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Do you find it difficult to give thanks? Does the generosity of others embarrass you? Ask yourself why is this so? Do you feel perhaps that you are undeserving of the gift, the offer of help? Or the compliment? It may even be that you feel unable to, or forced to reciprocate.

There really should be no need to feel this way. To give thanks, to accept a compliment with grace, or to show gratitude for an offer of help, is in fact a gift in itself.

When someone makes you a gift, no matter how large or small, it makes them feel good. Studies into brain activities have shown that the act of giving, increases the level of feel- good hormones in the giver.

You know how good you feel when you are thanked for your offer of help to someone, when you warmly congratulate and give praise, when you pay a compliment, or give a gift?

It follows then, that when the recipient acknowledges and gives thanks, the feel-good factor is raised even higher.

This surely means in effect, that by thanking, you are actually giving a gift in return, and as a result, your own feel-good hormones will rise.

Could this be why the altruistic people among us are also the among the happiest? It’s a bit like laughter and smiling, it’s infectious.