Spread the love

It’s easy to think that there’s no good left in this world. Maybe you’ve had a rough week at work, a serious argument with your partner, or just had enough of the rudeness and cruelty of others. Whatever the reason, we all need a little pick-me-up now and then to remind ourselves that it’s not all bad.

That’s why we at Bored Panda have combed the internet and put together a new list of good news-only posts that soothed our hearts. No matter how it may seem, there will always be wonderful people ready to lend a helping hand and show that a simple gesture can truly make a difference.

So get ready to witness how showing kindness and supporting someone going through misfortune builds strong bonds within families, communities, and beyond. Continue scrolling and make sure to upvote the ones you enjoyed most! And when you’re done with this list, check out our previous posts full of wholesome pics right here, here, and here.

Discover more in If The World Feels Like A Terrible Place, Here Are 50 Of The Most Wholesome And Uplifting Things People Shared Online (New Pics)

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1 Buffalo Man Adopts 5 Siblings So They Won’t Be Split Up In The System

#2 Remember The Old Turkish Man Who Lost Everything In Fire But Saved His Kitten? People Bought A New House For Him And His Three Cats. They Are So Happy Now

#3 After 10 Years Of Addiction, Prisons, And Rehabs, I Finally Have A Career I’m Proud Of, A Credit Score, Bought My First Car At 30 Years Old, And Have A Place To Live

It is possible to climb out of the hole.

We reached out to Stephen G. Post, Ph.D., a medical school professor, opinion leader, and author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving, to learn more about the relationship between showing kindness to others and our happiness. Post is a leader in research on the benefits of giving and has promoted the idea of “give and live better” across the world. He was kind enough to have a little chat with us and explain how helping others can fill our lives with joy.

According to the professor, we humans have “a well-known psychological tendency for actions to affect emotion.” For example, when we smile (even if we are not especially happy), the action itself will elevate our mood. “There is an emotional ‘shift effect’ that does not take long, really about one hour in adolescents, perhaps 2 hours in adults,” Post said.

He also explained that helping “certainly diverts attention from the self and its problems, and engages the mesolimbic pathway, which releases one of the happiness chemicals dopamine. When engaged, this tends to shut down pathways associated with destructive emotions like rumination, hostility, and anxiety.”

#4 Wholesome Nurse

#5 7-Year-Old Does Not Let Alopecia Stop Her From Celebrating Her School’s “Crazy Hair Day’

#6 Wholesome Vets Post

So when we help others, we help ourselves. The professor provided an example of how volunteering improves our well-being. “Survey of 5000 adult Americans indicated 41 percent volunteering about 100 hours per year or estimated couple of hours a week.” The vast majority of the participants (70 to 90 percent) said they felt happier, more resilient, and physically healthier. Moreover, they were able to form better friendships and find more meaning in their everyday lives.

“Studies indicate it is good to get together with fellow helpers to debrief and process the experience,” he added. It appears that when we have fulfilling and enduring relationships with other people, we create small circles of trust that are good for reflection and can add a lot of value to our lives.

“Our friends are no longer just the folks we hang out with or part with. Helpers report deeper relationships formed in the community of fellow helpers,” Post noted, saying that it’s always beneficial to celebrate giving with others.

#7 Due To The Extreme Colds Outside, Kütahya Air Force Training Brigade Of Turkish Armed Forces Built This Barracks-Room For Street Cats To Stay In

#8 Love When Grandparents Try New Technology And Like It. It Is So Wholesome Every Time

#9 Teacher Posted This To Parents- So Thoughtful

He continued: “As one who has managed several large volunteer programs, it is best to let helpers self-select the activity or venue they prefer.” Sometimes people only want to do the things they are good at, and other times they want to do something entirely new. “Some report a flow state of deep immersion and satisfaction, even a loss of a sense of time,” Post said.

If you want to make your days a little brighter, there are a few small steps you can take. Dr. Stephen Post would like to remind you that it’s “not the amount of helping others that matters, but helping from the heart.” He advises starting with small things done with kindness. “I like to Stop, Look and Listen mindfully to people around me so I can notice their needs better,” he explained, adding that chronological rush can keep us from observing or hearing others’ needs.

#10 Might Not Seem Like Much, But… I Am Doing It

#11 It Was Meant To Be

#12 My 3-Year-Old Son Just Beat Cancer (And I’m So Happy)

This summer my 3-year-old son was diagnosed with stage 4 abdominal cancer. After several chemo cures and final surgery, the treatment is officially over since yesterday: no more cancerous cells in his body. As a father, I’m so happy and proud of my little hero.

#13 After 16 Years Of Homelessness I Finally Have My Own Place

More often than not, however, life can be difficult. Unexpected situations, adversities in our personal lives, and small bumps on the road can significantly affect us and make it harder to support others. Post mentioned that there is a side of “human nature that humiliates and de-dignifies others. It is widely expressed.”

Fortunately, the professor also had some great news—we are all wired for altruism and kindness. Even if it may seem that there are many unpleasant and insensitive people out there, “we must always remember that everyone has that wonderful generous kindly flip side of the coin. The negative is just a part of the story.”

#14 My First Art Exhibition

#15 Today, I Am 6 Months Fully Anorexia And Bulimia Free. Recovery Is Possible

#16 This Is Jax, 13 Years Old And Can’t Walk Very Far, Se We Got Him A Sled For Our Winter Walks

“Never let anyone tell you that altruism and kindness are not real, that they just disguise selfishness. There is a saying that is wrong: ‘Scratch an altruist and watch an egoist bleed.’ Actually, we are better than that,” Post told Bored Panda.

He suggested that a crucial part of increasing the helping mentality in our society is to raise kind children. “There are good ways to do that, including volunteering as a family.” That way, people can form stronger and more resilient family bonds.

“Sometimes we learn so much from helping,” Post said. “The vast majority of medical students helped a loved one will illness and found it meaningful. Grades go up when students feel that their studying will benefit others. People with altruistic purpose are more eager to learn.” So supporting others, even when we face problems, can boost our mood and help us gain perspective.

#17 Wife Is Keeping The House After The Divorce. I’ve Moved Out. This Is What I’m Keeping. Cheers

#18 Safe

#19 Taking One For The Team

Dr. Stephen Post is a prominent voice in positive psychology, a field that focuses on how to help humans lead healthy, happy lives on both individual and societal levels. “Positive psychology is not about denying difficult emotions. It’s about opening to what is happening here and now, and cultivating and savoring the good in your life,” Ron Siegel, PsyD, assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, said.

Many want to start sharing kindness with others and reach a whole other level of happiness but are not sure where to start. If that’s the case, there is a small exercise to try. The only thing you need to do is flip a coin and check which side is showing when it lands. Heads, do some pleasure-seeking activity like watching a movie, giving yourself a manicure, or dining out.

Tails, do something to help out your community or the people around you. You could give a charitable donation, have a chat with an elderly person, or begin volunteering. Try to notice how it makes you feel at the exact moment and in the days that follow.

#20 This Restaurant Offers Food For Free If You Can’t Afford It

#21 Opened The Door To This Stray. It’s The Middle Of Winter. I Now Own A Cat

#22 It May Not Look Like Much, But I Haven’t Been Able To Lift Properly In Years. This Is The Start Of Something Big

Another technique that Harvard Heart Letter suggested would be to practice mindfulness. “Learning to live more in the present is especially helpful when the future is uncertain. Formal mindfulness-based stress reduction programs have been shown to help reduce physical and psychological symptoms in people facing a variety of challenges, including cancer and chronic pain.”

#23 Me Dying Of Cancer Over The Spring vs. Me Happy And Healthy Spending Christmas With My Beautiful Family

#24 Oriini Kaipara Creates History As The First Journalist With Māori Face Tattoo To Present Primetime News

#25 The Amazon Driver Who Delivered My Package At 6PM On Christmas Eve

Lastly, one of the ways to stay positive during difficult times is sitting down and appreciating the things you’re grateful for. It allows us to acknowledge the goodness in our lives and detach from the things that go wrong. Thinking about your past, present and future will help you to not take things for granted and remain hopeful for what’s to come. Even if it may sound a bit cheesy, keeping a gratitude journal can help you become more aware of the things you’re thankful for.

#26 Saw This While Walking Around With My Daughters. It’s About Time

#27 A Resident At The Nursing Home My Husband Works At Drew Him From Memory

#28 Just Adopted A 13-Year-Old Cat. Who Gets Rid Of An Old Cat? She’s Great At Purring

When the stress from our everyday life starts to seem a bit much, try to practice these techniques. And if you’re looking for a quick ray of hope for the future or just want to lift your spirits, just keep scrolling. With posts like these, we want to remind you that the world is full of people who are always ready to go the extra mile to make others’ days a little brighter.

#29 14 Years Of Substance Abuse, 6 Years On The Street/In Shelter, At 32 Have My 1st Place

#30 I’m On Call This Christmas, But My Dad Registered As A “Student Shadower” So That He Could Spend Part Of The Holiday With Me

#31 My Fiancé And Her Amazing Art. Here Is Her Latest Piece

#32 Had An “Adoption Reveal” Photo Shoot For Our Newly Adopted Teen, Complete With Teenage Eye Rolls

#33 After A Lifetime Of Having Bad Teeth, I Decided To Do Something About It 2 Years Ago. Here’s The Finished Product – I’m Finally All Done

#34 My Brother, With Down Syndrome, Holding His Newborn Great Niece On Christmas

#35 This Little Baby (Cider) Was Finally Adopted From The Humane Society Of Marshall County

#36 This Guy Holding An Umbrella Over A Soldier Standing By The Seat And Plaque Dedicated To The 92,000+ Unaccounted For American Soldiers Since WWI

#37 Went Back To College Last Week. Been 13 Years And I Am Starting From Square One

#38 Was Just Able To Stand Up And Eat For The First Time After Brain Surgery Yesterday

#39 Found This Guy Under A Dumpster At Work. He Is Now Living His Best Life

#40 This Is My Wife’s Skyrim Inspired Painting She Just Finished “Natures Rest”

#41 Adopted My Daughter Today. The Judge Even Let Her Bang The Gavel To Commemorate It

#42 A School In My Town Has A Share Bin. Students Who Buy Lunches May Place Unwanted And Unopened Food On This Ice Tray

If other students are still hungry after they finish their lunches, they may choose one item from the share bin. This simple process reduces waste and makes tummies full

#43 Statue In My Home Town Made Of 100,000 Knives Removed From UK Streets

#44 Minecraft Quilt. Best Ever. It’s One Of A Kind, And Absolutely Amazing

#45 These Band-Aids Designed To Match Different Skin Colors

You Might Also Like: 42 Times People Had No Clue What They Were Looking At And This Online Community Had To Explain It To Them

from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/2vuVhUp
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda

Bored Panda, IFTTT