It's Good 2B Good

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH!

There are many ways to improve your health and lots of places to find out how. But you probably won't find this information in a whole lot of places. Unfortunately, it's not that well-known. But it needs to be.

So, here it is: If you want to improve your physical health.... be a good person! Studies show that  when you help people (especially strangers) your physical health improves: You get fewer colds, fewer episods of the flu, a decrease in migraines, less stomachaches, and a quicker recovery from surgery.

The reason these changes occur is that when you help people your immune system is affected. Every time you do a kind act your immune system strengthens. Since the immune system is what prevents disease from attacking our bodies, it keeps us healthy when it is strong. People actually take stuff to help them build up their immune systems. But, all they really have to do is go out and help people: do a random act of kindness every day and see what happens. Not only will you be healthier, you will be making a difference in people's lives. 

IT'S GOOD 2B GOOD!

COURAGE

Even though being a good person has benefits doesn't mean it's easy. In fact, at times it can  be downright hard. Why? Because many people have such a negative attitude toward "being good." They have bought into prevalent myths such as " Nice people finish last," and "Good people are doormats." So when they meet someone who demonstrates kindness they look down on them, sometimes treating them disrespectfully.

That's where the need for courage comes in. Courage is standing up to people who treat you with disrespect. That can be difficult, especially in situations in which you are alone against many others.

But think of courage as a muscle that needs to be strengthened. Work on it a little at a time. Practice standing up to people, stating what you believe in and why it matters to you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the number of people who begin to show you respect, even if they disagree.

By the way, those people are mistaken. Somewhere along the way they missed the fact that being a good person doesn't mean you give up your sense of self-worth and self-respect. Those who do become doormats and finish last. But as long as you maintain your sense of self-worth and self-respect while doing good you actually do very well in life.

And, of course you are happier, healthier and have better self-esteem. 

A CHAIN OF KINDNESS

When you do an act of kindness, you may be starting a chain that goes all the way around the world, and maybe comes back to you. When you do that act of kindness you only see the very next link in the chain - the person to whom you did the act of kindness. Usually, you don't get to see any further than that. But most people who receive an act of kindness tend to pass it on to someone else. So, most of the time a link at a time is added to the chain. Slowly but surely that chain keeps getting longer and longer. It can go around your family, neighborhood, community, city, state, country, continent, and eventually can reach the other side of the world. Pretty cool, huh? The next time someone does an act of kindness for you, you may be another link in a chain you started!

So, the next time you have an opportunity, start a chain of kindness. Then just sit back and know that more than likely that chain will keep getting longer and longer and, you never know, you just may be the recipient of an act of kindness that happened because of you!!!!

BETTER SELF-ESTEEM

One of the benefits of being a good person is better self-esteem. Several studies have shown that people who help others on a regular basis have higher self-esteem than when they started. It makes total sense. When you help someone the feeling you get is very intense - kind of like a high. That high happens because you are doing something that is making a difference for someone else in a positive way. We all want to feel that what we are doing matters. I think that's why some people go to extremes in order to feel like they've made a difference. That drive to make a difference is so strong some people don't even care if what they do is positive. But, if they knew how powerful it can be to make a positive difference for someoone ( or many people, for that matter) they would be out there doing great things.

So, next time you're feeling like your self-esteem could use a shot in the arm, go out and do something nice for someone. You'll feel better about yourself and the world will be a better place!

It's Good 2B Good!: What's It All About?

It's Good 2B Good got started when I decided to devote my career to helping kids avoid making the same mistake I did: hiding the good part of me inside. As an educator I've met enough kids to know it's not uncommon to be swayed by peer pressure to avoid saying or doing anything that might make them seem like a "good person."

So I decided to start a program to encourage kids to be good people.

That's when I discovered tons of information showing that being a good person ( which I define simply as helping others, doing acts of kindness, etc.) not only benefits the people being helped, it benefits you as well. When you do nice things for others you become happier, healthier, have higher self-esteem, and, the best part, the world becomes a better place, which benefits you and everyone else in it. Pretty awesome, huh? I actually can't find any negatives in doing good. I tell kids they have it all wrong. They think "it's cool" to be bad. I help them see that, in reality, "it's cool" to be good.

Omarosa Buys Into the Myth

Saw this in the magazine In Touch Weekly  about 2 weeks ago. It was in a section titled :Omarosa's advice for three leading ladies: "Jen (Jennifer Aniston) is the girl next door, but nice girls finish last. They get walked on like doormats..."

New research has come out recently that proves something I have known for a while: Nice people don't finish last. Nice people actually do better than nasty people when it comes to business. Many companies have begun to recognize employees for doing random acts of kindness and have adopted new policies so that employees are encouraged to treat not only customers with kindness and respect, but colleagues and bosses as well. These companies are reporting increased sales and profits as a result.

And, of course, a happier and more positive environment in which to work.

And I saw this great article in USA Today: Harvard Study: Nice Guys Actually Finish First.

Check it out at:  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-03-19-nice-guys-harvard-study_N.htm

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to the "IT'S GOOD 2B GOOD!" blog. You will find lots of cool and interesting stuff here. I will be sharing some of my fascinating facts about doing good; I will be commenting on stories in the news about people doing good; I will be sharing tips on raising good kids at home for parents, increasing good behavior in the classroom for teachers, and inspiring employees to not only do good work, but to do good at work.

You will be informed, inspired, amazed, and excited to see and do wonderful things to make the world a better place.

Please visit often and feel free to send me comments or questions on anything that comes up in the blog. I love to talk about this stuff.

Thanks for visiting and come back soon.

Sandra