How one coffee can help improve your mental health.
Here at Pharus Wellbeing we want to share with you how random acts of kindness can help improve an individual’s mental health and provide you with you a little story of how one simple coffee positively impacted two stranger’s day. Read on…..
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic, I discovered a source of solace — a nightly reflection journal inspired by The Resilience Project. Among its thought-provoking questions was one that ignited a beautiful chain of events, showcasing the profound power of paying it forward. The question was simple yet transformative— "What’s one act of kindness you can do tomorrow?"
The Daily Ritual of a COVID Lockdown Morning Coffee Walk
The next morning, with bleary eyes and a craving for warmth, I embarked on my usual pilgrimage to the nearby café, seeking that much-needed coffee fix. Just like many cafes these days, they have a rewards card where you get the 7th coffee free. With the act of kindness question lingering from the night before, I decided to do something different.
The Ripple Begins
As I paid for my coffee and handed over my reward card for a stamp, the owner surprised me with great news—the next coffee was on the house! In that moment, I made an unexpected request, "You know what, can I give you my free coffee card, and you pass that coffee on to the next person who walks through your door?" The owner gave me a curious look but agreed, and I left, heading home to begin my work day.
The Pay-It-Forward Wave
The following morning, once again with bleary eyes and the cold in my bones, I returned to my local café for another comforting takeaway cappuccino. As I stepped in, the owner looked up and beamed, exclaiming, "It’s you! It’s you! You get a free coffee!! Since you came in yesterday, nearly everyone who came in after you has been paying it forward and giving away a free coffee, and you are next in line, so it’s yours!" To say I was surprised is an understatement! Never did I expect such a heart-warming response! Inspired by the unexpected ripple effect, I decided to continue paying it forward and left the café, ready to resume my morning walk.
A Heart-warming Thank You
A little while later, as I was lost in my daily podcast with headphones on, I heard a voice yelling from behind me. I turned around, and there was a middle-aged lady running down the road, screaming after me and waving her arms. My first thought was, "WTF is going on here?"
The lady finally reached me, slightly out of breath, and said, "I just wanted to say thank you for my free coffee. It’s made my day!" I was taken aback but replied with a smile, "Oh, no worries! I’m glad it’s made your day."
The Takeaway
This whole experience opened my eyes to something amazing—the power of a simple act of kindness. Not only did it brighten that lady’s day, but also mine! Never underestimate the impact of a small gesture; it holds the potential to light up someone’s day in ways you may never know. So, I challenge you to embrace a random act of kindness, spread those smiles, and brighten lives wherever you go. You never know when your little gesture might ignite a chain of positivity and create a lasting ripple effect of kindness!
The Research - What is Positive Psychology?
Traditionally, psychology focused towards relieving human suffering. Dr Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology and author of Flourish was able to broaden this scope and begin to look at the factors which not only relieved suffering, but enabled humans to flourish and thrive.
From his research, Dr Seligman was able to create the PERMA Theory of Wellbeing. PERMA is known as the 5 pillars to wellbeing and happiness. Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment. For me, random acts of kindness sits within my wellbeing pillar of positive emotion. When I gave away the free coffee, that gave me a big jolt of joy. I felt happy and content that I had also made someone’s day better.
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation state that kindness has been found to increase the amount of Oxytocin (the love hormone) and also increases the production of Serotonin (the happy hormone) within your body. Kindness is also known to help reduce stress, anxiety and depression. So go on….next time you want a big old hit of Oxytocin or Serotonin, why not go and do a random act of kindness for someone? It might just make your day…and theirs!
About The Author - Daniel McCullough
Daniel is the Founder of Pharus Wellbeing and is a highly respected Mental Health First Aid Trainer and an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) trainer based in Brisbane. Daniel’s journey started as a PE teacher, but his drive to make meaningful change, led him to the healthcare world. As a Health & Wellbeing Coordinator at a top Melbourne Hospital, he pioneered wellbeing programs and crafted mental health strategies to support a workforce of over 6000 staff.
Seeking sunnier skies, he made his way to Brisbane, where he took the reins of mental health training and promotion for 10,000+ members of an Australian Government Agency across the entire Southern Queensland region.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to support the mental health of someone close to you, such as a family member, friend, colleague or teammate, learn more about our mental health training courses or email Daniel at daniel@pharuswellbeing.com.au and he can book in a time to chat.
If you’re interested in learning more about positive psychology, wellbeing and happiness, check out some fantastic links and resources listed below.
PERMAH Workplace Wellbeing Survey
Wellbeing doesn’t just happen. Drawing on Professor Martin Seligman’s PERMAH wellbeing framework, this five-minute survey tool was designed to help people care for their wellbeing at work, even when they are struggling.
Flourish builds on Dr. Seligman’s game-changing work on optimism, motivation, and character to show how to get the most out of life, unveiling an electrifying new theory of what makes a good life.
