The Hurrah Feeling

My friend, Ada, shared how while at the gym she observed a young woman who runs very fast. In a brief conversation, Ada learned that running in the upcoming marathon was something this woman really wanted to do, but simply couldn’t afford it.  A quick call to the owner of a running store resulted in a free marathon entrance.  For Ada, she “liked the hurrah feeling.”

New findings published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology confirm the power of being kind. Researchers found that people who perform a random act of kindness tend to underestimate how much the recipient will appreciate it.  And they believe that may hold many of us back from doing nice things for others more often. One of the study’s authors, Amit Kumar, commented “People tend to think that what they are giving is relatively inconsequential. But recipients are less likely to think along those lines.”

In every situation you enter today, there will be an opportunity to meet someone’s needs. Look for that opportunity.