There is something about helping (contributing) that gives satisfaction. Humans are hardwired to be a part of "the whole". In it's most basic sense, we can generate a good feeling (high secretion of serotonin/oxytocin hormones) when we are part of something bigger. Think of the rush you get to see how many Likes a post on Facebook gets. Studies measuring hormone levels in people having an act of kindness done to them show highest hormone levels as expected. Same study didn't expect high levels in the person giving the act of kindness. Further studies went on to find out how far this extended and documented the same hormone levels in people witnessing the act of kindness being done!
Humans have a built-in brain pathway (like a service road) that certain electrical impulses get prioritized to go from the 5 senses witnessing the event straight to the pleasure center. The end result is a reward system that makes you feel good if you are doing good. It gives you such a great "high" that you want to seek out doing it again-even if you witness an act of kindness. Just see what being in nature does to you. No matter how stressed out a parent is while traveling with the family, when you get to the destination beach; stress just melts away. Nature has it's own beauty that acts like a beacon to draw you to it and involve yourself with it. You get to a pristine national park and notice trash-you pick it up to keep the memory pristine. Louis Schwartzburg filming nature. The sum of energy in the universe is meant to be everlasting and all the lives that exist within the universe live in happiness when in harmony. The opposite can be felt as well, when you live to destroy and not contribute- life is lonely, painful and unrewarding. Witnessing bad energy also leads to an uneasy feeling. When you watch the morning news and see deaths that occurred overnight, every new story ends with a feeling of fear or hatred (toward the bad guys). Watching an uplifting movie, an act of kindness or the beauty of nature will bring a sense of calm and awe. Nature in particular expresses itself to make lives want to "join in" and be part of "the whole".
For those of you stuck in a rut, trying to change with a push or detox......try to surround yourself with positive energy. I remember buying paint at a local store (now out of business) and the guy mixing looked and sounded like a KKK member. Every other work in his vocabulary was F@#$. As I was waiting for my can to be mixed, I noticed when there was a new customer, the customer would acknowledge the conversation and answer in step to the KKK guy with F#%$. (Kind of like joining in on the mob mentality topic which was all small talk about current hot button topics). I paid my bill and didn't join in as he seemed to bait me when it was my turn to the counter. The opposite also happens under rain sheds when in a national park, I was in the Grand Canyon solo hiking and needed a break from the elements. The 7 mile mark of a 14 mile hike had a shelter and others were there. I stopped, changed my gear, re hydrated and the conversation with 3 other parties was so cool. The topics seem to be superficial but the people that day were sharing without fear of judgement. Soon without an uncomfortable feeling of the conversation dwindling, we all wished safe journey and carried on. One positive experience (received, given or witnessed) generates another positive experience and so on. Like multilevel marketing, if your down line is strong and happy, you to will exponentially manifest strength and happiness. Seek it out!!!
