Brainhack

3 Be Kinder, Be Happier

“You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.”

Publilius Syrus

Once we have the basic necessities of food and shelter and being healthy, the next thing we want is to be happy.

Whether it's spending more time with family and friends, becoming rich, having a holiday, going shopping, losing weight, going for a walk in the countryside: we do all these things because we want to be happy. Of course, different people will have different opinions about which of these things will really make you happy; but we do these things because we want to be happy.

But there is an instant way to be happier, one that will also benefit others. And that is to be kind.

In a study conducted by Dr Sonja Lyubomirsky, psychology professor at University of California, Riverside, students were assigned to do five random acts of kindness per week for a period of six weeks. At the end of the study, the students' levels of happiness had increased by 41.66%.

Every thought we have and every action we take creates new connections in the brain. While, for instance, going shopping might make you feel happy for a while, it also creates the desire to do more shopping. Being kind creates a happiness that has a more long-lasting effect (and it's cheaper).

“Every thought we have and every action we take creates new connections in the brain.”

By being kind you are creating a more positive outlook, which is far more likely to make you happier.

Dr Lyubomirsky found that when describing ...