In Flourish, Dr. Martin Seligman tells us:
“We scientists have found that doing an act of kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.”
Again: “doing an act of kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.”
Sometimes, we must be kind to others and ourselves, especially when things get tough.
Recently, at work, I was having an awful day, and someone made a bid for my attention from a different department in our organization. They asked if I could help them troubleshoot a technical problem.
I thought I didn’t have time to help them as I was busy trying to help myself, but I remembered the science of acts of kindness, so I spent a few extra minutes helping them resolve their technical problem.
After I solved their problem, they expressed much gratitude for my effort, and I felt much happier. That’s like me helping someone struggling.
So next time you are having a bad day, look for an opportunity to be a helper. It could be just what you need to boost well-being.