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Episode summary:
This week, we’re focusing on doing good for others, and we’ve turned to someone who cheers people up for a living. Dana Merwin is a professional clown and performer based in San Francisco. For our show, she tried a practice where she performed three acts of kindness a day for the people in her life. She reflects on how simple, kind gestures can pave the way for deep and valuable connections, and that being kind to others ultimately makes us feel good as well. We also hear from psychologist David Cregg about how doing good things for others improves our sense of social connection, purpose in life, and can even help us live longer and healthier lives.
Practice:
- Write down or think about three acts of kindness you could perform the next day.
- Do three kind acts for people in your life.
- At the end of the day, reflect on how these experiences make you feel.
Today’s guests:
Dana Merwin is a progressional clown and performer based in San Francisco.
Learn about Dana’s Work: https://tinyurl.com/bd6ew95a
Follow Dana on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/dspstzrk
David Cregg is a clinical psychologist at South Texas Veterans Health Care System whose research specializes in positive psychology.
Follow David on Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/ajay6n6a
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Do You Underestimate the Impact of Being Kind? https://tinyurl.com/583hwar9
Just One Thing: Be Kind to Yourself by Being Kind to Others: https://tinyurl.com/4dsf7bn2
Do We Have an Instinctive Urge to Be Kind? https://tinyurl.com/y5fabnj3
Can Helping Others Help You Find Meaning in Life? https://tinyurl.com/yc4zhw9w
Three Strategies for Bringing More Kindness into Your Life: https://tinyurl.com/22cx7w9f
More Resources on Doing Good Things For Others:
BBC – What we do and don’t know about kindness: https://tinyurl.com/na6jvr9e
Harvard: Lending a helping hand: https://tinyurl.com/yckf4759
UCL: 10 benefits of helping others: https://tinyurl.com/4wn5syhh
Mayo Health Clinic: The art of kindness: https://tinyurl.com/5ah5dahc
What kind action have you done for others recently? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/873v67ah
Statement on the Violence in Gaza
Like many of you, our listeners, we at The Science of Happiness are deeply distressed by the Hamas attacks on civilians in Israel on October 7, 2023, and at the Israeli government’s continued violence in Gaza.
We approach matters of politics and war through the lens of happiness, which suggests that all people have a right to happiness, one that is damaged in generational ways by state-sponsored violence, as well as the denial of basic rights.
Grounded in this, we condemn the Hamas attacks which killed at least 846 civilians, according to the most recent numbers released by Israeli police, and took 239 hostages, as crimes against humanity.
We also condemn the continuing violence of the Israeli state and military, which, at the time of this recording, have killed over 11,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. We believe the Israeli military’s targeting of hospitals, civilians, and the blockade on food, water, and medical supplies, are crimes against humanity.
Research shows a core principle of well-being is understanding our common humanity, that everyone should have the chance to pursue a life of true happiness – that’s central to our work at Science of Happiness.
So we join the international call for an immediate ceasefire, the safe release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and an end to the blockade of the Gaza strip. in place since 2005 denies Palestinians basic human needs, like adequate water, and basic human rights, like self-determination and to move freely to live a fulfilling life.
We express our deep concern that the enduring displacement of Palestinians, and violence by all parties, will cause deep trauma for generations to come, robbing everyone the chance to pursue a life of true happiness, which is at the center of our work at The Science of Happiness.
Transcript to come.
