Random Acts of Kindness
In this busy world we live in with all the negative energy and hustle and rush of life, how does your attitude affect your overall health? I want to discuss with you a tip I use everyday to keep stress levels low, happiness levels high and overall a good feeling for mankind. Lately there has been so much negativity going on all around. This can have profound impact on your health and just making little choices everyday to counter it will make a big difference.
What prompted this post was my little errand today to the post office. Typical day of work, hectic 5 o’clock traffic and everyone in a hurry. I am driving to post office and a large Pepsi Semi truck had come off the ramp onto the road. There is huge congestion and backup for a few miles. I am watching my mirrors and see this truck with his blinker on for a long time trying to get into the left lane as their plant was just ahead and he would have to turn left. Car after car ignores his signal pushes through and consumed with their own goals of getting home not paying attention to others around them. I stopped where I was and he was coming up on my right and I signaled for him I would stop the flow of traffic and he could get in front of me. A few minutes later traffic is stopped again and I see the driver getting out of the truck and running back to me. He brought me a Sobe Coconut Water with Sea Salt. I said why thank you! He brought me a healthy option that I would possibly consider drinking and I laughed because it was coconut water. As you can see my random act of kindness triggered a kind response from him.
A study at Carnegie Mellon University by psychology professor Sheldon Cohen found that individuals who displayed an over-all sense of well being and had a positive outlook on life were less likely to get as sick as individuals who were suffering from stress, depression or anxiety. In this study, the participants were given nose drops that contained a common influenza virus. The results showed that the “happy” people when exposed to the virus were less likely to get sick, suffered from fewer symptoms and were sick for a much shorter period of time. Science has shown us that happiness is the number one key to a quality life and longevity. With the winter months ahead of us, and a statistical increase in more sullen moods as well as depression it is no coincidence that cold and flu season occur at this time of the year. Give your immune system a boost with a healthy dose of happiness.
The results of this study supports the idea that positive emotions boost your immune system and can help you fight off or lessen the severity of illnesses. Cohen stated in a press release, “We need to take more seriously the possibility that positive emotional style is a major player in disease risk.”
Make a difference in this world and take moments to do random acts of kindness it will help you and the person you are showing your kindness too. We can make a difference in this world and be a light to others.
Tips for staying happy!
1. Try and limit negative information coming into your senses, ears, eyes etc.
2. Look for ways to use the Random Acts of Kindness method to brighten someones day.
3. Try and watch comedy before bed and never high energy or negative information. This will help your sleep.
4. Exercise, even walking will lift your spirits.
5. Look for ways to reduce stress and laugh more.
6. Make healthy food choices so you feel better and are not bogged down by bad carbs and sugars.
Happiness makes a person smile, but sadness can break a person’s spirit. (Proverbs 15:13) Shalom!