpose in your life. Donating is also a great alternative when volunteering just doesn’t seem physically possible.

With Give Miami Day less than TODAY, now is a perfect time to give back to the community and practice generosity in your life. While the mental health benefits are surely a worthwhile reason to get involved, the knowledge that your generosity will be uplifting someone else in their time of need is a reward in and of itself.

In addition to Wellspring, we would encourage you check out these organizations:

• Miami Youth for Christ
• The Buddy System
• Hope for Miami
• Kendall Christian School
• Touching Miami with Love
• Urban Promise Miami
• Glory House of Miami
• Whispering Manes
• Or browse all of the charities participating in this year’s Give Miami Day!

On this episode, our co-founder Tova Kreps talks with Stephan Tchividjian, Billy Graham’s eldest grandson, about generosity.

Stephan Tchividjian serves as Founder and President of the Board of the National Christian Foundation of South Florida, and the Co-Executive Director of Lifework Leadership of South Florida. He has more than 25 years of experience serving on a variety of boards of directors and leadership teams for both for-profit and non-profit organizations.