Selfishly Self-less

Dinosaur Comics is a personal favorite that I visit every day now. Ryan, they creator, is sharp, witty and quite wise. I find this comic particularly interesting…

I find it interesting because I think it is universally true. I don’t really believe in evil, and I think that all people are ‘hard-wired’, if you will, for good. I see it in the people around me, and I feel it myself. Here is one of the studies that show when we help people, it releases chemicals that not only make us feel better, they boost our immune system as well. The same happens for the person being helped, and random strangers that merely witness the act!

What we see as bad, or evil, is merely someone with a different viewpoint than ours. I’m sure most of the villains of our time thought they were doing good… And for some people they probably were…

Why do we open doors for strangers, let passing cars in, or help out someone in need? We are rewarded. That is true with everything we do, and some of the best rewards are positive feelings. I disagree with the comic that this is a bad thing. Everything we do, we do it because we are rewarded at some level. If we weren't rewarded, we wouldn't do it. This is a good thing.

Rewarded
Now that you know this, use it. When you're feeling down, help somebody. Allow people to help you, too. Say 'Thank you', and show appreciation to reinforce the good feelings. If you need someone's help, make sure you do your best to help them help you, and reward them with positive feedback and smiles. And make it a goal to help five people every day...