PRACTICING KINDNESS BOOSTS HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING!

I had the privilege of hearing His Holiness, The Dalai Lama speak in San Francisco on April 29, 2007. I was eager to hear what he had to say about the keys to happiness. As we entered the convention center, I was handed a 5×7 color photo of His Holiness with the following quote by him.

“The more we care about the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.”

Recent research has shown that demonstrating our caring through acts of kindness is key to enhancing happiness. In my personal study of the Science of Happiness, I have discovered numerous books that report on the research findings. The following  books emphasize how kindness impacts the good life.

• The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life you Want by Sonja Lyubormirsky, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. In addition to making a solid case for the myriad benefits of learning how to be happy, the author prescribes 12 “Happiness Activities”, including practicing acts of kindness.
• Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, by Dacher Keltner, PhD, professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Keltner  is also director of the Greater Good Science Center. One chapter in his book is entitled, “The Survival of the Kindest”.
• Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Martin Seligman, PhD. The author, one of the founders of the Positive Psychology movement, compares the effects on happiness of pleasurable activities (time with friends, listening to music) versus kind, “philanthropic” actions. The latter was more effective and instrumental in increased well-being and personal performance throughout the day.

Life is fast and demanding today. The smallest acts of kindness can brighten the day of both giver and receiver. You might like to  try the following experiment:

• Consider all the people you encounter daily (the teller; barrista; neighbor; passersby)
• Decide to scatter kindnesses to such people daily for one week (even deeply listening is impactful)
•  Be creative. Try something new to spice it up (carry groceries; pay a toll; send a card for no reason)
• Notice, after each kindness, how you feel.
• Observe at week’s end how the experiment affected your overall well-being.
• Savor the memories of special encounters.
• Now shower yourself with kindnesses!

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” Lao Tzu