An Act Of Kindness

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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.