From: Get Moving Vermont [http://www.healthycommunity.ca/~no-reply] Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 12:15 AM To: Flora Subject: Kindness is Contagious! From: Manager To: Flora ________________________________ Kindness is Contagious! <https://www.healthycommunity.ca/Shared/UserImages/healthtips/pictures/62.jpg> According to a recent study , â??Seeing someone perform a virtuous deed ( especially if they are helping another person), makes us feel good, often eliciting a warm, fuzzy feeling in our chest.â?? Moreover, â??by eliciting elevation, even brief exposure to other individuals' prosocial behavior motivates altruism, thus potentially providing an avenue for increasing the general level of prosociality in society." In laymanâ??s terms, we feel good if we see other people performing acts of kindness which leads us to perform acts of kindnessâ?¦.so, kindness is contagious! As such, it only follows that being kind to others will reduce stress for ourselves and everyone around us as we all know that helping others has positive health benefits and being on the receiving end of kindness can provide us with the social support we need to thrive! So, what can you do to pass on the kindness â??bug?â?? Here are a few suggestions to get you started: 1. Offer to water your neighbourâ??s plants when they go away on vacation, collect their mail or take out their garbage and recycling for them. 2. Have new neighbours on your block? Why not assist them in moving some of their belongings into their new home? 3. Help an older person to carry their groceries out of the store. 4. Bring some healthy snacks to your work and share them with your colleagues. 5. Volunteer your time with your childrenâ??s school. Eg. Chaperone a field trip. 6. Assist an elderly person in your neighbourhood with some yard work. Remember, whatever you choose it doesnâ??t have to be a big commitment or require a lot of time, small and simple acts are just as rewarding! Source: Schnall, S.; Roper, J.; and Fessler, D. Elevation Leads to Altruistic Behavior. Psychological Science, 2010