Helping yourself by helping others

Doing something for someone else can make you happier. Research shows that helping others can improve your outlook, boost your mood and overall beat the blues.

One of the best trainings I've done recently was The Science of Well-Being with Professor Laurie Santos, Yale University's "Happiness Course" available online on Coursera.

Business Insider calls the happiness class Yale's most popular course in history because so many people have signed up. It's an indication that so many are struggling and seeking the elusive happiness cure. This trend predates the pandemic and it's only been exacerbated by isolation in the last year. How do you get happy? If you're happy, how do you stay happy?

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude!

The course was fascinating, including the science behind why our brains get lulled by anything that stays the same and how happiness fades as a result. One of the many solutions Professor Santos and other experts in the field offer as a solution is to work on maintaining gratitude. A daily habit of counting your blessings can remind you of all that you have to be thankful for, all the things that make you happy. These can be anything from the roof over your head and the food on your plate to the sun coming up in the morning and the birds singing outside. I have made this habitual each morning while I eat my breakfast. Since my happy dogs entertain me at the same time, this is easy. Most days my list comes together amid much laughter.

Get out of your own head!

“Worrying about someone else means you're not worrying about yourself.”

Another recommendation was to do something nice for someone else. Performing acts of kindness has been shown to improve your mood. Doing it regularly can make a happy habit. Inspired by this suggestion, I joined an online group titled The Kind Squad that works together to do nice things for people. We have done many different projects, from little things like sending flowers or mailing birthday cards to bigger efforts like fundraising for handicapped vehicles or needed home repairs. Because the group has grown, the monetary donations are usually minimal and the admin always stresses that members should give only when they can. There is no obligation. Projects come up about once a week or so and members speak up when they can help. It's definitely been beneficial for my outlook during the pandemic to see the good that comes out of people banding together to commit random acts of kindness.

Get Inspired

Inspired by The Kind Squad I decided to do a crafty project to make someone smile. I ordered a rock painting kit and decorated ten rocks to leave out in nature for others to discover. The pictures included here are a few of the results. The actual painting was more fun than I expected, and the kit came with some transfer designs to allow me to include words like "Peace" and "Rock Star." A nice perk of the project was that I paired it with a couple walks in the park with the dogs when I was done. I could leave my happy messages for someone else to find and boost their day, and my dogs got some extra trips to the park. Win-win! Everybody was happy.

These are just a few of the recommendations from the happiness class, but these are lasting changes that I have made in my life and I know they have helped. Feeling happy has certainly helped my writing since positivity spills over into all my activities. Happy translates to energy that I can feed into my work. What have you found that gets you through the day? What has gotten you through the last year? Leave me a message and let me know!