Bright and Happy Signs

Today I performed my first act! If anyone sees the bright, colorful signs in downtown Evanston that say things like "Simply Smile," or "Caution: No Negative Thoughts," those are mine. It was great to finally be doing an act of kindness. I have been reading a lot about how you get a "helper's high" type feeling that releases dopamine when you perform or give an act of kindness.
One example of this is seen in the book The Healing Power of Doing Good, by Allan Luks, when he describes this rush of happiness. One person stated about helping others, "It was like taking a drug. And believe me, I knew what a drug high was. Except this one lasted far longer" (5). Luks also states that altruism does in fact enhance the giver's health. Helping others and the positive feeling you receive comes in stages. He says, "It begins with a physical high, a rush of good feeling. It involves physical sensations that strongly indicate a sharp reduction in stress and the release of the body's natural painkillers, the endorphins. The initial rush is then followed by a longer-lasting period of emotional well-being" (10).
This helper's high definitely happened to me, and my friend Cailin who helped me put them up ALL over downtown. At first, I was a little skeptical and self-conscious about what people would do or say and was not sure where to put them. I also was pretty tired and hungry. By the third one (there are about twenty-five) Cailin went ooh I'm just so happy. And I was like, "yeah me too!" And I explained to her what I had read and everything about it making you happy. I also went from being sort of shy about it and putting them up quietly to shouting out places to put them, "oh let's put one by the library over there, or on that pole, no what about on that building!" We were running and having fun. I also was not tired at all and was laughing, smiling, and by the time we sat down at Noodles to eat I was not even that hungry. My whole outlook and thinking about the day and in general became more positive and the warm weather probably helped as well. I was more care-free and even talking to people, anyone, was easier. Saying, "Hi," to people with a huge smile on my face was way easier than normal because I already had a huge real smile plastered on my face. When we put them up two people asked me what they were for. I explained and they both smiled and said, "good luck." The sign we put up by Le Peep also sort of made a scene because we saw my friend's sister who also asked what it was for. I told her about the acts of kindness and as I was talking to them and Cailin was staple gunning them to a cardboard sign that was already up I saw people turn around to look who were headed the opposite way, and smiles spread across all of their faces! PERFECT...exactly what I set out to do! Pictures of them are posted on the Flickr site too which you can get to from my blog page on the left hand side!

Hey

This is my first blog! I am still at the beginning of my project but I hope to spread acts of kindness through my blog and make them known.