After heading into a positive-vibe week after a slightly troublesome one before, I’ve taken note of the main (apparent) reasons as to why things can go from feeling very rubbish to totally spectacular in just a few days (outlook-wise, that is).
Indeed we’re all prone to some down times however when all seems ultimately unfair in love and war, what’s the reason? Are we experiencing a bad spell? Is the universe giving us the brush off or are we truly in control of what happens next? What is the key to genuinely feeling great?
They say happiness is in the giving. The people that give more tend to be happier people as they feel like they’re contributing and generally, have more of a sense of purpose.
This week, I put this to the test and took note (even more than usual) of acts of kindness and how those involved seemed to be in terms of contentment after the deed was done (including myself).
The answer was of course, everyone involved was gleaming with joy and purpose.
Better than a tourist board ad
One evening, three tourists got on the number 16 airport bus with only notes to pay their fare. As Dublin bus only accepts coins, they were told they needed to go get change to make their payment which would mean missing that bus AND potentially missing a flight to Melbourne as they were stuck for time. Several passengers put money together to give them the 9euro they needed for the fare.
Happy tourists + generous Irish folk + lots of observers = positive vibes all around.
Taking time to say hi
Reaching out to someone can take a mere minute and can mean so much to the receiver.
As Cornell Thomas, Blogger and LifeCoach put in his blog post about ‘Purpose‘ lately,
“I love that a simple text, blog post or call can make someone’s day”.
I make a weekly effort to chat to friends I miss, ask how people are doing and let people know (in all parts of my life), what a difference they have made to my day with even a simple article they have posted.
Volunteer
There are plenty of charities that are in need of do-gooders who can donate even a small amount of time to their cause. This could be anything as simple as a street collection, spreading the word on Facebook or hosting a big fundraiser.
My boyfriend and I dedicated 4 hours to a local Mental Health charity last month and managed to raise a decent amount of money. We got to meet lovely people, tell them about the wonderful work the charity do and know we made a difference.
Never underestimate your impact (big or small) on someone else’s day.