Mightily pleased

 

I’m feeling mightily pleased. Mightily proud. Mightily impressed at the generosity of the 47 volunteers at the First & Second Thrift Store. This past year, in spite of COVID and the chaos of downtown road construction, the thrift store took in over $140,000. After expenses, the store’s profit was $111,661. So why am I proud? Well, I’m the winter coordinator, but the credit goes to the amazing volunteers who dedicated their time to raise funds for their favorite non-profits, from churches to the food shelf to the schools, the playhouse and the HUB (25 non-profits benefitted this year). Each volunteer chooses which non-profits get the proceeds from their “work hours” at the store.

What makes people choose to give?

Believe it or not, there have been scientific studies on altruism, the selfless concern for the well-being of others. Altruists do things like save strangers from drowning, donate money to people in need, or give a kidney for someone they don’t know. Altruists volunteer their time for others without personal gain.

I was fascinated by a TED talk on altruism by Abigail Marsh, a psychologist and neuroscientist at Georgetown University. Her research focuses on altruism, an interest triggered by a stranger who saved her life by pulling her from a car wreck on an interstate highway 20 years ago. She’s studied the psychological profiles and brain scans of kidney donors and compared them to those of psychopaths.

It turns out that altruists have a larger amygdala than average, while psychopaths have a smaller one. According to Professor Marsh, the recognition of emotional facial expressions is centered in the amygdala (a small almond-shaped structure in the middle of the brain, in the temporal lobe). In fact, the amygdala is thought to play an important role in emotion and behavior, particularly fear reactions.

Marsh made another interesting discovery in her research. When she interviewed numerous kidney donors, she found only one common trait: humility. They felt they were no more important than anyone else, while psychopaths tend to put themselves first at the expense of others.

Is it possible to become more altruistic?

Don’t you marvel at the generosity of some people? Have you ever wished you were more altruistic?

It’s obvious that the act of giving feels good, whether you’re giving money or time. The best way to become more altruistic, then, is to repeat behaviors that bring those good feelings. Research has shown that people who practice altruistic behaviors are healthier (Allen Luks, 1991), and a 2010 Harvard Business School survey found that people who showed generosity were happier overall. No surprise.

Want to feel happier? Try…

…performing a daily act of kindness: Let someone ahead of you in the grocery line, hold the door for someone, contact a friend you haven’t spoken with in a long time, compliment someone…

…reaching out to spend time with people you enjoy. It might be sharing a cup of coffee, a walk, a bike ride, or a meal. Friendships take work, but they pay back tenfold, and those relationships can keep us healthy.

…giving a sincere compliment. So often we think good things about the people around us but don’t take the time to express them.

…volunteering to share your skills. Even in small communities, there are countless needs to be filled. Senior centers, nursing homes, schools, and food programs can always use help. Here in Cook County you could lend a hand at the HUB, the food shelf, or Ruby’s Pantry—and you’ll feel better for having helped.

Or—First & Second Thrift Store. Our 47 volunteers logged over 4000 hours this year, and we enjoyed it. The thrift store offers a double whammy for volunteers: in addition to helping people get great deals on quality merchandise, we get to donate big bucks to our favorite local non-profits. It’s a win-win.