Do you find it hard to believe that humans are naturally compassionate creatures? If you watch your local and/or national news broadcasts with any frequency, it might be easy to come to the conclusion that we humans are not necessarily compassionate by nature.
However, according to Deepak Chopra, M.D. — a renowned author and pioneer of integrative medicine — compassion is “an evolved part of human nature, rooted in our brain and biology.” Now, in our present-day world that is routinely bombarded with negativity, it can be easy to become frustrated and angry and to take that anxiety out on others around us.
Studies have shown that by being a more compassionate, empathic person to others, you will not only find peace and genuine happiness within yourself, but you will also become physically healthier.
Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University, has found that when we see other people be kind to each other, we feel a sense of “elevation”. Maybe you can likely relate to this? Have you ever felt inspired and more compassionate when you witness the heroic actions of others?
Most theories have shown that our actions and feelings are usually motivated purely by self-interest — but when we do good deeds or feel compassion for others, we gain a warm, uplifting sensation. I have come to learn that this sensation is actually an indication of an increase in our body’s vibrational frequency. Think about that for a second. When you are feeling down, or “off”, you probably feel like you’re in a funk, or just going through the motions. I know that’s me sometimes. But when I notice that in myself, I know that I can choose to move out of that feeling by generating more positive energy, a higher vibrational frequency, by thinking of all the things I have to be grateful for, or an act of kindness towards another, or simply bringing a smile to someone else’s face.
A significant amount of research has proven that compassion towards others is linked directly to improving your physical and mental health. A study done by researchers Steve Cole and Barbara Fredrickson showed that people who described themselves as “very happy” had lower levels of inflammation at the cellular level. What that might be saying to us is that if we focus less on ourselves and more on bringing love and light to others’ lives, we can live a healthier life.
Many researchers have concluded that being compassionate can lower the risk of heart disease through the positive effect it has on the vagus nerve and the slowing of our heart rate. According to The Greater Good Science Center, being compassionate can also make you more resilient to stress. It will help lower the stress hormones in your blood and support your immune responses.
In conclusion, we all have a choice how we live our lives. We can live them by default, just sitting back and letting life happen, or we can design the life we live. I have chosen to live my “legacy years” by design.
I would love to be of service to you by helping you do the same. If you would love to learn more or already know that you are ready for a quantum leap, go to my website: www.TransformationalWellnessServices.com and schedule a COMPLIMENTARY consultation with me. It’s easy, just go to the bottom of the homepage and select SCHEDULE A SESSION WITH RICH. You get to pick a date and time that is convenient for you. My life has been transformed by shifting my mindset from “life is happening to me” to “my life is happening with and through me”. Yours can be too. Schedule a FREE session today.
Namaste,
Rich
Rich@T-W-Services.com
941-276-1123