Wellness Wednesday Tip #11: Perform a Random Act of Kindness
/Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!
This week’s tip is focusing on improving your mental and emotional wellness - perform a random act of kindness! Performing a small act of generosity or compassion is a quick and easy way to boost your emotions without having to invest a significant amount of time, energy, or effort. It could be as simple as giving a co-worker a genuine compliment, calling a family member just to tell them you love them, or paying for the person’s coffee behind you in the Starbucks drive-thru. It’s not about the size of the act; it’s about the personal impact it has on the recipient.
Research shows that the “giver” can also experience a release of dopamine2 and/or oxytocin1 following the act of kindness, elevating your emotional and mental state. Whatever act you decide to do there is one important consideration: a random act of kindness must be performed unselfishly, and therefore you must not expect it to be repaid. Expectations of repayment change the intrinsic motivation of the act and negate its original intention.
So give it a shot, and let us know how it goes! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Patrick (@PBernerSPT) or myself (@Eric_in_AmERICa) and keep the wave of healthy change going!
More ideas:
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/101-easy-ideas-for-random-acts-of-kindness?utm_term=.anL8kRmQJ#.pn82W69XR
- Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT
- Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT
References:
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/priya-advani/random-acts-of-kindness_b_3412718.html
2. http://www.medicaldaily.com/random-acts-kindness-sweet-emotion-helping-others-dopamine-levels-383563