A Random Act of Kindness

Yesterday, while unsuccessfully attempting to lug my new wooden desk out of a cab and into my apartment building, a knight in shining armor came to my rescue. Okay, he wasn't a knight and he didn't have armor, but he did rescue me from myself. This very nice man was walking by with his daughter, noticed my struggle and asked if I wanted help carrying the desk to my apartment. Did I ever! I don't know what I was thinking foolishly believing that I could schlepp this thing up 4 flights of stairs!

I have never met this stranger and I will likely never see him again. Regardless, I am in deep gratitude to and for him. Dr. Martin Seligman, the "father" of positive psychology says that the fastest way to improve our well-being is to do something nice for someone else. As he says, acts of kindness not only make the recipient feel good... they make us feel good too! And because feeling good is contagious, this one act of kindness can ignite dozens more.

And if just one act of kindness generates wellness, imagine what multiple acts in 1 day can do! According to acclaimed researchers Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade (2005), 5 acts of kindness in 1 day quadruples our happiness! Who needs an energy drink with this kind of boost?

What research tells us, this man confirmed. Doing something nice for someone else matters to everyone's well-being. Certainly, his kindness mattered to me. Wherever you are, my helpful "Knight", thank you. I'll be sure to pay it forward.

How to get happy NOW? Be NICE!

A few months ago, I heard Martin Seligman, the father of Positive Psychology say, "if you want to immediately increase your happiness, go outside right now and help someone else." These words stuck and have proven accurate. Giving up my seat on the bus to an elderly woman last week felt great. Spending 5 minutes to talk (really talk) to Nick, my mailman, felt awesome - especially as he described how often he encounters negative people.

A recent study at York University found that being nice to others in small doses increases our happiness and self-esteem up to six months later. Why? According to NYT best-selling author and TED prize-winner, Karen Armstrong, compassion is at the heart of all major faiths. And regardless of our faith or beliefs (or lack thereof), doing for others as we wish to be done to us is a core value that many of us carry. Therefore, when we practice it, we feel human. We feel good about ourselves.

Lyubomirsky suggests how to implement this into our lives. The premier researcher of kindness and happiness, she finds that varying our acts of kindness will keep the concept fresh and that dedicating one day a week to random acts of kindness will increase sustainability of our practice.

So, let's pick a day. Whether it be Monday to cure the "Monday Blues" or a weekend day when you're out and about, if you want to increase your happiness immediately, do some random acts of kindness!