Search Results for: giving
Live Happy’s Holiday Campaign Celebrates the True Gift of Giving
Now that the holidays are here, it’s important to remember what the giving season is all about. Prosocial acts, which are intentional behaviors that benefits others, truly is a gift that is given and received. While the person on the receiving end may be impacted in a positive way, the giver also receives those emotional rewards that make us feel good. These acts of kindness, no matter how big our small, create positive connections between people for a better society because the good cheer will carry on months, to even years later.
According to science, there are plenty of other positive reasons why giving is good for you, including benefits to your physical and mental health. Research shows that giving—whether it is time, money, or gifts—contributes to our happiness and well-being, by:
Lowering blood pressure
Boosting self-esteem
Reducing effects of depression and anxiety
Decreasing levels of stress
Increasing overall life satisfaction
12 Days of Giving
During the month of December, we are embarking on a new kindness campaign in the holiday spirit of giving and it’s our Live Happy followers who will receive. Our 12 Days of Giveaways kicks off 12/02/2022 and each day is a new opportunity to receive a gift donated from one of our participating sponsors. We have partnered with brands who think and act like us with the greater good in mind. These brands not only offer great products but also have missions with a higher purpose of making the world a happier place.
Here’s How to Win
To enter Live Happy’s 12 Days of Giveaways, just follow us on Instagram @mylivehappy. Each day will be a new chance to win simply by liking that day’s post. All you have to do is follow Live Happy and the sponsor featured in the Instagram post. Then, just tag someone you know in the comments and that’s it. Live Happy staff will randomly select a winner and contact you to let you know you’ve won.
Here is a list of our wonderful partners during the 12 Days of Giveaways: Neora, Bold Made, Emotion Wonderland, Type K Studio, Just Made, Big Shifts 31-Day Kindness , Yipes!, Taco vs. Burrito, Wholly Guacamole and (of course) Live Happy.
So, be sure keep an eye out on December 02 on Live Happy’s Instagram so you don’t miss a chance to win one these great gifts. Happy Holidays!
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Giving is the Reason for the Season
Welcome, Happy Activists!
A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! We encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters!
December's Happy Act theme is altruism. French philosopher Auguste Comte, the father of positivism, first defined the term of altruism as a social act that is the opposite of self-centeredness, even though the giver does receive personal satisfaction from giving. If you are motivated to serve the welfare of others without expecting anything in return, then you are more than likely an altruistic person. When we embrace each other with compassion and kindness, we create an opportunity to be better human beings to each other. While research into the benefits of altruism continues, many studies suggest the more generous we are, the better off we will be.
December's Happy Act is to give a little extra this holiday season to someone in need. In his book Altruism: The Power of Compassion the Change Yourself and the World, Matthieu Ricard writes: “our existence is usually woven from deeds of cooperation, friendship, affection and care.” Whether it’s the ringing of the bell outside of the department store or serving warm meals for the hungry or shoveling a neighbor's sidewalk, don’t miss the call to pay a little more attention to others and make the holidays merrier for everyone.
Our December Happy Activist is Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue, author of Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too and president of Humane Society Silicon Valley in California. Carol displays her altruism by rescuing homeless animals, and in turn, placing those animals in happy homes. The result, she says, is a transforming experience for the people who adopt these animals in need. “Animals bring so much joy into our lives … part of the altruism in helping animals, is that you are really helping people too,” she says. “When you connect an animal with a person, you are enriching two lives.”
For more on altruism, check out these articles:
A Twist of Faith
How to Be Compassionate Toward Difficult People
The Giving Way to Happiness With Jenny Santi
Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.
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Giving Back with BJ Thomas
Singer BJ Thomas has enjoyed nearly half a century in the music business, selling more than 70 million records and winning multiple Dove and Grammy awards. When Hurricane Harvey devastated his hometown of Houston, he knew he wanted to help, and that his music was the best way to do that. Here’s how he turned a song into a cause, and what it means to him to be able to give back.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why recording the song "We Are Houston" was so important to him
How he finds positivity in his everyday life
What role a strong marriage has played in his success
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Learn more BJ Thomas on his website.
Learn more about his "We Are Houston" song and campaign.
Follow him on his Twitter and Facebook.
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Live Happy’s December Issue Your Go-To Guide to Gifts, Giving Back and Gratitude This Holiday Season
Dallas, Texas – October 23, 2017 – The December issue of Live Happy, available on newsstands on October 24th, is dedicated to the healing power of gratitude and giving back during the holiday season. Readers can also gain inspiration with Live Happy’s gift guide that supports causes around the world, DIY crafts, and recipes.
“With this issue we invite readers to clear a quiet, thoughtful space for creating new traditions and finding meaningful moments amid the endless distraction we all wrestle with daily,” says Deborah K. Heisz, Live Happy’s CEO, co-founder and editorial director.
The award-winning magazine recently garnered a Folio Eddie Award for Editorial Excellence and two Ozzie Awards for Design Excellence at the 2017 awards luncheon in New York.
In this issue, the magazine profiles Grammy Award-winning artist Reba McEntire. She speaks about her new Christmas album, My Kind of Christmas, as well as faith, family, friends, and how she remains positive.
“If you think of yourself as ugly, you are going to see yourself ugly. If you think it’s going to be a rotten day, it’s going to be rotten….I know it’s going to be a great day because of that positive influence that I’ve already put out into the atmosphere,” McEntire says.
Live Happy also profiles Craig Melvin, co-anchor of NBC News’ Weekend Today, who speaks about staying positive in a negative news world. “I start the day with mindfulness, and to get that rolling along, I use the app Headspace. That helps me sit quietly and reflect on all the good in my life, which puts me in a happy place early in the day.”
In addition to the profiles featured in the December issue, readers will find the following stories:
The Power of Thank You — Could practicing gratitude help us live longer and better? Sara Algoe, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill speaks about the benefits of saying thank you.
33 Ideas of Giving Back — Finding ways to do kind things is a powerful and effective practice for boosting your own well-being. Giving can add meaning to your life, build strong bonds with others and is the reason for the season.
Have a Little Faith— Research shows that spirituality is one of the character strengths most associated with a meaningful life. It is linked to greater compassion, altruism, volunteerism and philanthropy, all of which help make the world a better place.
Ask Stacy – In this month’s Ask Stacy column, licensed psychotherapist, Stacy Kaiser, who also serves as the magazine’s Editor at Large, answers questions about how to overcome feelings of dissatisfaction, suggestions on trusting yourself in love and tips for calming the mind for better sleep
Live Happy also goes beyond the pages with Live Happy Now, an inspiring free weekly audio podcast on iTunes that offers interviews with top researchers and experts in the fields of positive psychology and well-being. Readers can also visit LiveHappy.com and espanol.LiveHappy.com for even more information on finding and sharing happiness.
Live Happy is available on newsstands at major retailers throughout the U.S., including Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods and Hudson News. It can also be found at Presse Commerce newsstands in Canada, among others. Live Happy’s award-winning digital edition is available to purchase from the App Store and on Google Play. Current subscribers receive complimentary access on their tablet devices and smartphones. Separate digital subscriptions are available for $9.99 at livehappy.com.
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About Live Happy
Live Happy LLC, owned by veteran entrepreneur Jeff Olson, is a company dedicated to promoting and sharing authentic happiness through education, integrity, gratitude and community awareness. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, its mission is to impact the world by bringing the happiness movement to a personal level and inspiring people to engage in purpose-driven, healthy, meaningful lives.
Media Inquiries:
Nadine Hachicho
nhachicho@kruppnyc.com
212-886-6718
Jill Claybrook
Jclaybrook@kruppnyc.com
212-886-6705
Dina White
dwhite@kruppnyc.com
646-797-2030
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33 Ideas for Giving Back
“Do not run after happiness, but seek to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.” — James Freeman Clarke
2. Read 365 Ways to Live Generously By Sharon Lipinski.
3. Watch Same Kind of Different As Me.
4. Listen to the Live Happy Now podcast “EPISODE 53: BIRJU PANDYA ON GIVING BACK.”
5. Fill the red kettle.
6. Give blood and register as an organ donor.
“I believe...that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.” —Thomas Jefferson
8. Read Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World by Matthieu Ricard.
9. Watch Wonder.
10. Listen to “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers.
11. Donate your gently used items.
12. Offer to shovel an elderly neighbor’s driveway.
“There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.” —Michel De Montaigne
14. Read The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Taking amd Start Giving Back by Hannah Salwen.
15. Watch A Christmas Carol.
All of us want to do well. But if we do not do good, too, then doing well will never be enough.” —Anna Quindlen
17. Give back the gift of song. Go caroling!
18. Buy gifts from B Corps this holiday season.
19. Become a foster parent to rescued dogs or cats.
20. Listen to “Turtles All the Way Down” by Sturgill Simpson.
21. Give a gift subscription of Live Happy to someone you love.
22. Be part of the solution on #GivingTuesday (November 28).
23. Read The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life by Piero Ferrucci.
24. Listen to “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” by George Harrison.
25. Leave 10 $1 bills in random spots in the dollar store for a lucky shopper to find.
26. Help clean up your town.
27. Volunteer at your local library or public elementary school.
28. Bake holiday cookies for your neighbors.
“Human service is the highest form of self interest.” —Elbert Hubbard
30. Read Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie.
31. Bring Thanksgiving to your workplace.
32. Read Radical Generosity: Unlock the Transformative Power of Giving by M.J. Ryan.
“The greatest pleasure I know, is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.” —Charles Lamb
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5 Apps to Make Holiday Giving Last All Year
‘Tis the season, and giving is on the mind. We’ve made our lists and checked them twice. Friends? Check. Teachers? Check. Co-workers? Check. Charities? Check. As we hustle and bustle to engage in this mass-scale giving exchange, it can be easy to lose sight of why we are doing all of this giving in the first place. Is this annual tradition just a test of our credit cards and tax write-off limits…or perhaps something more?
Why we give
Despite occasional grumbling over excessive consumerism and crowded stores, we return to this tradition year after year because giving makes us happy. We love knowing that our gift of time, talent, or treasure can make someone else’s life better or happier. But the truth is that the giver often receives far more than the recipient. In one study, Sonja Lyubomirsky asked students to commit five random acts of kindness each week for six weeks. Interestingly, the control group (who did not do acts of kindness) experienced a reduction in well-being, whereas those who engaged in acts of kindness showed a 42 percent increase in happiness. Giving not only releases a dopamine high that makes us feel happier, but it also improves our physical health, increases our life satisfaction, and lengthens our longevity. Another study found that we’re also happier when we spend money on other people more so than when we spend money on ourselves. So giving to charities is actually a great way to put a spring in your own step!
Why we don’t give
Given all of these benefits, the question remains: why don’t we give to charities all the time? Frankly, because giving takes a lot of time, money, and mental energy. Despite our best intentions, we get overwhelmed when we stop to think about to whom to give. The top three reasons that people cite for not giving as much as they would like:
I don’t have enough money to make a difference.
I don’t know where to give my money.
I don’t know if my money will really be used for good.
But what if we could make giving to charities easier for all?
How to Make Giving a Way of Life
Thanks to technology, giving back has become simpler and more efficient than ever. App developers understand that the best way to facilitate giving is to make it easy, straightforward, automatic and tangible. To that end, they have begun creating a new wave of apps that dovetail with your existing activities but leverage corporate sponsorships to raise money for charities.
Orange Theory Fitness, for example, has a partnership with Sweat Angels through which it makes donations to a designated charity for every member’s “check in” on Facebook. With the power of crowdfunding, these small donations add up to big benefits for charities. In my upcoming book The Future of Happiness, I share examples of how technology can help make giving a way of life. Here are five of my favorite apps to help you do so:
Charity Miles Charity Miles donates ten cents to your favorite nonprofit for every mile you bike and twenty-five cents for every mile you run.
Feedie Use the Feedie app to post a photo of your food on social media and participating restaurants will make a donation to help feed orphaned and at-risk schoolchildren in South Africa.
Spare Round up your dining-out bills to the nearest dollar to fight hunger in your own city.
Donate a Photo For every photo you share through Donate a Photo, Johnson & Johnson gives $1 to a cause you want to help.
Check-in for Good Using geo-targeted advertising, the app connects businesses and individuals that share a passion for the same causes. Then all you have to do is check-in when you visit, and the business will make a donation on your behalf and give you exclusive promotional offers as well.
By developing a habit of giving, not only do we increase our happiness levels, but we also create a ripple effect of positivity in our families and communities. So this holiday season, take time to give—and then carry that glow into the New Year by infusing your everyday life with a habit of giving.
Amy Blankson, aka the ‘Happy Tech Girl,’ is on a quest to find strategies to help individuals balance productivity and well-being in the digital era. Amy, with her brother Shawn Achor, co-founded GoodThink, which brings the principles of positive psychology to lifeand works with organizations such as Google, NASA and the US Army. Her upcoming book is called The Future of Happiness: 5 Modern Strategies for Balancing Productivity and Well-being in the Digital Era (April 2017).
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9 Ways to Make the Most of Thanksgiving
If you love Thanksgiving but your traditions are getting a little tired, we’ve got you covered. With a little creative planning, you can make this year’s Thanksgiving the most festive and fun-filled yet.
1. Plan ahead for the day you want
It sounds simple, but your ideal holiday won’t materialize unless you make it happen. Maybe you envision a formal Thanksgiving dinner complete with centerpieces, nameplates and an elegant menu. If that’s your plan, spell it out ahead of time. If you want potluck, paper plates, jeans and football, plan that and let people know. Share your desires openly with family, i.e. “I hope you will stay all day so we can have lots of time together”—to create the day you want.
2. Think about timing
It may sound like a no-brainer, but the timing of your dinner can impact the entire day. If you call your mealtime too early, you might get stressed with the-time crunch of meal prep (unless you’ve done most of it in the days before). Some like to eat later in order to enjoy appetizers and the anticipation of the holiday meal all day. Or maybe you have guests who are going to be glued to a particular football game during the day. Consider all of these variables and plan accordingly.
3. Relax your expectations
Without dwelling on it, acknowledge something will likely go wrong with your day, but that’s OK. A quirky uncle might say something, well, quirky. Someone might not show up who said they would. If you want to have the best possible holiday, roll with the punches. (Rest assured: No one’s Thanksgiving is perfect.)
Read more: 3 Secrets to Happiness This Holiday Season
4. Set up a kids’ table
Let the kiddos help make construction-paper place mats for their special table. It’s fun for kids to eat away from the adults, and you are likely to hear lots of giggles, too.
5. Take a moment to observe
Take a moment during the festivities to stop doing and just notice what is happening all around you. Watch your family as an observer; what do you see? When we stop scurrying around in host (or guest) mode, we can absorb our blessings: family, friends, a nice home, good food, our health, a break from work, laughter and more. When you stop to pay attention, we enjoy the day more fully and create vivid memories.
Read more: How to Be Present
6. Embrace the nap
While it’s a myth that the tryptophan in turkey makes you sleepy, the energy your body needs to burn through a big meal can wipe you out. If everyone in your family wants to take a nap or rest after eating, embrace it! When everyone wakes, the celebration can continue.
7. Take a walk
So much food, so many people, so much indoor time—you could really use a little fresh air to slow your day down and take a moment to breathe in the crisp air. Walking after a big meal wakes you up and helps you digest. Even if it’s cold, bundle up and enjoy your holiday with a brisk walk.
Read more: Naturally Happy
8. Don’t clean up right away
Thanksgiving dinner can take hours to prepare, and if you start cleaning up as soon as your meal is finished, when do you actually get to enjoy it? Cleaning up also can send the unintended message that it’s time for guests to stop conversing and start helping or even leave. Enjoy the conversation fully before you pick up all the plates. Consider having dessert an hour or more after dinner to encourage family members and friends to relax, connect and stick around for a while.
9. Remember what the day is about
It’s isn’t just turkey, football and pies. Thanksgiving is truly about coming together as a family to give thanks. Focus on your blessings, and your own happiness and appreciation will infuse your holiday and guests with joy.
Read more: 8 Easy Practices to Enhance Gratitude
Sandra Bienkowski is a regular contributor to Live Happy and the founder and CEO of TheMediaConcierge.net.
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Birju Pandya on Giving Back
In this episode Live Happy co-founder and Editorial Director Deborah Heisz talks with Birju Pandya, a senior advisor for RSF Social Financial, on one of 10 practices for choosing joy: giving back.
Birju is also involved with ServiceSpace, an organization run entirely by volunteers that leverages technology to encourage everyday people around the world to do small acts of service. Some of the projects by ServiceSpace include a daily positive news service, an acts-of-kindness portal and a gift-economy restaurant.
What you'll learn in this podcast:
The importance of giving back and how it affects your happiness
How to train your brain to become happier
How a gift culture invites a reciprocation of kindness
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Learn more about ServiceSpace
Order Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy
Thank you to our partner—AARP Life Reimagined!
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The Giving Way to Happiness with Jenny Santi
Jenny Santi is a trusted philanthropy advisor to some of the world's most generous givers and celebrity activists. By the age of 28, she was head of philanthropy services for UBS, one of the world's largest firms in wealth management. Jenny is also the author of the recently released book The Giving Way to Happiness: Stories & Science Behind the Life-Changing Power of Giving.
In this episode Jenny shares the science behind giving, how it makes you feel good and ways to overcome compassion fatigue.
What you'll learn in this podcast:
How giving to others affects your personal happiness
The most valuable gift you can give
How to elevate your job to become your calling
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Purchase a copy of The Giving Way to Happiness: Stories & Science Behind the Life-Changing Power of Giving
Follow Jenny on Facebook and Twitter
Thank you to our partner - AARP Life Reimagined!
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