Everyone is aware that the more good they do in life, the better life will be. Yet still, sometimes, it can be hard to get out of the more self-centered mindset. This is not necessarily a bad thing, of course – taking care of yourself has to be the first thing you do; otherwise, you won’t be able to do anything else. However, if you are able to do good deeds for other people, it’s worth working out how to go about this since they can benefit you just as much as the person you’re helping. Read on to find out why you should do more good deeds.
You’ll Make a Difference
The good deed you do might not seem like much to you. It might be something very small, something you hardly even think about. Yet to the person you are helping, it could be everything, and it could make a huge difference in their lives. Since whatever it is isn’t costing you anything much, either in financial terms or the time and effort you have to put in, but it’s making someone else’s life so much better or easier, there is no reason not to do whatever good deed needs to be done.
The old adage of it being better to give than to receive is true. When we do something good for other people, it can light up the pleasure areas of the brain and make us feel wonderful. So although you might have assumed you’re only helping one person by buying them a luxury scent box or a book they’ve wanted for a long time, or doing something practical like helping them move house, giving them a lift, or whatever else you do, you’re helping yourself too.
Shows a Good Upbringing
Something that will always come across when you do a good deed is that you have been brought up well. You have learned good manners, you understand how to help people, and perhaps it’s not something you even think twice about.
This means that whatever you do and to whomever you do it, you are reflecting your values, but also the values of those who raised you, including not just family but the friends you spent and spend time with as well. This is something to be proud of.
Stress Relief
Stress is, unfortunately, a major factor in most people’s lives. Everyone is worried about something, whether it’s money, their job, their relationship, their home, their health, or anything else. Of course, some people are the exception, but for the majority, something will always be playing on their minds. Unfortunately, this means that their stress levels will rise, and this can cause high blood pressure, headaches, depression, insomnia, heart problems, and much more.
It’s crucial to reduce our stress as much as possible, and although there are many ways to go about doing this, one that stands out is doing good deeds. The chemicals produced when we simply do something nice for someone else make us feel good, as we’ve said, but they also fight against the cortisol in our bodies. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, so when there is less of it, we feel much more in control and less stressed out, which is good for our health.
