#56 How to Make Someone Else's Day

Here's a fun fact about me that I would like to share with you all today. If I see a penny on the ground that's not face up, aka not on the lucky side, I will flip it over so that the next person who sees it will find a little luck for themselves. And another, I once folded someone's laundry in the laundry room on my floor rather than throwing it on top of the dryer for it to get all wrinkled until he came to find it. Needless to say he was very confused when he walked in and saw all of his clothes perfectly folded, but I just looked on with a smile. I also love giving presents more than anything. I'm one of those people would would rather give a present than receive one because the joy of seeing someone else get a present is present enough for me.

The point of all of these examples is that there is something to be said for doing good things for others. There is nothing that makes me happier than making someone else happy and feeling like I did a good thing. In fact, studies show that doing nice things for others boosts your serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that gives us the feeling of satisfaction and well-being. Most anti-depressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin available to your brain. What this means is that doing nice things for other people changes your brain in ways that make you feel better.

Every day, we have the opportunity to do a good deed for someone else. If we make a conscious decision to do so, we'll become more thoughtful, kind, and generally nice people. Any kind act, statement, or behavior that is about just doing something nice that impacts your family, friends, community at large, the environment, or even the world around us in a positive way, matters. It may not seem that way at first, but it does. More than that, kindness spreads. Someone who is shown kindness is more likely to pass it on than someone who isn't. So start the trend! Make someone's day...and your own!

Here are some small ways to make someone else's day:

• Turn over a penny to the face side to create good luck. Who doesn't need a little good luck?
• Leaving quarters and a note for someone in the laundry room at school. As a college student, I know every bit helps.
• Let someone cut in front of you in line at Starbucks. We've all been in that "I'm in a rush but I really want coffee" situation.
• Prevent a parking ticket. If you see a blinking meeter, feed it.
• Buy flowers for someone. Anyone! 
• Call a friend out of the blue to ask them what's new. And rhyme on said phone call if the mood strikes at all.
• Buy a stranger's drink at Starbucks. That is, if you didn't feel like letting them cut in line.
• Hold the door open for someone. And you don't have to be a boy to do it!
• Lend out a favorite book. What better to share than the gift of words?
• Give someone a compliment. And mean it. 

I strongly encourage all of you to try any and all of these! You'd be surprised what good they do for other people and for you as a person. Let's get that serotonin flowing!

In a humble attempt to make someone else's day today, I am going to take a second to recommend to all of you that you visit a blog called Peanut Butter Runner written by my friend Harrison's little sister Katherine. I am completely jealous of both her writing and cooking and general life abilities. She's a wonderful blogger who absolutely puts me to shame! I encourage you all to head on over to her site and marvel at it and her talent the way I have. Katherine, I hope this made your day! I am in constant admiration of your blogging skills and dedication to your readers--which includes me!