Let’s discuss the powerful connection between happiness and acts of service and kindness.
While acts of service are typically thought of as purely selfless, they come with an intrinsic reward. By making the lives of others better, you inadvertently increase your own happiness.
And I’m not just talking about feeling good because you’re doing good. There’s actual significant scientific evidence showing that performing acts of service releases endorphins, creating a natural high known as the “helper’s high.”
Research from the London School of Economics found that regular volunteers are significantly happier, with those volunteering every two to four weeks being 12% more likely to report being “very happy.”
And Harvard Health Publishing released a study indicating that people who regularly engage in acts of service experience a significant boost in their happiness and emotional well-being.
So while it’s wonderful to help others because you feel called to, just know it’s also a powerful way to help you achieve greater happiness in your own life.
Here are seven ways science shows acts of service and kindness will lead to a happier life.
- Decreased Stress and Anxiety: Helping others can put you in a calmer, more relaxed state of mind. A study published in the Clinical Psychological Science journal reveals people who engage in acts of kindness experience lower levels of stress and anxiety.
- Improved Mental Health: Performing acts of kindness can help combat symptoms of depression. A study in the Journal of Social Psychology showed people who performed daily acts of kindness for six weeks experienced a significant increase in their mental well-being.
- Strengthened Social Connections: Service and kindness improve social connections and reduce feelings of loneliness. Research from the University of British Columbia found performing acts of kindness can increase social acceptance and improve personal relationships.
- Boosted Physical Health: Volunteering and acts of kindness have been linked to better physical health, including lower blood pressure and longer lifespan. A study published in Health Psychology found older adults who volunteer regularly have a lower risk of hypertension. (So kindness really is good for the heart!)
- Lifted Mood: Kindness can lift your mood and improve your general outlook on life. Findings in the Journal of Happiness Studies show people who engage in kind acts experience a boost in well-being. By focusing on the needs of others, we can shift our attention away from our own problems, leading to lower stress and improved mood.
- Positive Feedback Loop: Helping others activates your brain’s reward and pleasure centers, releasing mood-boosting chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin. The American Journal of Public Health found this initial good feeling encourages more acts of kindness, reinforcing positive brain pathways.
- Deepend Sense of Gratitude: Being kind and serving others can increase your sense of gratitude. For example, volunteering often gives you a new perspective on your own circumstances, making you more appreciative of what you have. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found people who engage in regular acts of kindness report higher levels of gratitude and emotional health.
The science is clear, being of service and kind to others has a positive and lasting effect on your happiness.
And being of service doesn’t mean you need to volunteer with an organization. Small acts of kindness can still give you all the health benefits of larger gestures.
Action Step
This week, make an effort to notice the small ways you can be of service to others. Whether it’s holding a door open, helping a coworker out, or letting someone with just one item go before you in the grocery store, recognize that just a few moments of your day can have a big impact on someone else.
After each act of kindness, pay attention to how it made you feel and observe the positive changes in your mood.
Embrace any opportunity you can to make a positive difference in the lives around you.
Your kindness benefits everyone, including you!
