Kind Acts Kill Pain

“Kill them with kindness,” as the old saying goes, but now scientists have proof that you can actually kill pain with kindness.

Peking University scientists in Beijing found kind acts to be a painkiller, according to a report on Yahoo News. In the study, people who performed kind gestures while expecting nothing in return were less likely to report discomfort when exposed to unpleasant conditions.

Scientists concluded that doing good was thought to release the hormone dopamine, which has been shown to dampen chronic pain.

It’s well-known that a sense of gratitude is important to your psychological well-being.

Focusing on gratitude has become a growing trend in recent years, and for good reason. There’s a lot of stress, illness and unhappiness in the world, and gratitude is an effective remedy for all of these — and it’s free.

Gratitude is simply affirming the good in your life and recognizing its sources. It is the understanding that life owes you nothing, and that the good things in your life are gifts that cannot be taken for granted.

In teenagers, gratitude has been found to correlate with positive emotions, life satisfaction, social support and prosocial behavior.

Being thankful alters your brain in a number of beneficial ways, increases happiness and life satisfaction, lowers stress and emotional distress, makes you stronger emotionally, reduces symptoms of depression, lowers inflammation, blood pressure and blood sugar, improves immune function, heart health, interpersonal relationships, boosts productivity and more.

And, while you’re practicing gratitude, you might want to take it a step further and unlock the potential of your unconscious mind. Your unconscious mind is what takes over when you are brushing your teeth, driving or other everyday tasks that you perform without really thinking about them.

To boost productivity and creativity and to direct the potential of your unconscious mind:

1. Express yourself artistically —  Try coloring, drawing or painting. Be creative — it may help you express your true feelings. Consider taking an art class, even if you have little artistic talent or interest. 
2. Meditate — Of all of the ways to connect with and influence your subconscious mind, meditation may be the most powerful.
3. Rehearse desired outcomes — By repeating what you want several times in a row on a daily basis, your subconscious mind will catch on and help you achieve your desired outcomes.
4. Review before bed — When learning new material, review it just before you go to sleep to transfer it to your subconscious and stamp it into your memory.
5. Think and speak positively — Speak out positive affirmations, thoughts and ideas. Starting with simple phrases such as “I can do this” or “I am doing a fantastic job.” It will boost your spirits and begin to influence how you think and feel about yourself, even when you are surrounded by negativity.
6. Write it down — Getting your thoughts down on paper can help remove “mind clutter.” Take out a pad of paper and a pen, set a timer for five to 10 minutes and begin writing whatever comes to mind. Avoid editing yourself. Do this weekly or daily to uncover valuable insights and thoughts you may not have even realized you had. Journaling has the same effect.