The National Day Calendar devotes several days in February to putting others first, including Send A Card To A Friend Day, No One Eats Alone Day, Shut-In Visitation Day, Do A Grouch A Favor Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day. All of these involve kindness and even selflessness toward others.
Performing even a small act of selflessness may make a huge impact. Holding a door, letting someone go before you in line or even a warm smile and a cheery “hello,” could turn another’s day around. Helping others can also be good for the giver’s mental health by reducing stress and
increasing the associated physical benefits. A big factor in selflessness is its impact on emotional well-being by:
- Creating a sense of belonging and reducing isolation
- Helping to keep things in perspective
- Helping improve your community and the world—it’s contagious
- Helping others just feels good
During February, make an intentional effort to become more selfless and do little (or big) acts of kindness during your week.
If stress keeps you from being selfless, contact One Source EAP at 800-300-0628. All calls are answered 24/7/365 and are strictly confidential.
How to Cultivate Selflessness
If you’re not in the habit of doing kind or selfless acts, there are many ways to build them into your life. Below are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Practice empathy
- Be a good listener
- Start small
- Give without expecting anything in return
- Practice gratitude and forgiveness
- Share your skills
- Support others’ goals
For even more tips, read the full article from “Believe In Mind.”
Register For the February Seminar, “The Value of Selflessness”
Join Dr. Friedman for the February One Source EAP 30-minute seminar, “The value of Selflessness” on Tuesday, February 20th at 12:00 PM. View the full list of Monthly Seminars and register for one or all of the sessions.
