“My ability to see good in the world creates more good.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens’
Where do you put your focus during difficult days and troubling times?
When catastrophe hits in the form of a hurricane, tornado or earthquake, when bombs rain down in anger and hate each day, when a loved one dies, there will always be devastation. But the moment the earth stops shaking and the dust settles, that is where we see real moments of humanity, kindness and compassion.
There is so much goodness in the world. For every evil act, for every harm done there are a multitude of thoughtful kind people out there fixing the wrongs as fast as they can.
Some are well organized and flock to disaster with food, clothing, tents, power generators, hugs and kind words. These are the amazing organizations like Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Helping Hands, and other humanitarian aid organizations.
Others happen spontaneously.
When neighbours hug each other, share the food that they have, stop everything to dig through the rubble and cheer when a child, a mother, a grandfather is found, those are the moments we should be focusing on.
What I notice is that when I pay more attention to the kindness and goodness in the world, I begin to see more of it.
It’s like if you think about buying a new Jeep, you will begin to see all the Jeeps on the road. Your mind starts to look for them. They were always there before but now you are beginning to see them.
We can train our brains to see the good in the world. And unlike looking for Jeeps, when we look for and see goodness, kindness and compassion we feel good and are more likely to do good, be kind and compassionate to others as well.
Simon Sinek in his book “Leaders Eat Last” explains that Oyxtocin, the feel good chemical in the brain, is the chemical that rewards us for not only doing good but also noticing the goodness around us.
“Not only does the person performing even the tiniest act of courtesy get a shot of oxytocin, not only does the person on the receiving end of an act of also get a shot, but someone who witnesses the act of generosity also gets some chemical feel good. Simply seeing or hearing about acts of human generosity actually inspires us to want to do the same. “
Why does nature want us to feel good when we see others do nice things? Because we are literally wired to want and need goodness, kindness and love in our lives. It is nature’s way of perpetuating goodness and kindness in the world. If we see goodness we are more likely to do something good as well.
Let’s go back to what I said about when I pay more attention to the kindness and goodness in the world, I begin to see more of it. Not only do I see more of it but I am motivated to be kinder, gentler, more compassionate, more generous, more loving.
I would invite you to focus on the incredible acts of kindness that are happening around the world right now, as people step up to the challenges the world is throwing at them and see how those acts of kindness make a difference in your own life and how you then react and treat others. I would love to hear about it as well. Please tell me what good things you did as a result. I’d like to be inspired as well.
“My ability to see love in the world creates more love in the world.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens’