Altruistic kindness

Helping others boosts our happiness! ...and theirs

veryhappyphil — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:30:10 +0800

Help! One of the favourite strategies I discovered several years ago to lift unhappy people out of their unhappiness is volunteering. Loads of research has now proved kindness to others boosts our health, happiness and we live longer!

I will give you an example; The Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London carried out research suggesting a "strong link" between volunteering and recovery from a variety of conditions, including depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. And it can boost happy people too. In a 1998 study life satisfaction was found to improve 24 per cent with level of altruistic activity.

The reasons volunteering boosts our happiness;
Keeps us busy
Socialize with others
Belonging
Give us a Purpose
We get an opportunity to be kind
Can be Pleasurable and fun and boost our self efficacy and ‘flow’ time

Volunteering can boost old and young people. Studies of older people with a purpose found seven in ten feel satisfied. Without a purpose seven in ten feel unsettled about their lives. Twice as many college students who enjoyed their lives and studies had a purpose, compared to those who did not.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;

“It’s proven that volunteering is really good for self esteem”
-Emma Kelly, Psychologist

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
- Mother Teresa

“It is well documented that low thresholds of volunteering, even two or three hours a week, elevate mood in most people. This phenomenon was dubbed "the helper's high"”

Happy people have a meaningful life!

veryhappyphil — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:14:49 +0900

Hello Very Happy People!

Happy people have a meaningful life. They spend part of their day, week or life doing something which is of benefit to someone or something significant. A meaningful life is a regular commitment to the service of others e.g. homeless, environment, poor, mentally ill, learning difficulties, abused humans or animals, something significant.

I will give you an example; I enjoy writing my weekly emails but I only realise and appreciate that they my email each week is meaningful if I get a reply like, "Hi Phil had a really rotten week and lots going wrong came in today feeling very down and pessimistic but read your mail and surprisingly enough feel bit better!!! Worry a bit less thanks". I carry out the task of writing emails on happiness and giving talks on happiness in order to help increase the happiness of others. I find these tasks meaningful when I know I am helping! So if you find my emails increase your happiness or if you find following the advice from my emails increase your happiness let me know please. Thanks.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;

"Happy people dedicate themselves to meaning. They have a lot of "fun", but they also spend much of their time in meaningful pursuits- activities and projects that they find significant and important. What's important to you? What do you do that holds meaning and significance? If you don't know, you need to think about it. If you do know, you ought to spend some of your time each week doing the things that are really meaningful to you."

Kindness=Happiness!

veryhappyphil — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:14:04 +0900

Hello Very Happy People!

Happy people are kind and kind people are happy! Fact! Scientists have proved it. We can increase our happiness through kindness! I will give you an example; Happiness researchers asked students to perform five random acts of kindness a week. The acts would benefit a person(s) and be at a material cost or time cost to the students. Those that carried out all their acts in one day increased their happiness significantly. Lesson; If we carry out lots of kind acts every Monday we will feel lots of happiness every day! I have included an inspiring story of kindness at the bottom of this email.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;

"I love people. I do it all for me. I'm selfish. We need to love everybody. If you're a caring person you're a hero. It's good for you to care. Try a test. Be a jerk for 2 months. Be nice for 2 months. Notice the difference."
- Dr Patch Adams

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them. The purpose of our lives is to be happy. Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
-Dalai Lama

"If you cannot be nice, be as nice as you can!"

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."
-Scott Adams

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
-Philo

"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profundity (wisdom).
Kindness in giving creates love."
-Lao-Tse