If you are new to genealogy then you know that it can be quite overwhelming, to begin with. This is because there is often so much to explore that you can feel like you might get lost. This post will explore the benefits of studying your family history.
To have the motivation to become an expert in all matters family history-related, it helps to have the inspiration to get started. Thankfully, you have found yourself in the right place.
This article will explore 9 key benefits in-depth, and range from the obvious to some really interesting and surprising discoveries.
Read on now to learn all about the amazing benefits.
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1. Create a Sense of Empathy
Empathy is one of the most crucial tools in the world, one the world needs more of. Without it, it would be a far darker and crueler place.
That’s where family history comes into play. Genealogy allows you to understand the difficulties that your family faced.
It can give you a great idea of the struggles that your parents, grandparents, or even their elders had during their lifetime.
As you gain this sense of empathy, you may become kinder to those around you. And it may make you a much better person in the process.
2. Make New Friends
The amazing part of studying family history is meeting other like-minded people.
You may begin your journey by going online or studying the records at a local library. Either way will allow you to meet lots of different groups that you can join.
This can be either online or in-person, or it can be a combination of both.
This means that you can find new friends or even potential partners in the future.
3. Mental Stimulation
Like studying any topic in-depth, looking at your family history can help to activate crucial parts of your brain.
This can bring many mental health benefits.
It can help to fight against the effects of issues such as anxiety and depression. And it can even ward away diseases that may come in older age such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Genealogy research may have become a great hobby for you during the lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic. Being stuck indoors pursuing this pastime will keep your mind occupied.
You may be so invested that you don’t even notice the time passing you by!
4. Learn About History
History is one of the most fascinating subjects in the world. This is especially true when considering the vast amount of events that happened in the last century. These events could be pandemics, World Wars, mass migrations, etc.
No matter who you are and where you came from, it is likely that your family was also swept up in the amazing march of history.
Take this man, for example, who learned about a political murder in Ireland while researching his family. This is where family history can often intersect with the political and give you key insights into some of the most tumultuous events of all time.
5. Learn about Your Roots
There may have always been that one question lingering in your mind.
Where do I come from?
Given the ways that people have moved about for most of the millennia, it is likely that your family originally came from a far different place from where you live now.
By studying your ancestry you can make discoveries about your family and your history that you never knew about.
When you learn about these key parts of your history you may discover new things about yourself in the process.
You may learn why you act in a particular way, or the physical makeup of your body. And even certain types of skills that you possess.
Simply put, the possibilities are endless when it comes to family history research.
6. Discover New Skills
By learning about your heritage you can discover what skills or professions your ancestors had.
A lot of the time, people will discover that their ancestors had professions that align with themselves. But sometimes they may have been successful in other professions as well.
This may provide the necessary inspiration that you need to make a career change.
7. Embrace Your Culture
If you feel disconnected from the culture that you originally come from, connecting with your family history can be a surefire way to increase your relationship with your ancestors.
This can be done by learning more about the place that you originate from in the process.
This has proven to be an especially beneficial process for people from mixed backgrounds now living in a third country.
It can give them a sense of purpose otherwise missing from living in a new place that they don’t feel especially connected to either.
8. Improve Your Physical Health
As you learn about how your ancestors lived you will also find out about how they died. You can discover how they died by inspecting their death certificate.
So, if you find out that an ancestor died of a particular type of cancer, you can then screen for this type of disease. Or you may even alter your lifestyle to avoid the chances of getting the illness yourself.
This doesn’t just extend to physical diseases either. It can span to mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or even schizophrenia.
Knowing about these potentially hereditary conditions can help you better prepare and invest in solutions for yourself.
For a therapeutic and relaxing option that might be able to help fight against mental health problems, why not check out the vast array of CBD oils available at Herbal Health CBD.
9. Fun Activity for The Family
There is no reason for you to launch into the amazing benefits that studying your family history can bring alone. It can be a fun activity for the entire family to get invested in. Even children can be involved in the process.
By studying with your parents or children you will find that you have something shared to bond over.
Additionally, by talking to other members of your family you might be able to fill in the gaps through anecdotal evidence that traditional genealogy and historical research cannot fill.
This means that making use of their input is an essential part of the process.
Further Information
If you liked this article then you may also like to read the following two posts that are featured on this site:
Alternatively, you may like to check out 9 Reasons Why I Hate Genealogy!
Please check out the following video from the BYU Family History Library. In the 71-minute video genealogy researcher James Tanner guides you on how you can improve on your genealogical research skills.
Credit: BYU Family History Library
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