Brain Bulletin 106 - How to Make Your Brain 41.66% Happier
in Brain Bulletin
We all know we should be kind to others - our families, co-workers, neighbours, strangers. Everyone benefits. It turns out though, that the one who benefits the most is probably you. Pablo Casals once said, "The capacity to care is what gives life its most deepest significance." Indeed, kindness has a big impact on the lives of others, and it makes us feel good. But you may not know how much being kind benefits your mental and physical health. To start with, kindness makes our brains happier. A University of California study assigned people to do five random acts of kindness per day for six weeks, their happiness levels increased 41.66 percent. Consider these researched benefits of kindness as well:
When we look at kindness through the lens of neuroplasticity we are reminded that brains get good at what they do. The more we are kind, the easier it is to produce that behaviour in the future. So here are few suggests to try:
So be kind, and your brain and body will thank you. "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." ~ Desmond Tutu If you need one more reason, consider this: Brain Bulletin #97 - Is Negative Thinking Bad for Your Brain? Remember, always be a little kinder than necessary. Congratulations on learning something about your brain today. The Brain Bulletin is committed to help you to do just that. If you missed any Brain Bulletins you can find them in the Brain Bulletin Archive: Also, something great and ongoing for your brain: Follow the Brain Guy on Twitter: You can join Terry Small's 5180 followers for free on Twitter: www.twitter.com/terrysmall I just posted an terrific article on: "The Power of Attitude as a Mental Tool for Your Brain" > www.twitter.com/terrysmall The Brain Bulletin is now on Twitter as well > www.twitter.com/brainbulletin Twitter has the easiest sign up page in the world. Even if you are not on Twitter you can check out my tweets here: I would also be happy to connect with you on Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=62461206&trk=tab_pro And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySmallTheBrainguy And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrysmallthebrainguy/ My favourite book this month was "The 5 Side Effects of Kindness" by Dr. David Hamilton. Inspiring and practical! It's been a busy time for me. Sorry to take so long to get this Bulletin out. I did 99 presentations last year. Whew. It's a good thing I love my job. And best of all, I finished the year with a 2 week "brain break" on the Baja. A great opportunity to carry out the "neural-trash". This January, I was honoured to speak to B.C. Hydro, the City of Coquitlam, and Abbotsford Community Services. I also created a new presentation called, "Health & Safety with Your Brain in Mind". Safety is job #1. Thanks for taking the time to read this Brain Bulletin. I know you are busy. Terry Small, "the Brain Guy", Independent Scholar & Learning Skills Specialist. To book Terry for a presentation on the brain and learning, leadership, or health & wellness please write to terry@terrysmall.com To purchase Brain Stuff click here . To receive the Brain Bulletin FREE click here . The Brain Bulletin Archives are here too. To register for Terry's Live Public Seminars click here . This FREE Brain Bulletin is received by 34,801 brains. Please forward it to other brains. |