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Do you feel overwhelmed with your todo list? Is "creating fulfilling happiness" missing from that list? Everyday Happiness with Katie Jefcoat is here to help you. In 2-minutes a day, over time, you’ll discover how to reduce overwhelm and create lasting happiness through Katie’s signature method of Intentional Margins, happiness science, and musings about life. Start your day with a positive mindset. Many of us can get deep in the feeling of overwhelm. The anxiety of our own ambition can weigh heavily on our thoughts and emotions. We lay down and close our eyes at night and our chest begins to feel heavy. More items on the to-do list than the day before. How will we ever going to get off the hamster wheel of to-dos? When are we going to start living life for more than the hustle? As a recovering lawyer and passion driven entrepreneur, Katie knew something had to change. What she found is that you can have harmony, be intentionally productive and create massive impact, all at the same time - without feeling guilty. So she asked herself a simple question: "How can I get off the hamster wheel and how can I show others how to do the same? She knew she'd had a system for herself, but she’d never put it into defining words. On August 15, 2019, she sat down at her dining room table with her friend Jenna (her business bestie). Post-It notes covering the table. This is where she first defined the concept of Intentional Margins. What are Intentional Margins? INTENTIONAL MARGINS™ (n): A buffer of space and time to create harmony between your to-do’s and your priorities. Now you can get the support you need to manage your overwhelm, one little tip at a time. Regardless of the industry, Everyday Happiness blends inspiration with a pragmatic approach to finding Harmony. You'll be encouraged to throw “balance” out the window for a more achievable approach called harmony. Through Intentional Margins™, you'll be encouraged to develop what harmony means to you, by identifying your priorities at work and at home. Every day, we'll end the podcast help you feel equipped to jump off the hamster wheel of overwhelm and go out there and crush your day. --About the Host-- Katie Jefcoat is a community curator, speaker, author and motivator who supports ambitious women (and a few good men) move from feeling hectic to harmonious. As a recovering trial lawyer, she knows first hand what it feels like to have a demanding job. As an entrepreneur with a passion that lights her hair on fire and a busy family she’s in the thick of it with you. Many people strive for balance and think overwhelm is just a part of life. Sadly, the hustle culture and our never-ending to-do list is creating a life where our priorities are getting the leftover scraps of time. Katie introduces people to what she calls - Intentional Margins™ - a kind of life in which they reduce randomness, create harmony between their to-dos and their priorities and intentionally enjoy the meaningful parts of life - without feeling guilty. Without exposure to a different way, we remain stuck on the hamster wheel of to-dos and never find the “balance” we yearn for. Katie works diligently to expose her community to different ways of doing things, because she fundamentally believes we deserve to make time for our priorities. We deserve to live a life of harmony. And it’s within our control to create it. Katie curates a smorgasbord of content related to managing your calendar, handling overwhelm, setting boundaries, reducing randomness, saying no, self-care, the power of your choices, and more in her Intentional Margins™ Membership Community -- which she calls the coziest virtual coffee shop (on Facebook). Connect and learn more at www.katiejefcoat.com.
Episodes
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
473-Setting Time with Intentional Margins® Part 2 of 2
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
How do you manage your leisure time? Is it scheduled out to the minute or free-flowing? Learn the proper technique in this episode of Everyday Happiness.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and yesterday we talked about what to do with free time, when you have too much. And today, I’m sharing with you three tips from a recent Washington Post article that disects this new research.
How many of us feel like you’re on the hamster wheel of todos, the tightrope of life, you are spinning all the plates, you are juggling all the balls … There is a reason there are so many analogies to this feeling of not enough time to get it all done. Most of us are in the thick of it.
First, let’s talk about Intentional Margins®, the buffer of space and time to create harmony between our todos and our priorities. The first step is identifying your priorities and what really matters to you in this big wide life we’re living.
The research says you take a look at your schedule and cut what’s not important. What is not a priority. I think that’s easier said than done and likely, this happens over a number of weeks, to really extract yourself from commitments that are not priorities.
Priorities can and should be for a season, a week, a day. They evolve and you pivot.
Have margin for spontaneous free time. Instead of planning that leisure time, just have some time for that spontaneous walk with a friend or a quick coffee date.
Lastly, the research suggests that we should find two hours a day where nothing is scheduled. Two hours is the minimum of leisure time we should have every single day, no matter what. The article points out that “it doesn’t all have to come at the same time. Coffee breaks, short walks and reading or watching TV count toward your discretionary time. One of the researchers, Holmes says in this piece. “The important thing is that you carve out a couple hours in your day, and that you’re spending it in ways you want — not on obligations.”
So, where are you spending your time? I’m curious if you have at least 2-hours a day for leisure?
Until next time, hit the subscribe button and share this micro-podcast with friends, we’d be so grateful.
And remember, kindness is contagious.
Inspired by this article in The Washington Post, Why having too much free time can be as bad for you as having too little.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Friday Sep 16, 2022
472-Setting Time with Intentional Margins® Part 1 of 2
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Too much time on our hands isn't good for our happiness; so what should we do? Learn more about you can manage your time using Intentional Margins® in this episode of Everyday Happiness.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I am fascinated by this article in the Washington Post about having too much time on your hands and how it can affect your happiness. It dissects new research about how we should be spending that illusive free time.
This plays hand and hand to my concept of Intentional Margins®, which is a buffer of space and time to create harmony between our todos and our priorities.
We owe it to ourselves and the people we love to decide what matters most.
Based on the results of the research, there are a few tips from experts on how to optimize your free time to increase your sense of well-being.
If you feel like you have too much leisure time, one way to optimize that time for happiness is to choose your activities wisely. Do something productive like a new hobby or getting outside for a walk. One of the authors of the study, Fritz says, but “in this context, ‘productive’ means worthwhile or fulfilling, rather than contributing to the greater good. For some people, it might be sitting on the beach watching the waves, and for others, it’s volunteering or renovating the house.”
Of course, this new research is right in line with previous research that connecting with others almost always makes you feel happy. So like the first tip, choose wisely and connect with someone that lifts you up.
Finally, flip your perspective, as we discussed in Episode, 129, if you can find the silver lining, including being totally ok with putting your feet up with a good book, then happiness will flow.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about free time when you don’t feel like you have any at all and what the science says will help alleviate some of the overwhelm.
Until next time, remember, kindness is contagious.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
471-Too Much Free Time Diminishes Happiness
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
While we always crave more free time, it may not be as "good" for us as we think. Tune in today to learn how free time affects your happiness.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I read an article in the Washington Post about having too much time on your hands and how it can affect your happiness.
The article starts out with the premise, a situation we’ve all been in, I’m sure.
“Have you ever had one of those days — that turned into weeks — when you had approximately 645 things to do and not a single minute for leisure time? Like many of us, Cassie Mogilner Holmes sometimes feels as if she lives in that state. She also — and this will probably sound familiar — has entertained the idea of trading all those obligations for a deserted island.”
That seems pretty spot on. Holmes, a professor at UCLA did some research about whether leaving it all behind for a deserted island will actually make people happier, and, spoiler alert, the answer is no.
But what’s fascinating is that according to the science, “an individual’s well-being increases in correlation with their free time — but only to a certain point. Although having too little free time isn’t healthy, having too much also diminishes well-being.”
This is why I believe Intentional Margins® are so important. It’s not the deserted island, but instead the buffer of space and time to live in your priorities, including sleep, reading a book, meditating, anything that you enjoy in your free time. We were not meant to be stuck on the hamster wheel of todos, that’s not how we were intended to live. We were meant to live in connection with other humans and have harmony in how we spend our limited time.
Until next time, I invite you to do something just for you today. Take a short walk, take some deep breaths, call a friend or message me on social media. We actually respond to our messages. We’re over @everydayhappinesswithkatie
And remember, kindness is contagious.
Inspired by this article in The Washington Post, Why having too much free time can be as bad for you as having too little.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
470-Making Lemonade from Lemons
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Did you know that you can manufacture happiness from positive thoughts? It is called Synthetic Happiness. Learn more about it in this episode of Everyday Happiness!
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and what we know now from science out of Yale and Harvard Business School is that synthetic happiness brings you the same joy as organic happiness (winning the lottery, getting a perfect parking spot - when we get what we want, we get a jolt of happiness).
As an adolescent, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I grew up in a small town in MN, 2006 people in the middle of a cornfield. I felt like I had no way out.
As humans, we yearn to BELONG, It is scientifically in our DNA.
The emotional trauma of not feeling like you had good friends or people that really understand you can be devastating.
What I did, unbeknownst to me at the time. Was manufactured synthetic happiness.
The “glass is always ½ full” Synthetic happiness is what we make when we don't get what we want. It’s looking on the bright side. It’s making lemons into lemonade. Harvard Professor Daniel Gilbert uses the term “synthetic happiness” to refer to happiness that comes from our good thoughts about events that may seem bad at first.
Like I mentioned, manufactured, synthetic happiness brings you the same joy as organic happiness.
My way out of a place I didn’t feel like I fit in was big dreams of law school, where I thought, was a way to make enough money, to have choices. I did achieve my dream of becoming a lawyer - but I had this tug on me, there was something else.
So while it was a means to an end so a season of life, it wasn’t all of my life. I mean, now, I’m here, with you, talking about happiness, which completely lights my hair on fire.
So, today, I invite you to make some lemonade and be thoughtful about the way you think of something that may not be perfectly happy right now.
Until next time, click that subscribe button, write a 5-star review and let’s connect over on social @everydayhappinesswithkatie.
And remember, kindness is contagious.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
469-Light Moods
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
I'm not going to tell you to cheer up; I don't want to get punched in the face! But, I can tell you to practice the concept of light moods. Tune in today to learn more!
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and saying “cheer up” to someone that doesn’t feel like being cheered up is, well, annoying. And, you might get punched in the throat. So I’m not going to do that.
But, what if you are like me, and you doom scrolled social media for too long or you watched the news or a press conference or something and you feel emotionally exhausted. Like the world is a dumpster fire and it feels like there is just nowhere to turn.
That’s when you need a “cheer up” If you’re open to it.
The simplest way to change your mood -- disclaimer, we’re not talking about mental health, we’re talking about light moods.
So the simplest way to change your mood is through acts of kindness toward others. You can start by sending a quick text to someone to brighten their day. Perhaps you write a quick note (or kindness card ;)) and put it in the mail. You will feel a ping of happiness when you do it and you will shed unexpected happiness on another in a couple days. How fun is that.
The research also indicates that giving to a charity will quickly boost happiness. Have you been meaning to give $5 to something? Now is the time, if you want to feel a little cheered up. Of, and it doesn’t matter how much you spend. The science indicates the amount has no bearing on happiness.
Maybe an intentional walk, some fresh air would cheer you up.
We have to get out of the doom headspace. Honestly, sometimes I do 10 jumping jacks or a quick dance party just because I need to shift this energy. I can feel it. It feels hopeless and that’s not where I like to be.
If you can, volunteering in person is one way that really bumps up the happiness level. It makes a big impact on your satisfaction and joy meters.
Making a gratitude list will also help you cheer up! So many things. So many ideas.
You can do one or all of these, you can layer them and add and expand.
I invite you to save this Cheer-Up episode for future use, it might help. And of course, if you are not subscribed, hit that subscribe button wherever you listen.
And remember, kindness is contagious.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://bossladybio.com/everydayhappiness/
Monday Sep 12, 2022
468-Highlight Reel Challenge
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Monday Sep 12, 2022
The past couple of years has been plagued with "loss" in all forms. However, I am challenging you to pursue resilience and create a highlight reel. Tune in to learn more!
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and as we start the school year over here in the US, most kids are back in the classroom after being home in 2020 and 2021 during a global pandemic.
The conversations the parents and administrators were having when we started school last year were similar to the same conversations we are having again this year, the 2022-2023 school year.
I’ve been hearing a lot of conversations about “loss”. Loss of the pandemic years. Loss of mitigation in schools. And learning loss is literally in every meeting.
But why aren’t we also talking about “resilience” - I think we, as a society, are doing ourselves a disservice if we’re not celebrating the resilience, both of the parents and the kids.
There are real learning gaps, but this is about reframing from negative, bad and terrible -- you can create self fulfilling prophecies, to instead celebrate what we can do right now to close that gap.
It’s overwhelmingly clear, the majority of us parents totally suck as teachers and were not that good at managing a home classroom. Me included. But we did do some things right. And I think you could probably tick off a few things you did right.
One way to find out is to ask our kids to write a highlight reel of the last year and talk about the successes.
Adults, we can do this too. We can write a highlight year that focuses our attention on some of the positives. To give proof to the universe of our own resilience. To prove to ourselves we are resilient.
I invite you to reflect on the last two years, almost three, and celebrate your resilience. You’re here, for starters. You decided to listen to a micro-podcast on happiness, that’s incredible. You’ve already created one Intentional Margin® today but pressing play for 2 minutes. I am confident the list goes on and on.
I think sometimes we forget, in the business, of just how much we’ve accomplished and just how resilient we actually are.
And if you enjoyed this episode of Everyday Happiness,make sure that you hit the subscribe button wherever you are tuning into today, so that you never miss an episode.
And remember, kindness is contagious.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://bossladybio.com/everydayhappiness/
Sunday Sep 11, 2022
467-Building a Tribe
Sunday Sep 11, 2022
Sunday Sep 11, 2022
Do you have a tribe of people who lift you up and inspire you to be better? In this podcast, we talk about the benefits of surrounding ourselves with good people with our happiness. Tune in to find out!
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I want to walk into a coffee shop that has good vibes. Are you the same? Well, I’ve been thinking about this concept when it comes to social media. We’re all in control of what we consume, right? This concept was brought to my attention in a call recently in my membership community. The idea that what we look at, what we listen to, and how we communicate is so important. Eyes. Ears. Mouth.
That means, if your social media is all models and you are trying to lose weight and looking at that stuff makes you feel like crap, you can change that. You can curate your social media feed.
I can already hear you … but what if my curating of social media means I only see people with similar views, especially politically. I don’t want to be in an echo chamber. I love that you are thinking this way. People that listen to this podcast, think globally. So, I caution you that it can be a slippery slope. But if a person or a topic is triggering to you, you don’t have to look at it. And you certainly don’t have to engage.
When I created the Intentional Margins membership community on Facebook, it was designed as a place for inclusivity, and all good vibes! You knew what you were going to get, no matter what, you would be met with kindness and value. Those are the people we attract and the members don’t put up with negativity. It’s just not what we do.
So I encourage you to find your tribe. Whether it’s on social or in real life. You get to be around people that lift you up. You get to consume social media for what it was intended to be, fun! Where you can connect with others and cheer people on, that’s kindness, and don’t we all need a little more of that in our day to day.
I look at social media as my virtual coffee shop. And I get to choose who I sit down next to (and eavesdrop on). I get to choose who I chat with. I get to choose who I invite to sit at my table. I’m in control of the conversation, the tone, the kindness, - it’s my table. If you don’t want to sit with me, that’s cool, you have your own table too. We all get a table. We all get to invite whoever we want to sit with us. And if you want to linger a little longer, have that inspired coffee chat that turns into lunch, then I will invite you to come over to the membership community where we dig in deeper and I can introduce you to others that have the same vibe as you.
Let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and use the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram so we can cheer you on with whatever you are doing!
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://bossladybio.com/everydayhappiness/
Saturday Sep 10, 2022
466-Quiet Quitting
Saturday Sep 10, 2022
Saturday Sep 10, 2022
Have you heard of the quiet quitting trend? In this episode, we review what it is, why it is trending, and whether it is a good thing or not.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and today I want to talk about a new trend I recently learned of called 'quiet quitting' from the publication Very Well Mind. Quiet quitting is when a professional chooses to set work boundaries and stop the over-achievement attitude. Let's pause for a second to get some context.
As you are likely aware, American work culture is hardcore. It is the belief that you will eventually succeed if you work yourself to death. It is a vicious cycle of overworking and stress that often leads workers to feel burnt out, unappreciated, and lacking in work-life balance.
While this attitude has been the most common over the past few decades, we are seeing a substantial shift. This concept of quiet quitting is especially popular for Gen Z and millennial professionals. Unlike their parents and generations before them, they reject overachievement and the constant abuse of the busy badge.
Instead, these younger professionals hold human-centered values like compassion, self-development, happiness, and social connections over materialism and wealth. Rather than wanting bigger and better in terms of housing, cars, and clothes, they are generally more focused on experiences, sustainable living, and creating happy memories.
So, what does quiet quitting entail? No, they are not actually quitting their jobs. Rather they are:
- Saying no to tasks outside of their job description
- Not replying to work communication outside of working hours
- Arriving to and from work on time, rather than arriving early or leaving late
- Being less emotionally investing in their projects and company in hopes of a promotion
As you can see, these changes are not unreasonable. Rather than busting their backs all day, going above and beyond, they are simply doing what a company hired them to do and nothing more. They are placing more value on themselves and what they need to achieve happiness than constantly pushing for a rare promotion.
I recognize that there are mixed feelings about this trend, especially older generations who feel like these young workers are being lazy. However, I encourage you to step outside the American work culture mindset. In many places around the world, such as in Europe, the work mentality is "work to live," unlike our "live to work." They focus on social connections, positive experiences, and a healthy work-life balance to promote longevity and happiness. They remain just as successful as us, but their rates of satisfaction are much higher than ours.
Whether this trend will continue is yet to be seen. I believe when we set realistic boundaries at work, we actually succeed more, become more productive and have a healthier flow and balance with two competing interests for our time: work and non-work.
This could be a positive change that will teach new generations about setting boundaries, appropriate work methods, and Intentional Margins.
So today, how are you setting yourself up for success? Do you have boundaries on your time or commitments? I invite you to take 15 minutes this morning - an Intentional Margin - and write your top 3 things you absolutely will accomplish today at work, no matter what. And then, do those first. So at the end of the day, you know you’ll have some wins. Tag me @everydayhappinesswithkatie with your sticky-note or planner page of your top 3 today.
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Friday Sep 09, 2022
465-When Kindness Doesn’t Work
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Unfortunately, kindness is not always the answer! In this episode of Everyday Happiness, we take a step back to recognize three areas of life where kindness may not work.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and today we are taking an episode to recognize when kindness doesn't work. This is inspired by Sonja Lyubomirsky's book, "The How of Happiness," where the points she discussed rang true. While I would love to say that kindness is always the solution, it can sometimes backfire. Therefore, I am going to offer you 3 points to chew on and be aware of so that when you put your kindness into practice, you do so with a compassionate mindset.
Firstly, kindness cannot be forced. When you force someone to act in service when they don't want to, it can actually inspire feelings of bitterness and resentment. While they may logically recognize that they are doing a good thing, they may have coinciding feelings of their generosity being taken advantage of. Therefore, kindness must be completed freely and autonomously to achieve ultimate results.
Secondly, sometimes kindness will not be well received. We live in a very independent society where kindness and help can be perceived as pity or handouts. The recipient may not accept your goodwill with pleasure but instead feel anger, disadvantage, or as though they are being needy.
That is why one must be compassionate with their kindness, thinking about how it may be perceived through another person's eyes. While we, of course, can't anticipate how everyone will feel, we can adjust how we present our kindness. While it may be obvious, we never want to present ourselves as being condescending or fluffing up our service as something more than it is. Remember, stay humble.
Lastly, I want to note that kindness should not be detrimental to your physical, emotional, or mental health. For example, studies have shown that long-term caregivers of family members often suffer deeply from stress, anger, resentment, and grief. While taking care of their family members may be considered the kind thing to do, their pain often goes under the radar.
I want to note that while long-term care may be expected of you as the honorable, appropriate, or "right" thing to do, you must remember to take care of yourself as well. There is never any harm in knowing when to ask for help and to take a break. Your happiness matters too.
Okay, darker and sadder notes aside, I want to bring us back to remember that in most situations, kindness will spark joy in people's lives. I encourage you to sprinkle some joy today in a meaningful and thoughtful way. Until next time!
Get Everyday Happiness delivered to your inbox by subscribing at: https://www.katiejefcoat.com/happiness
And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram
Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
Inspired by The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
464-Why Charitable Giving Makes Us Happy
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
Thursday Sep 08, 2022
Does giving to charity make you feel happier than buying something for yourself? Answer: YES! Tune in today to learn more about how charitable acts benefit happiness.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and today, I want to talk to you about charity. While I have mentioned charitable giving in passing, I want to dive deeper today. You know that phrase “money can’t buy happiness.” Well, it can…as long as you are buying something for someone else.
A 2008 study by Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton found that spending money on someone else provided greater happiness than buying something for ourselves. The pleasure of giving to someone could actually be linked to the release of endorphins, commonly known as a “helper’s high.”
Along with that happiness rush, charitable giving evokes gratitude. Whether you are the one giving or the one receiving, gratitude promotes happiness for both parties. We have talked a lot about gratitude here on Everyday Happiness, so I won’t go further back into that today, but you know the details!
In addition to making us happier, charitable acts increase social connection. As I have mentioned in past episodes, social connections are a critical component of our happiness. Studies have shown that when we are charitable, it promotes a sense of trust and cooperation with everyone involved. We feel closer to those we are helping and vice versa. We also feel closer to those who help along with us, whether family, friends, colleagues, or community members.
As Sonya Lyubomirsky writes in her book The How of Happiness, “Being kind and generous leads you to perceive others more positively and more charitably… it fosters a heightened sense of interdependence and cooperation in your social community.”
Lastly, I want to note that kindness is contagious! When you give, it initiates a ripple effect of generosity. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, by James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, and Nicholas Christakis of Harvard, found that when one person acts charitably, it inspires other people also to act altruistically. Not only does it remind people of the benefits of charity, but it encourages them to give and inspire even more people to do the same.
So whether you want to volunteer, buy gifts for others, or donate money, I encourage you to consider how to incorporate charitable acts into your Intentional Margins.
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