Thursday, January 5, 2012

Acts Of Kindness & Mood

Can random acts of kindness improve your own mood? Turns out it can.

You probably heard stories over this past holiday season about people's "good Samaritan" acts. They donated time, donated money, paid off other people's layaway bills. Although this happens often during the holidays, doing something to help someone else anytime during the year may actually help you.

Research is showing that helping someone else out can actually treat depression. And this type of treatment is very effective and usually low cost. According to the researchers involved in a new study, although doing something positive for someone else might only seem like it makes you feel good for a short time after, it can actually have a longer lasting effect. And the more often it's done, the longer that effect hangs around.

Plus, in a pay-it-forward kind of way, it can actually affect other parts of your life as well. Helping others can help your depression, which puts you in a better mood. Your family or co-workers might recognize this better mood and compliment you on something, putting you in an even better mood. This can snowball over time to help increase your own self worth.

So the secret here is to do something for someone else, and it doesn't even have to cost you anything. Thank the cashier at the store, help someone shovel snow, or even let someone take the parking spot you were eyeballing. These simple acts can go a long way towards improving your own mood all year long.

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