Altruism is consistently listed as one of the Big Top Three on lists of how to increase happiness (from a survey in USA Today and The New York Times.)
Ask yourself:
What loving act can I do for others I care about? What generous deed can I perform for those in greater need?
When you step outside yourself and think about others, you will happily find that you wind up removing yourself from your dark mood in the process.
Interestingly, “intimacy” and “self-esteem” are the other two contributing factors in the Big Top Three list of good mood energizers.
My belief? When you’re altruistic you’re:
1) increasing your connection with others
2) raising your self esteem
So no wonder you’re feeling happier! When you’re altruistic, you’re cashing in on all three Big Top Three.
So go out there, and do something noble. You’ll literally be happy you did.
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