At this time of year, when many of us set New Year’s resolutions, I would like to offer a theme for your consideration: Others. My daily devotional, The Word Among Us (TWAU), offers some advice on this idea.

According to an old Chinese proverb, “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” Similarly, St. Francis of Assisi professed that it is in giving that we receive. Leo Tolstoy observed that the sole meaning of life is to serve humanity. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Robert Louis Stevenson noted, “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.”

The value of giving ourselves — our time, talents, and money — isn’t just a nice proverb or a word of encouragement from a well-known figure. Research tells us that giving is a powerful means to personal growth and happiness. MRI technology has shown that giving activates the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by food and sex. The research indicates that when we help someone who is in need, we ourselves experience deep pleasure. Not to mention the fact that countless psychological tests reveal that the more generous a person is, the healthier and more productive they are.

So, if you’re setting goals for 2025, I would encourage you to contemplate this advice from TWAU and see what happens when you focus on “others.”