By David R. Hamilton PhD, adapted
When we think of side effects the first thing that springs to mind are the side effects of drugs. But who’d have thought that kindness could have side effects too? Well, it does! And positive ones at that. 1. Kindness makes us happier When we do something kind for someone else, we feel good. On a spiritual level, many people feel that this is because it is the right thing to do and so we’re tapping into something deep and profound inside of us that says, “This is who I am.” On a biochemical level, it is believed that the good feeling we get is due to elevated levels of the brain’s natural versions of morphine and heroin, which we know as endogenous opioids. These cause elevated levels of dopamine in the brain and so we get a natural high, often referred to as “Helper’s High”. 2. Kindness gives us healthier hearts Acts of kindness are often accompanied by emotional warmth. Emotional warmth produces the hormone oxytocin in the brain and throughout the body. Of recent interest is its significant role in the cardiovascular system. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide in blood vessels, which dilates (expands) the blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure and therefore oxytocin is known as a “cardioprotective” hormone because it protects the heart (by lowering blood pressure). Therefore, acts of kindness can be cardioprotective and make for a healthier heart. 3. Kindness slows ageing Ageing on a biochemical level is a combination of many things, but two culprits that speed the process are free radicals and inflammation, both of which result from making unhealthy lifestyle choices. But remarkable research now shows that oxytocin (that we produce through emotional warmth) reduces levels of free radicals and inflammation in the cardiovascular system and so slows ageing at the source. Incidentally these two culprits also play a major role in heart disease, so this is also another reason why kindness is good for the heart. There have also been suggestions in the scientific journals of the strong link between compassion and the activity of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve, as well as regulating heart rate, also controls inflammation levels in the body. One study that used loving-kindness and compassion meditation found that kindness and compassion did, in fact, reduce inflammation in the body, mostly likely due to its effects on the vagus nerve. 4. Kindness makes for better relationships This is one of the most obvious points. We all know that we like people who show us kindness. This is because kindness reduces the emotional distance between two people and so we feel more bonded. So today, when we are kind to each other, we feel a connection, and new relationships are forged, or existing ones strengthened. 5. Kindness is contagious When we’re kind we inspire others to be kind, and studies show that it actually creates a ripple effect that spreads outwards to our friends’ friends’ friends—to 3-degrees of separation. Just as a pebble creates waves when it is dropped in a pond, so acts of kindness ripple outwards touching others’ lives, and inspire kindness everywhere the wave goes. A recent scientific study reported that an anonymous 28-year-old person walked into a clinic and donated a kidney. It set off a “pay it forward” type ripple effect where the spouses or other family members of recipients of a kidney donated one of theirs to someone else in need. The “domino effect,” as it was called in the New England Journal of Medicine report, spanned the length and breadth of the United States of America, where 10 people received a new kidney as a consequence of that anonymous donor. – Adapted from Motivated Magazine
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By Chris Mizrany,
This morning I dragged myself out of bed. The sun isn’t even fully up, so why should I be? As I mulled over that pithy logic, I dressed, grabbed my bag, and trudged out the front door. Now I hope some of you will empathize with my feelings when you hear my purpose. I was on my way to the gym. But hold on! you might say. Gyming is such a wonderful, refreshing, exciting, thrilling, special time! Well, I wasn’t feeling quite that way. It had been quite a week, and getting up that bit earlier was eroding my “happy ration” for the day. Anyway, I got through my workout, and made it to the showers with just enough time before heading home. I was mentally distant, thinking of the day ahead, when I heard someone singing. I don’t know about other gyms, but generally, no one sings at my gym. If they do, it’s usually between a hum and a breathless squeak. This was real singing, confident and clear. Someone was singing a song that I didn’t recognize. I was, well, shocked. In a couple of minutes, this guy had both inspired me and put me to shame. He was sharing positive energy in a simple, powerful way. When he finished singing, he smiled and said, “I hope you have a great day!” Then he picked up his bag and walked out. You’d better believe my day turned upside down and inside out in a great way. I told my fiancée about it when I got home. I told my friends. I told my family. I told just about as many people as I could, and now I’m telling you. What I took away from this experience is the following: There is always someone near you that you can influence in a positive way. There in the gym, this guy changed my outlook. He had no idea what I was going through, and he didn’t have to know. Likewise, we’re each continually meeting, interacting with, and influencing many people. If we can exhibit joy in a weary world and kindness in a “social”—yet socially inept— society, we can change lives too. Think of the big picture. One song, one kind word, one smile, one good deed, one note, one email, one tip, one pat on the back, one hug, one [fill in the blank] can have a constructive impact far beyond the effort it takes to do it. Let’s be willing to invest more in the long-term results—even, and especially, when we cannot see them yet—at every chance we get ... even early in the morning. (Adapted from Activated Magazine)
Quote of the day:
‘Tis easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows along like a song, But the man worthwhile Is the one who will smile When everything goes dead wrong. – Ella Wheeler Wilcox Think about it: Let’s recall a discouraging or adverse situation that we were involved in recently, and then let’s think about the good things that came out of our misfortune, or may yet. Let’s try to think of at least two things. (Don’t give up too soon. If we can think of even one good result, more will probably follow.) For example, let’s say we were driving on a deserted road when our car broke down in the middle of nowhere, and when we tried to phone for help, we discovered that our cell phone battery was dead. Our grateful thoughts might be something like this: “I am glad I was in that situation, because even when I was stranded out there with no phone to summon help, a friendly stranger stopped to help me. Even though it took awhile for him to get there, I made a new friend that I wouldn’t have otherwise met.” Let’s practice this exercise each evening for the next week. Casting past troubles in a positive light will prepare us to approach future ones positively, and that is often half the battle won. By Keith Phillips
I wish you could meet three people who each made a big impression on me this past year. The first was a waiter’s assistant who cleared my table from his wheelchair with such outgoing charm that I wasn’t a bit surprised when the manager told me on my way out that he considered this young man to be his most valuable employee. “I think more people come back for him than for the food,” the manager joked. The second was a blind beggar whose smile and heartfelt greeting has me looking for him whenever I’m in the area. The third was a middle-aged cashier whose “Have a nice day”—after who knows how many hours on her feet—was so genuine that she completely turned my day around. Never mind that I know she said the same thing to every customer before and after me; I was the one drowning that day, and she was my lifesaver. What is it about people like these three that leaves us envious—not of their circumstances but of their cheerful dispositions? Like angels in disguise, these unlikely champions of goodwill seem to say to us, “Join the team!” In search of their secret, I looked for a common denominator—how they manage to not only rise above adversity, but to take so many others with them— and I think I found it. They not only rise above adversity, but in the process, encourage others that cross their paths. – From Activated Magazine
Quote of the day:
"Do not judge by appearances, a rich heart may be under a poor coat.” – Swedish proverb Think about it: In 1502, in Florence, Italy, there was a large block of marble given to a church in Santa Maria. The church immediately hired who they thought was a professional to sculpt this enormously huge piece of rock. Soon after commencing this great task the man drilled a hole right at the bottom, destroying this magnificent piece of marble. So the church decided just to drape a huge sheet over it, not knowing what else to do, since it had been damaged beyond recognition and repair. A certain man named Michelangelo caught word of this large stone and how it had been destroyed, so out of curiosity he went to check it out and thought, “Hey, I think I can do something here.” After a time he began work and sculpted; and what was once thought to be a lost cause became one of the greatest statues of the biblical character of David ever built. Many people today feel like a gigantic slab of marble—perhaps battered and bruised, perhaps lacking substance, perhaps someone who has been discarded by certain people. However, if you can see beyond the flaws and see the potential you could help create a master piece in that person’s life. By Mila Govorukha, Mostar (former Yugoslavia)
I was awakened early by a choir of birds. Singing, chirping, chanting, chiming, and conversing, their melodies were loud, joyful, and everywhere—nature’s own surround sound. Some friends and I were camping in a wooded area near Mostar, the 600-year-old city that was often in the news during the Balkan Wars of the early 1990s. The birds’ notes rose in pitch and volume, then swung to a whisper, then reached a crescendo again, victorious, full of inspiration and joy. The difficulties and challenges facing this ethnically divided country were clearly the furthest thing from their little minds. I went for a walk along the narrow river and took in the scene—the potholed asphalt road lined with bench frames that had no seats, the bridge that had all but been destroyed, the small café without doors or windows with glass, and the flowerbeds overrun with weeds. Don’t step onto the grass, I reminded myself. There could be mines! For a few moments I forgot about the birds. Why did this happen? Who was responsible for all of this? As I neared the teetering remains of the bridge, I saw a bird on one of the rails. Could she remember? Could she have seen someone die here, or have heard the shooting? Then the bird began to sing, and I forgot about all those questions. Her tiny body quaked as her song burst forth. The music seemed to come from all of her. The sounds poured out with such force and conviction that I wanted to sing too. She seemed to be singing about the rising sun, about a new morning, about the blue sky, about a new day full of hope, about beautiful flowers and the gentle forest, about cool, flowing, sparkling waters that wash the old away. She wasn’t thinking about how she looked or her performance. She was just singing with all of her being. I don’t know how long I sat there watching her, but I forgot about everything else. I listened and sang along. I sang about the feeling of freedom I felt rising in me, about new possibilities, about new ways of looking at life, about a new day full of hope, about the beauty of creation and a great love that washes away mistakes of the past. It felt good, it felt great, and it felt liberating. Let’s learn from the birds and forget about our differences, about broken relationships, and the other person’s mistake that never ended in an apology. With all our being, with all our strength, let’s just sing! –From Activated Magazine
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AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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