I hope you’re having a great week and enjoying some sunshine!
This week’s Mental Sunshine is all about something that sounds counterintuitive –
But it never fails to make my day a little brighter.
This week my tip for brightening your day is to help someone else.
You might think that being on the receiving end of help would be of more benefit to you –
And yes, it’s nice to receive help.
But actually, helping someone else can lead to increased feelings of well-being.
It doesn’t need to be something big either.
You could help someone carry their shopping, or buy a sandwich for the Big Issue seller in town.
Helping others helps us to feel good.
It is part of who we are
And it has the added bonus of making the other person feel good too.
When we regularly do things to help others it can actually lead to improved self-esteem.
This is because we are now “the kind of person who helps people” and it stands to reason that we’d think more fondly of ourselves and others.
So what are you waiting for?
Ask someone how you can help them.
Make a donation to a charity.
Offer the postie a glass of water on a hot day
Hold a door open for someone.
See how it makes you feel – and don’t forget to report back!
I love hearing stories about how people have tried my suggestions!
This weekend I’m actually taking part in a 24-hour swim at Shepperton Lake as part of a relay team to raise funds for Level Water.
Level water is a deserving charity that provides swimming lessons for disabled children.
That’s something that will definitely make me feel good –
Not just because I love my swimming, but knowing many others will benefit from our efforts!
So you can think of me at 3am on Sunday morning as you’re wrapped up all cosy and warm in your bed…
And, if you feel you’re able to help a little bit more, you can always sponsor me
A swimming lesson for a disabled person is only £15
That can be your good deed for the day, and you can revel in that warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you’ve done something nice!
