“Thousands of candles can be lit from one single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddha

When is the last time you helped someone? Whether it was a large gesture or something small that brightened another person’s day, how did it make you feel?

The psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky instructed participants in a study to to practice acts of kindness during each week either for people they knew personally or for strangers. The acts of kindness could be carried out either openly or secretly and could be either spontaneous or planned.  The study demonstrated that the participants enjoyed a significant increase in their well-being.  The participants who were asked to constantly vary their acts of kindness and to carry them out on one single day of the week rather than spreading them over the week benefitted the most.

Try out this happiness experiment for yourself: on any day this week perform at least 5 acts of kindness beyond what you normally do.  You will see that you derive so much benefit from your generous actions that it could be argued that there is no more selfish act than a generous act. Have fun with this happiness experiment and give it a try – you will be amazed at how it makes you feel. You can watch this wonderful short video by Life Vest Inside for inspiration.

Posted by Shona Lockhart, 20th June 2012