Bronte, a volunteer on our staff, told me that the other day she got off the train and had to cut across the platform, and travel ‘up-stream’ through a swarm of commuters heading in the other direction. She almost bumped into a man and in response he swore at her. It was the end of her workday and she said she could have brushed it off but his remark stuck in her head and bothered her for the rest of the night.
It’s tempting to get angry when someone is rude, takes your parking space, refuses to make room for you on a bus or kicks sand in your face at the beach accidentally or otherwise. These incivilities, whether big or small, happen every day and can turn thoughts sour, like it did with Bronte.
However studies show that kindness, positive emotion and social interaction directly influence long-term happiness, physical and mental health. Happiness can be shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and aid glucose regulation as well as have many other benefits.
What can we learn from the happiest people on earth? Relationships matter! Social support generates more happiness than wealth, age, gender or race. And working in fields we love (whether as a career or as a volunteer) and keeping busy, but not to the point of stress, are HUGE proponents of happiness.
Another study showed that Australians who volunteered between 100-800 hours a year were happier and more satisfied with their lives than those who didn’t. Sounds like another great reason to volunteer with us!
Cheers,
Liana
CEO
[email protected]
It’s tempting to get angry when someone is rude, takes your parking space, refuses to make room for you on a bus or kicks sand in your face at the beach accidentally or otherwise. These incivilities, whether big or small, happen every day and can turn thoughts sour, like it did with Bronte.
However studies show that kindness, positive emotion and social interaction directly influence long-term happiness, physical and mental health. Happiness can be shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and aid glucose regulation as well as have many other benefits.
What can we learn from the happiest people on earth? Relationships matter! Social support generates more happiness than wealth, age, gender or race. And working in fields we love (whether as a career or as a volunteer) and keeping busy, but not to the point of stress, are HUGE proponents of happiness.
Another study showed that Australians who volunteered between 100-800 hours a year were happier and more satisfied with their lives than those who didn’t. Sounds like another great reason to volunteer with us!
Cheers,
Liana
CEO
[email protected]