The research keeps coming in. Kind people are happier and healthier. It literally is good for you to be a good person.
Have you taken a look at some of the many newfangled beverage names: Get Smart Juice, Passion Power, Skinny Water.
So many juices promising so many benefits! But nobody makes Kindness Kocktail or Niceness Nectar! I’d love to see a company create a juice which promises to make people kinder.
I’m joking of course. But… it would be a terrific product!
So…if any juice company is reading this essay, here’s my pitch for why you should start creating a juice which helps people to be nicer.
Kind people are helping our world to be a better place.
Plus research shows that kind people are happier people.
And duh – everybody wants to be happier.
Many psychological studies have reported that “altruism” (being kind to others) is 1 of the top 3 “happiness determinators.”
When you look at that list, it makes sense that altruism makes you happier. After all, the kinder you are to other people – the more you raise your own self esteem – plus the more you increase your connections with others. As a result, you wind up tapping into all 3 out of 3 of those “happiness determinators.”
Nicer = Healthier + Luckier in Love + Less Sued + More Fulfilled
A University of Michigan study reported nice is healthier. Older Americans who provide support to others, either through volunteer work or simply by being a good friend and neighbor, had a 60 percent lower rate of premature death than their unhelpful peers.Plus, according to positive psychology professor and author Martin Seligman, the biggest feelings of happiness come from leading “a meaningful life,” by using personal strengths to be of kindly, altruistic service.
In an experiment called “Philanthropy versus Fun,” Seligman divided his psychology students into two groups.
The happiness afterglow of the fun found in Group 1, was nada compared to the lasting happiness of doing altruistic acts found in Group 2..
In this study, Group 2 clearly reported that after they did their altruistic acts, they not only felt happier – they also felt their happiness for longer periods of time afterwards.
Doing good for others will not only make you feel good. According to Seligman, being kind will also bring you both your highest level and longest lasting form of happiness.
Check out my bestselling book, Think Happy!
Boost your confidence, attitude, and mood with this powerful and thought provoking collection of short essays and happiness strategies.
It’s the perfect gift for someone you want to cheer on or cheer up – including yourself!
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