Elevation Feels Great
Posted by Dr. Judy at 3:00 am
Have you ever paid for the next cup of coffee for the person in a coffee line? I did once. After doing my radio show one blustery winter day, I treated myself to a Starbucks’ white chocolate mocha. I decided to share my treat with the next person in line. I didn’t know her, but it was such a fun thing to do. It turned out to be an off duty policewoman.
A few days later, the barista told me they had joked about my receiving a “get out of jail free” card. What fun! The barista, the policewoman, and I had shared a warm, cheery moment.
A random act of kindness lifts the heart of the person who does the good deed as well as delighting the lucky recipient on the receiving end. But adding the element of surprise by doing the act anonymously contributes even more to your health, happiness, and subjective feelings of well being.
Seeing someone perform a virtuous deed (especially if they are helping another person), makes us feel good, often eliciting a warm, fuzzy feeling in our chest. This positive, uplifting emotion, known as “elevation,” might make us feel great, but is it enough to get us to go out and perform good acts ourselves? According to new findings reported in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, the answer may be yes.
So try “paying it forward” this week and experience positive elevation. Ahhh… It feels so good!
The best part of “paying it forward” is that it does not have to invole money! Simple things, like a smile, or holding a door open for someone you do not know.