“Feeling down? Lift someone up.” – Russ Kyle
Focusing on helping others can have a dramatic effect on our mental and emotional wellbeing. Studies have shown that committing to helping others can lead to increased feelings of happiness and satisfaction in life, as well as increased levels of optimism, self-confidence, and resilience when facing difficulties.
The act of helping someone else has been found to stimulate the body’s natural reward system by releasing hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin. Dopamine helps us feel good about our actions, while oxytocin is sometimes known as the ‘bonding hormone’ because it stimulates social connections between people. By providing help to another person or group of people, we strengthen our relationships with those around us and enhance our sense of empathy. This can also be beneficial for developing communication skills; when we are able to understand the needs of other people better, it can make interpersonal communication easier.
Scientific research has also revealed that committing acts of kindness and altruism can lead to improved physical health, including lower blood pressure and reduced stress levels. In one study, participants who regularly helped others experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in both positive emotions and subjective wellbeing compared with those who hadn’t engaged in any charitable activities. This indicates that dedicating time to helping somebody else may create psychological benefits for both you and the recipient of your help.
Moreover, research suggests that engaging in volunteer work increases self-esteem by enabling people to gain a sense of accomplishment from their efforts. As volunteering involves actively making a difference in someone else’s life or community, it can promote a feeling of purpose which often leads to higher levels of self-worth. And through learning new skills while volunteering – such as working collaboratively with other people – individuals can develop important qualities like responsibility and trustworthiness which further boosts their sense of worthiness along with giving them confidence in their capabilities.
Finally, taking on tasks for benevolent purposes creates opportunities for individuals to bond with each other more deeply than usual; sharing experiences rooted in compassion has been found effective at fostering stronger relationships between people where good deeds are exchanged rather than being solely motivated by personal interests or goals. This type of connection between two human beings is more meaningful because it reflects an expression of genuine care which facilitates mutual understanding among peers as well as providing emotional support during challenging times.
Overall then there are numerous mental, emotional and physical benefits associated with focusing on helping others rather than purely thinking about ourselves; it reduces stress levels due to altruistic behavior stimulating the body’s reward system while also boosting confidence through newly learned skills leading to higher self-esteem alongside providing happiness from providing service which will lead towards overall increased wellbeing within society.
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Russ Kyle / Fulfillment Specialist / Russk@russkyle.com