It’s simple—do good, feel good. Doesn’t matter if you’re on the giving or the receiving end.Random acts of kindnesscan make anyone’s day better. For example, a genuine smile from a cashier or barista can sometimes seriously boost my morning mood. Almost every time, I’m tempted to extend that joy that I get to someone else. It’s like a wholesome virus with a leading symptom of smiling from ear to ear.What’s most impressive is that theydon’t have to be grand gestures. There’s a Japanese concept calledMono no aware. It’s about noticing and appreciating small moments that bring you joy. At the heart of the concept is the fleeting nature of life. If we only get a limited amount of time among people, why not use it to make others feel good?We atBored Pandahave compiled this list that might be just the tonic for when you’re feeling down. Career coachLiz Taplinalso provides some insight on how to be more mindful in our everyday lives. Start scrolling and tap that upside arrow below the ones you like!More info:liztaplin.com|Facebook|LinkedIn|InstagramThis post may includeaffiliate links.
It’s simple—do good, feel good. Doesn’t matter if you’re on the giving or the receiving end.Random acts of kindnesscan make anyone’s day better. For example, a genuine smile from a cashier or barista can sometimes seriously boost my morning mood. Almost every time, I’m tempted to extend that joy that I get to someone else. It’s like a wholesome virus with a leading symptom of smiling from ear to ear.
What’s most impressive is that theydon’t have to be grand gestures. There’s a Japanese concept calledMono no aware. It’s about noticing and appreciating small moments that bring you joy. At the heart of the concept is the fleeting nature of life. If we only get a limited amount of time among people, why not use it to make others feel good?
We atBored Pandahave compiled this list that might be just the tonic for when you’re feeling down. Career coachLiz Taplinalso provides some insight on how to be more mindful in our everyday lives. Start scrolling and tap that upside arrow below the ones you like!
More info:liztaplin.com|Facebook|LinkedIn|Instagram
This post may includeaffiliate links.
Liz Taplin is a career coach and former teacher with 35 years of experience under her belt. She mostly helps teachers – past, present and future, but works with charitable and voluntary organizations as well.Bored Pandareached out to Liz to better understand the importance of acts of kindness, because, as she states on her professional page,“there is no greater privilege than serving others.”Can the reasons behind kind acts be selfish, geared toward self-satisfaction? It’s interesting to understand what drives our need to help others. “I believe kindness and wellbeing are both innate human capacities and that they feed each other,” says Liz. “It’s a chicken and egg question, though. We feel good so [we] do good things. We do good things so [we] feel good. It doesn’t matter which comes first!”Whatever the reason, helping others is a two-way street.Neuroscientists have foundthat helping others positively affects our brain. It boosts the levels of the love hormone oxytocin and dopamine, a neurotransmitter that gives us the feeling of euphoria. The latter one causes what’s called “helper’s high”. But that’s not all.Being nice to others also releases serotonin and endorphins.Serotonin acts similar to dopamineand causes the centers of pleasure to light up your brain. You want some of that high? Try volunteering at a local animal or homeless shelter, help your elderly neighbor with the lawn or shovel their snowy driveway. The good deeds don’t have to be impressive or go viral. Simple everyday favors should help you get that mood boost just as well.
Liz Taplin is a career coach and former teacher with 35 years of experience under her belt. She mostly helps teachers – past, present and future, but works with charitable and voluntary organizations as well.Bored Pandareached out to Liz to better understand the importance of acts of kindness, because, as she states on her professional page,“there is no greater privilege than serving others.”
Can the reasons behind kind acts be selfish, geared toward self-satisfaction? It’s interesting to understand what drives our need to help others. “I believe kindness and wellbeing are both innate human capacities and that they feed each other,” says Liz. “It’s a chicken and egg question, though. We feel good so [we] do good things. We do good things so [we] feel good. It doesn’t matter which comes first!”
Whatever the reason, helping others is a two-way street.Neuroscientists have foundthat helping others positively affects our brain. It boosts the levels of the love hormone oxytocin and dopamine, a neurotransmitter that gives us the feeling of euphoria. The latter one causes what’s called “helper’s high”. But that’s not all.
Being nice to others also releases serotonin and endorphins.Serotonin acts similar to dopamineand causes the centers of pleasure to light up your brain. You want some of that high? Try volunteering at a local animal or homeless shelter, help your elderly neighbor with the lawn or shovel their snowy driveway. The good deeds don’t have to be impressive or go viral. Simple everyday favors should help you get that mood boost just as well.
“For me, a random act of kindness means helping someone from a place of love and humanity and is the ultimate gift we can both offer and receive,” adds Liz. “Gandhi taught that the best way to find yourself is in the service of others, so that’s one outcome for the ‘giver’. For the ‘receiver’, the value is not just the act of kindness itself but the fact that a stranger sees you and values you.““And the impact spreads, like ripples in a pond – a person is likely to become a giver very soon after being on the receiving end.” She gives a simple everyday example: “A great experiment to see this in action is to let someone out in front of you in heavy traffic. Within a few minutes, they will do the same thing to another car.”Performing acts of kindness is part of the art of enjoying the little things in life. Liz has a few suggestions on how you can practice this habit. “I have a post-it note on my desk that says ‘make someone happy’ as a reminder that if that’s the only thing I do each day then it’s been a good day,” she shares.Don’t get discouraged if you feel incapable or are not sure where to begin. Liz reassures: “Engaging in random acts of kindness is a habit we can nurture. Getting started is easy, just do simple things like reaching for a product off the top shelf at the supermarket for someone.
“For me, a random act of kindness means helping someone from a place of love and humanity and is the ultimate gift we can both offer and receive,” adds Liz. “Gandhi taught that the best way to find yourself is in the service of others, so that’s one outcome for the ‘giver’. For the ‘receiver’, the value is not just the act of kindness itself but the fact that a stranger sees you and values you.”
“And the impact spreads, like ripples in a pond – a person is likely to become a giver very soon after being on the receiving end.” She gives a simple everyday example: “A great experiment to see this in action is to let someone out in front of you in heavy traffic. Within a few minutes, they will do the same thing to another car.”
Performing acts of kindness is part of the art of enjoying the little things in life. Liz has a few suggestions on how you can practice this habit. “I have a post-it note on my desk that says ‘make someone happy’ as a reminder that if that’s the only thing I do each day then it’s been a good day,” she shares.
Don’t get discouraged if you feel incapable or are not sure where to begin. Liz reassures: “Engaging in random acts of kindness is a habit we can nurture. Getting started is easy, just do simple things like reaching for a product off the top shelf at the supermarket for someone.
My boyfriend and i were at Walmart recently, and he recounted a story to me from his childhood. He grew up incredibly poor, his mother being a single mom raising two kids on her own, his father abandoning them when he was very young. He and his mom would “window shop” at stores, just to pass the time and look at stuff they knew they couldn’t buy. When he was little, when pokemon was really big, Walmart had a Charizard lunch box. He thought it was the coolest thing; Charizard was his favorite pokemon, and how often did you see things with just Charizard? The lunchbox wasn’t necessarily expensive, but with the threat of no power or running water, it might has well have been a billion dollars. His mom put the lunchbox on layaway and said he’d get it for his birthday, but my boyfriend knew that it wasn’t going to happen and it was definitely more of a gesture. It was so much more than a lunchbox. He felt if he had this lunchbox at school, he’d feel normal, he’d feel like everyone else.His birthday is in December, and after much eBay stalking I found the lunchbox he yearned for, 18 years ago. It was in amazing condition. This was the moment it really started to sink in. He cried for a LONG time. He finally got his lunchbox he could never have.
The benefits of kind acts are not only short-term. They can deepen already established connections or help you start new friendships. Even the simple act of helping a family member wash the dishes not only results in gratitude from the other person, it also qualifies as quality time, where you can tell each other about your day or share a funny story from work.In a similar vein, volunteer work is a great place to make new friends. You can meet new people who are potentially interested in doing good deeds and maybe even form lifelong friendships.
The benefits of kind acts are not only short-term. They can deepen already established connections or help you start new friendships. Even the simple act of helping a family member wash the dishes not only results in gratitude from the other person, it also qualifies as quality time, where you can tell each other about your day or share a funny story from work.
In a similar vein, volunteer work is a great place to make new friends. You can meet new people who are potentially interested in doing good deeds and maybe even form lifelong friendships.
Interestingly, the effect of random acts of kindness to strangers can be surprising. Scientists suggest that most good-doers don’t expect to get a positive reaction.A 2023 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychologyhas found that we systematically undervalue the positive impact our good actions have on the recipients.
This can explain the doubtful thoughts preceding a good deed. In some cases, it’s the fear of being misunderstood. “What if me bringing donuts into the office will be misconstrued as sucking up to my superiors?”—asks that little judgy voice in our heads.Other times, we’re worried about not getting the reaction we expect. “What if my coworkers don’t like the donuts and will hate me forever after this?” These thoughts are irrational and reflect our own insecurities more than predict the possibilities of what can truly happen.However, it’s also possible to build up nice behavior in our heads to be this grand gesture that the recipient should greatly appreciate. But when they don’t react in ways we expect, we get disappointed and might swear off good deeds altogether.
This can explain the doubtful thoughts preceding a good deed. In some cases, it’s the fear of being misunderstood. “What if me bringing donuts into the office will be misconstrued as sucking up to my superiors?”—asks that little judgy voice in our heads.
Other times, we’re worried about not getting the reaction we expect. “What if my coworkers don’t like the donuts and will hate me forever after this?” These thoughts are irrational and reflect our own insecurities more than predict the possibilities of what can truly happen.
However, it’s also possible to build up nice behavior in our heads to be this grand gesture that the recipient should greatly appreciate. But when they don’t react in ways we expect, we get disappointed and might swear off good deeds altogether.
The Japanese have many different concepts on the philosophy of living. Some of them have permeated popular culture globally, like the art of golden repairkintsugi. In the same category as the already mentionedMono no awarecan beikigai.
This concept is about defining and following your purpose in life. Similar are alsokaizen—striving to always improve—andwabi-sabi. The latter invites us to find beauty in the imperfections of life, resisting the urge to always strive for perfection.
The first thing to do isnot think of “the little things” as cliche. We as people can sometimes be too proud, consider ourselves too cool for simple things. Earnestness as a character trait can be looked down upon for being too “cringe”.However, failure to see its virtue can be the cause of a great deal of stress and pressure. Getting the dream job, the dream house are nice goals, but they happen rarely and the excitement eventually wears off. In order to feel a bit happier every day, it’s better to think about the details, like getting into a freshly made bed. Just think of how good that feels!
The first thing to do isnot think of “the little things” as cliche. We as people can sometimes be too proud, consider ourselves too cool for simple things. Earnestness as a character trait can be looked down upon for being too “cringe”.
However, failure to see its virtue can be the cause of a great deal of stress and pressure. Getting the dream job, the dream house are nice goals, but they happen rarely and the excitement eventually wears off. In order to feel a bit happier every day, it’s better to think about the details, like getting into a freshly made bed. Just think of how good that feels!
What word can sound more cliche than “mindfulness”? A term that truly encompasses everything and nothing at the same time. At first glance, at least. But if we were to explore the different strategies of mindfulness, they would really be about being present.Actively choosing to notice your insignificant surroundings is a habit that can be taken for granted. Slow down a few times a day for a couple of minutes and try to smell the aroma of your coffee, hear the sounds from outside the window.In some cases,this can even be considered meditation. Maybe it is, but it’s also your subconsciouskickstarting the habit of appreciating the little things.
What word can sound more cliche than “mindfulness”? A term that truly encompasses everything and nothing at the same time. At first glance, at least. But if we were to explore the different strategies of mindfulness, they would really be about being present.
Actively choosing to notice your insignificant surroundings is a habit that can be taken for granted. Slow down a few times a day for a couple of minutes and try to smell the aroma of your coffee, hear the sounds from outside the window.
In some cases,this can even be considered meditation. Maybe it is, but it’s also your subconsciouskickstarting the habit of appreciating the little things.
This next tip is especially poignant in our current age of information. We’re bombarded with news, trends and visual stimuli constantly (really everything everywhere all at once, am I right? It’s a shame we haven’t yet evolved to have hot dogs for fingers, it could serve as a great point of focus during meditation).Disconnecting from technology for some timeduring the day and going outside for a walk can help you stop rushing through life. Taking a walk doesn’t necessarily mean in nature. It’s possible to take a break in a bustling city too.Try to rechargefrom the chatter and laughter from other people.
This next tip is especially poignant in our current age of information. We’re bombarded with news, trends and visual stimuli constantly (really everything everywhere all at once, am I right? It’s a shame we haven’t yet evolved to have hot dogs for fingers, it could serve as a great point of focus during meditation).
Disconnecting from technology for some timeduring the day and going outside for a walk can help you stop rushing through life. Taking a walk doesn’t necessarily mean in nature. It’s possible to take a break in a bustling city too.Try to rechargefrom the chatter and laughter from other people.
While being kind to others, don’t forget to practice self-kindness. Don’t be too hard on yourself at work, give yourself some “me time”, maybe start journaling. The golden rule is totreat yourself like you would treat a good friend.When you’ve done that, circle back to helping others. There are many initiatives you can join, like theKickstart Kindness program.The Random Acts of Kindness Foundationhas many suggestions of what you can do if you have no idea where to start.Perhaps even some of the entries here in our list will inspire you to do some good deeds. It’s just like a certain up-and-coming indie artist sings: “Treat people with kindness.”
While being kind to others, don’t forget to practice self-kindness. Don’t be too hard on yourself at work, give yourself some “me time”, maybe start journaling. The golden rule is totreat yourself like you would treat a good friend.
When you’ve done that, circle back to helping others. There are many initiatives you can join, like theKickstart Kindness program.The Random Acts of Kindness Foundationhas many suggestions of what you can do if you have no idea where to start.
Perhaps even some of the entries here in our list will inspire you to do some good deeds. It’s just like a certain up-and-coming indie artist sings: “Treat people with kindness.”
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