Breaking Norms

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in an endless loop and continue to circulate our lives around a structured schedule. This “daily routine” we follow may dictate our schedule, but it also remains oblivious to our thoughts and stays put in the back of our mind. As a student, I can't help but to say that this is indeed true. Expectations of my day follow: waking up, eating breakfast, getting to the train on time, attending classes(trying not to fall asleep), disciplining myself to do homework and to getting to bed at a decent time. Maybe you follow my schedule, maybe you don’t but indeed, after reading this you could possibly ask yourself “Wow, is that really all I do?”. Indeed, it is. Breaking these norms can sound like a waste of time
or even present themselves as an inconvenience. How else can one can one alter their busy schedule? The solution presents itself in a lighter tone and can come as a surprise to many. Want to know how to add some life to your schedule? Give, be helpful. Yes, it really is that simple. This doesn't mean that you have to scramble around your car to pick up loose change and bring with you everywhere you go but instead, find helpful and realistic ways to give back. Studies show that those who incorporate a small act of kindness such as opening doors or offering seats on public transportation into their busy schedule are statistically proven to have a lower stress level than someone who doesn’t. Who says the giving has to stop there?
These small acts of kindness are merely magnified on a larger scope of activities or ways to give back. Now that you know providing a helping hand not only helps the precipitant but you the donor in the long run, why not go out and help? We know that giving helps others but how can your time, money and effort lead to your own well-being? According to a study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology, “people who gave social support to others had lower blood pressure than people who didn’t. Supportive interaction with others also helped people recover from coronary-related events.” The article also went on to say that “The same study also found that people who gave their time to help others through community and organizational involvement had greater self-esteem, less depression and lower stress levels than those who didn’t.” Sure giving your helping hand voluntarily is said to be good for your health, but is it clinically proven? A study conducted by a science team at the University of British Columbia who recruited a group of adults around the age of 65, who already had an existing problem with high blood pressure, to be involved in an experiment. This experiment consisted of giving each participant a total of 120 Canadian dollars to spend over the course of three weeks. The participants had their blood pressure measured before and after the experiment. The
conducted experiment was set up for half of the participants to spend the money on themselves and the other half to spend the money on others. So what does this experiment ultimately prove? “Using a device that automatically measured their blood pressure, we saw a clear difference between our spending groups. People who spent money on themselves showed no change whatsoever, whereas people assigned to use the money in generous ways showed a significant reduction in blood pressure.” Research and clinical studies have thus confirmed the health benefits behind giving/helping at goodwill. Still not convinced? When performing the act of giving, your body is filled with a hormone called “Oxytocin”. This hormone is also released during sex and is said to make you feel more empathy towards others. The hormone also lasts for more than two hours. Since a single act of kindness can affect you for two hours this small act of kindness can quickly turn into a chain of gratuity. Much like life, giving back is a cycle. People become inspired by others who they see giving and take some time out of their day to display affection towards others themselves. James Fowler, a professor at the University of California, San Diego talks about a study he conducted that credits the cycle of giving. “a single act of kindness typically inspired several more acts of generosity. The scientific name for this chain of altruism is “upstream reciprocity,” but you can think of it as a domino effect of warm and fuzzy feelings: If you drop a quarter into an expired parking meter, the recipient of that small act of generosity will be inspired to do a kind act for someone else, and on and on.” Monkey see, monkey do is the best way to put it. If we all were to carry ourselves as vigilant individuals and conduct small acts of kindness here and there, we may inspire others to do something bigger. You may argue that you don't necessarily need to promote yourself this way or participate in acts of kindness to fall asleep better at night but why continue to negate the positive while you could fill your life with a bit more. So we’ve talked about the clinical side of giving back, but what do these acts of kindness seriously lead to? How can my blood pressure and low-stress levels help me in the near future? Morality and life connections in a result of consistent giving back are also impacted in a positive manner. Whether or not you are a person willing to give back and help or someone who could not careless, the act of giving back evokes the morality within the donor. It may sound cliche but being learning how to be a good person comes from thinking about someone else other than yourself for once. Life throws countless opportunities for someone to step in and be of assistance. “Maybe I do have spare change.”, “I think I could cover her shift” or “Maybe I should get something for my parents instead.” are all thoughts that merely flash within our psyche. Why aren't we thinking about these thoughts longer? Why don't we act on them? Simply thinking of those thoughts prove that you have the intent to be a better person and give to someone else. Acting on these thoughts strengthen your relationships with friends, family, and other loved ones. Strong relationships tend to revolve around generosity, the type generosity that can be learned from minimal acts of senseful aid. The journal of BMC Public Health reviewed the effect of volunteering and how it enables social connections and prevails strength to current connections. The entry said, "Since people reporting stronger social relationships have a reduced risk of mortality, the social aspects of volunteering may contribute to the observed survival differences.” The entry also continues to say that these connections will ignite your need for more future connections within programs like volunteering. “this review suggests that bio-social and cultural factors may influence both a willingness to engage in volunteering, as well as the benefits that might accrue.” Who would've thought that giving back in the smallest of ways could ignite your life and open doors to connections that have not been there before? Endless loops of life don't have to be permanent. Break free from the norm and find ways to lend a helping hand to the world that always has its hand out. Why? you must ask. Why do I need to incorporate this inconvenience into my life? Well, it’s clinically proven that being a generous person lowers stress, heightens self-esteem and lengthens your life which is backed by a group of scientists who contributed to the International Journal of Psychophysiology, Acts of kindness also allow you to take up larger challenges than your average donation to a homeless man on your way to class. Heightened self-esteem evokes you to do more, so you do! You then begin to volunteer at local centers and continue your journey. This cycle of giving not only allows you to gradually become a larger over but allow the people around you to be inspired by you and your actions. Relationships are said to be strengthened by those who feel gratuitous and those who are always in a happy mood. Giving back has nothing but positive effects, so why not give a little today?