December 2025

Share the Spirit of the Season – It’s Good for You.

December is a month filled with holidays that prompt us into a different mindset. A mindset where we try to find time to be more giving and generous, offering deliberate acts of kindness

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We may pick-up a shift at a soup kitchen, ring the Salvation Army bell in front of your local store or write a check to your favorite non-profit (which is always welcome). But what if those acts of kindness did more for your health than just make you feel good about helping someone out?

As we age, it’s natural to grow more concerned about our health, especially our brain health. Could that warm feeling we get when we give of ourselves be more than just a feeling? Yes, and what a bonus. The science is clear, generosity isn't just a kind thing to do, it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your mind.

Cognitive function can be improved in many ways we are all aware of such as better sleep, nutrition and exercise. But there are other ways to preserve our brain health, something more intuitive and deeply human….generosity.

Generosity has been proven to strengthen our minds, improve our memory, and get more meaningful goals accomplished. I see it around Next every day. Acts of generosity that work like an accelerant to create a caring environment. Next has hundreds of volunteers that generously give of their time. Some are motivated by our mission but I am not naïve enough to think that is the most important reason. Volunteering makes people feel more purposeful and connected to others, bringing a sense of satisfaction making us feel happier.

A 2020 study from Oxford University Press, one of the many recent studies exploring the correlation between generosity and brain health, cites that a generous attitude toward life can have big cognitive benefits.

The study shows, when you help someone, your brain reacts. That warm feeling you get, it's chemistry. The act of giving releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that boost your mood and energy. These same brain pathways are linked to happiness, motivation and even living longer.

And giving doesn't just feel good — it is proven to sharpen your mind, reduce stress, and add clarity. Maybe because helping others gently shifts our focus away from our own internal struggles and instead turns our attention to someone else’s needs, and that is beneficial to all parts of our lives leading to better mental health.

This holiday season and all year long, feel good about the many ways you can show your generosity. Whether it's a small gesture like bringing in your elderly neighbor's trash cans, something more significant like mentoring youth through a Big Brothers program, or remembering a nonprofit like Next in your year-end giving, these acts of kindness positively impact your mental health.

The science behind generosity is finally catching up with what we've always known: when we care for others, we're also caring for ourselves.

Happy, Healthy, Holidays from Next!

Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next