Wednesday Tip for Blog Action Day: 1 tip on making yourself happier during the economic crisis -- and combating poverty, too.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day -- and today is also Blog Action Day.
This Wednesday: One big tip to help make you feel happier during the economic crisis -- and combat poverty, at the same time.

The folks at Blog Action Day were prescient in their choice of “Poverty” as this year’s subject. The current economic situation will mean that people already living in poverty will suffer more, and that more people will face poverty.

For many people, however, the financial crisis won’t push them into true poverty, but it will make them feel much poorer – and as a consequence, make them feel anxious and powerless.

If you’re one of those people, there is a way that you can both help people living in poverty and help yourself feel happier: Give to other people.

One of the most important principles I’ve learned from my happiness research is that although we assume that we act because of the way we feel, often we feel because of the way we act.

Therefore, if you don’t like the way you’re feeling, take action in the opposite direction -- it sounds simplistic, but it’s almost uncannily effective. If you’re feeling poor, give something away. If you’re feeling powerless, take control of something. Also, one of the quickest ways to make yourself feel better is to be GRATEFUL. It’s hard to feel grateful when you’re thinking about your 401K’s drop in value; thinking about giving to people who are worse off will remind you of how much you have to be grateful for.

When we think of doing something to help people living in poverty, it’s easy to think about donating money -- and to say, “Look, I’d like to help, but I can’t afford to give right now.” Or to think about donating time – and to say, “I’d love to volunteer, but I’ve got to focus on my job hunt.”

When you tell yourself that you can’t afford to give, you increase your feelings of panic and danger. If you find ways to give, you will show yourself that you have enough and more, that you can be generous, that you recognize that others have needs more pressing than your own – and that will make you feel better. This act doesn’t have to be huge. I have a friend who puts all her loose change in a jar at the end of the day, and when the jar is full, she gives it to her church. It’s not much money, but it’s constant. She’s done it for years, and by now, she’s probably given away a fair bit.

Maybe you can’t give money or time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give.

You could go through your closets and give the coats you don’t use anymore to a coat drive. Or you could go through your kids’ old books to see if you could give some to a group like Project Cicero, to go to a school or library in need.

Maybe you don’t have any stuff to give away. You could donate blood.

Maybe you are feeling so overwhelmed that even the thought of cleaning out a closet, or figuring out how to get to the closest blood bank, is something you just can’t face. You still have something to give to others – something precious, something life-changing, and you can sit right there at your desk, right now, and do it in about 25 seconds, without any further hassle. How? You can register to become an organ donor. If you support the idea of organ donation, but you haven't signed up, take this chance to put your values into action. Do it! Right now! (Register online even if you’ve already signed an organ donor card, to make sure you’re in the online registry, which is far more accessible to doctors).

So act the way you want to feel. Acting with generosity, with gratitude, with compassion, will change your perception of your own situation. And it will improve the lives of others.

I don’t mean to suggest that people should only take steps to address poverty as a way to make THEMSELVES feel better. Obviously, we have a duty to help other people, regardless of how it makes us feel.

But when you’re feeling shocked and frantic, it can be hard to think about other people. Research shows that happy people are more helpful, more altruistic, and more interested in the problems of other people and society; unhappy people tend to be more defensive, self-absorbed, and isolated.

So by trying to make yourself feel happier, you are also preparing yourself to do a better job of helping others. Bolstering your own sense of calm and security will free you to think about other people. And if you can make this change in yourself by helping those living in poverty – well, that’s a perfect virtuous circle.

This is a good example of the extremely important Second Splendid Truth, which holds that:
One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy;
One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself.

*
Especially when life feels complicated, the idea of simplicity is extremely attractive. I find good ideas at On Simplicity.

*
I’ve started sending out short monthly newsletters that will highlight the best of the previous month’s posts. If you’d like to sign up, click on the link in the upper-right-hand corner of my blog. Or just email me at grubin, then the “at” sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. No need to write anything more than “newsletter” in the subject line. I’ll add your name to the list.

Comments

[kouji haiku]

indeed. for my part, i turn to sites like freerice, kiva, and goodsearch, as ways to help alleviate poverty online. i do get a kick out of doing something about poverty, even if my contribution is fairly indirect.

saw this post via the front page of blog action day. it's great that you're participating. :)

[ioni]

Seriously, people, I do not believe that using blogs we can fight something as big as poverty. How on Earth writing about it helps people who starve? Who die because they cannot afford water? Who are scared that the crisis that is upon us will break down their lives?

I just do not understand all that hype – but I do not mind to participate, not in the least. Although I do believe that “writing about poverty” is not the same as “fighting poverty itself”.

And even though I believe that poverty of mind (if I use the terms correctly) is way worse – since this is the only reason there is technical, monetary poverty in the world.

[Ed]

True, writing isn't the same as action, but looking at how amny people have been inspired by Gretchen's project, myself included, demonstrates that words can make a big difference. Thanks very much Ms Rubin, for making this and many other days...

[dolores garay]

As some who is a nonprofit fundraiser,I think this is a wonderful post. People who donate money, items, time, blood, etc get something back, exactly as Gretchen says. And, if everyone who read this blog gave money, or time, or anything to alleviate poverty, that is how writing about something can change it - before you can have action, you have to have awareness.

[Catherine]

Thanks Gretchen - I have meant to register as an organ donor for a few years and kept putting it off. I registered online about 5 minutes ago. Not only am I glad to have "donated" for obvious reasons, but it stopped my racing, busy mind in its tracks. "The years are short", as you say. I'm going to ask a co-worker to have coffee and call my parents!

[Nameless]

http://www.freerice.com/

It's a game that increases your knowledge and lets you help others

[beth_nc]

freerice.com is fun.
Also
www.thehungersite.com
Donate food with a mouseclick

[Farhana]

Hello Gretchen,
Great post.. I definitely agree with what you've said. And thank you for all the wonderful ideas you've posted.

[PJ_Normz]

Just wanted to say, I love this quote:

"One of the most important principles I’ve learned from my happiness research is that although we assume that we act because of the way we feel, often we feel because of the way we act."

Great way to put it and so true!

[phquaryn]

Getting active can have the additional benefit of surrounding you with other volunteers. Those people are likely to be positive and happy, helping you to stay positive and happy.

[Molly Brown]

Gretchen,
Thanks for fearlessly following your truth and getting the positive mojo out there. Hopefully others will be inspired to do the same. And no, a former postee is right in that blogs by themselves cannot change poverty, but they can inspire and get people thinking, which in some brilliant cases leads to action. Keep on Keeping on.
Molly

destinationthejourney.com

[adora]

Don't forget to register for Marrow Network too!

[Sara at On Simplicity]

I've been off the radar for a few days and hadn't seen this--thanks so much for mention!

I read an idea the other day about feeling good during economic downtimes that really rang true: you'll never feel wealthy (no matter how much you have) until you can give some away. That idea is still ringing in my head days later, especially after Blog Action Day.

I think giving not just time, but money, is going to be something that's part of my happiness project.

[Judith]

I agree with some of what the others have said re "writing," but by writing and exchanging "words," we are given thoughts and ideas about what we can actually DO physically. Writing about poverty and using blogs is a great start because we have to start somewhere, and in this era the computer keyboard is where many begin.

Judith

[Alicia]

Loved your post...

as I was organizing the launching of my book, I was hit by the financial crisis... helplessly I watched hundreds of thousands of dollars vanished from my retirement...

I went for a walk... I've been there once, in 94 when I lost ALL my savings 2 weeks before leaving for the US... and I did, and we survived...

So... I thought what can I do that is uncoventional? A friend told me about how the collapse affected her business... and I decided to visit and help her redefine her strategy, and we both decided to do something unsual... ahhh surprise..

we ended up visiting the poorest areas in Bali.. I was so inspired by their work and felt so humble by their love of life...

it was great...

as you cannot be wealthy without sharing, you can't be happy without sharing.

Thank for sharing,
Alicia

[How Selflessness has brought me hapiness.]

http://raidz.net/blog/how-selflessness-has-brought-me-happiness

[Jeff Paul Internet Business]

I find internet marketing the same as marketing a product in the real world. In real marketing one really has to go through different means to promote a brand and product. Same tasks are applied in internet marketing but this can also be done at the comfort of one’s bedroom.

[wholesale jewelry]

wholesale jewelry,wholesale handmade jewelry,wholesale fashion jewelry,wholesale costume jewelry,handmade jewelry,fashion jewelry,costume jewelry,jewelry wholesale,wholesale pearl,wholesale crystal, discount jewelry,cheap jewelry,china jewelry wholesaler,wholesale china jewelry,