Giving, a brilliant lifehack
Now, I don't blame you if your inner Scrooge is secretly wondering: all this giving is great for the receivers, but what's in it for me? I happen to have some great research-backed answers for you! First of all, the moment you give something, your brain gets a positive hit. You feel great. The University of Zurich found a neurological link between generosity and happiness, observing how our ventral striatum (a part of the brain associated with happiness) is stimulated by giving. Apparently, this has evolutionary roots: a reward for doing good for the health of our communities and species. Secondly, it's official: the joy of giving lasts longer than the joy of receiving. During another study, participants were given money to spend on themselves five days in a row. Their happiness showed a steady decline, whereas other participants who had spent that same amount of money on other people felt the same joy throughout.
Anne Frank said it beautifully: 'No one has ever become poor from giving'. When you reach out to give, your hands are open to receive. And whatever it is you are giving away, you are left with more of it than before. So, why not use the Holiday season - the darkest period of the year - to focus on how can you share your light with the world? Like I said earlier, giving extends beyond tangible things (although I would like to hereby hint that I collect Fornasetti wall plates). A thoughtful message or a gentle touch can be equally, if not more, impactful. And you may even dig a little deeper than that, asking yourself: what is my greatest gift or talent? Amplify that by sharing it! "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away," Pablo Picasso once said, and we all know how that worked out for one of the greatest artists of all time.
My muse for this season, German nun and polymath Hildegard von Bingen, is another beautiful example. Sharing her musical gift with the world, she created stunning, transcendental music that still lights up our hearts, nearly 900 years later (and features prominently in my epic Spotify Xmas list). I'm sure she's beaming down from above. And as much as I enjoy designing my collections, I get an even bigger thrill from seeing women empowered by them. The message is clear: if you dare to shine bright for another, you'll be lighting your own way as well. Try it, and who knows? You may find out that besides being an art, giving is also a brilliant lifehack, helping you shine beyond the Holiday season.
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