Friday Coffee with MAP – January 17 2025

Hello , and welcome to Friday Coffee with MAP!

President Jimmy Carter, who passed away last month, famously said, “I have learned that our greatest blessings come when we are able to improve the lives of others.”

As we’ve been exploring the long-held tradition of setting New Years Resolutions, we often wonder why resolutions are so often given up on. Could it be that prioritizing acts of service over personal ambitions actually enhances our own well-being? This week’s article offers compelling evidence that the answer is yes.

Happy reading!

“Already Abandon Your Resolutions? You Probably Set the Wrong Ones Anyway” 
_{by Stephanie Harrison for The Wall Street Journal}

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Our New Year's resolutions often focus on personal goals like improving fitness or achieving career milestones. However, a wealth of scientific research suggests we should take a different approach. The most effective way to boost our own happiness is by helping others feel happy.

A study published in the journal Emotion in 2016, for example, found that participants who were asked to perform three acts of kindness a day for around a month expressed far greater well-being weeks later than those who performed three kind things for themselves.

We often feel too busy to make time for acts of service. However, despite our hectic schedules, research shows that serving others can actually make us feel like we have more time. Helping others boosts our sense of competence, which in turn makes us feel more productive and enriched with the time we do have.

It is clear that personal pursuits are not serving our wellbeing. Less than half of Americans say they are “very satisfied” with their personal lives– a near record low. 1 in 3 Americans say they feel lonely at least every week.

So when it comes to resolutions, the answer likely isn’t setting another personal goal. Instead of focusing inward, resolutions provide a perfect opportunity to look outward—whether by volunteering at a local charity, or something as simple (but intentional) as practicing greater patience with those around you. The rewards to your sense of wellbeing might surprise you– and might make it more likely for your resolutions to stick long term.
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So tell us: Have you ever experienced a boost in happiness after helping someone else? What happened?

Thank you,

The MAP Team

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