The stereotype is that altruistic giving is a selfless act. It may be, but scientists are now realizing that when we give to others we indeed get something back. We know now that when you give freely and selflessly you get a rush of endorphins that is very similar to what someone gets when they take morphine. The studies on this are so frequent and consistent that the researchers have developed a name for this experience, they call it the “Helpers High.”
The list of positives that come from giving help are numerous. Here are just a few:
Decreases depression
Increases longevity
Lowers anxiety
Improves physical health
Releases endorphins
Gives one a feeling of satisfaction
Increases gratefulness
Reduces aches and pains
There’s more but you get the idea. It’s also important to note that the research has found that the benefits are not universal. If you are highly stressed out it may not help.
TRY THIS
Be on the lookout for ways you might be helpful. It could be something very simple like letting a car into your lane in heavy traffic, or helping someone who needs directions. After you help, be aware of how you feel emotionally and how you feel in your body. For a more robust experience I would suggest you volunteer for an organization that might need your help. There are plenty of Hospices or Animal Shelters that could really use your good energy. Try it and see what it does for you. Not only because you are doing good, but also because it helps you FEEL GOOD!
Our lungs are an amazing organ. I believe they are the only major organ that functions automatically or allows us control if we wish. You choose whether to take complete control of your breath, or just let it do it on its own. What most people don’t know is our breath, and the way we breathe is intimately tied into our emotions and our feeling good. Future newsletters will focus on some of those connections but for today we can just say that by slowing the breath down we move into a state of calmness that gives us at least a partial break from our thoughts, our feelings and our anxieties.
Can you remember your first day at work? What you did, who you met, what you saw? Okay how about day two or day three? Chances are you don’t remember quite as much about those days. Why not? One of the basic rules of the psyche is that when we do something for the first time our awareness gets stronger. Basically, we pay more attention. When we pay more attention we are usually more alive in the present moment. Because we are more alive in the present moment we tend to remember more of what was happening
Have you ever watched a 1 or 2 year old carefully? What do they do? It’s pretty simple, they experience. Unencumbered by the rigid adult belief system, the cascade of shoulds and shouldn’ts, or the numerous adult defenses they move from one thing to the next and simply experience whatever they are doing. Sometimes they lick things, sometimes they touch and feel, other times they just ambulate from one spot to another but no matter what they are doing they are involved in the moment.
Most of us can’t imagine what it would be like to have such a focus on our present moment. We are often too busy with our persistent thoughts going one way and then another or preoccupied with our fears or regrets. What can we do?
TRY THIS
Find a 1-3 year old and follow them around. It could be a relatives’s child or maybe your own. Do whatever they do no matter what. Do it for five minutes and see what happens. I can just about guarantee that you will be laughing and of course as a later post will say, laughter is a great way to be in the moment. Be sure that you are not the responsible party for the child’s safety. Yes, you both get a babysitter!
Can you remember your first day at work? What you did, who you met, what you saw? Okay how about day two or day three? Chances are you don’t remember quite as much about those days. Why not? One of the basic rules of the psyche is that when we do something for the first time our awareness gets stronger. Basically, we pay more attention. When we pay more attention we are usually more alive in the present moment. Because we are more alive in the present moment we tend to remember more of what was happening
I bet you can think back to many instances where you did something for the first time. All sorts of memories are likely to pop up about the first time we did something. I would also bet that some of those will make you smile when you remember.
So if we are more aware the first time we do something, and this puts us more in the present tense, how can we use this to our advantage?
TRY THIS
Do something for the first time and be aware of your consciousness as you are doing this. It might be going to a new restaurant that offers a type of food you have never had. It might be taking a ride in the car to an unfamiliar area and on roads you have never used before. It might be trying a sport you have never played or experimenting with an unfamiliar musical instrument. Whatever you do, see what impact the first time might have on your awareness and your feeling good!
One of the most basic ideas of healing is to keep one’s mind in the present moment. When we are able to do this we usually feel good. When the mind gets pulled into the future we often become anxious. When the mind gets stuck in the past we tend to get more depressed. Dwelling on the past and the future will tend to limit our joy.
What’s your favorite ride at the amusement park? Think about it. All the rides are geared to put you into the present moment. Think of a roller coaster ride. Are you worrying about the future or upset over the past? No! You are locked into the present moment and people love it and pay for it!
TRY THIS
Now the important question is how to do this on your own and do it consistently. Start thinking about what you do to put yourself into the present moment. Talk about it with someone close. Ask them where you seem to feel the most joyful. This will give you some clues about your unique ways, and your roller coaster. Have fun with this.
