Good People Always Think With Their Hearts

Written and verified by the psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Last update: 03 December, 2021

Bad things happen to good people. Because fate is arbitrary, the world is blind, and selfishness abounds. However, good people never renounce their roots despite their disappointments. In fact, those who think with their hearts don’t even understand contempt or coldness.

You undoubtedly know some people like this. Furthermore, every time you witness an act of goodness, selfless altruism, or heroism, you probably feel inspired or even more connected with your own world. Such an act of goodness happened in the unfortunate terrorist attack that occurred in the heart of London on March 22, 2017.

Tobias Ellwood, a parliamentary undersecretary in the Foreign Office, didn’t hesitate in leaving Westminster Parliament to assist, despite recommendations not to do so. He simply wanted to help. In fact, for several minutes he did his best to save the life of an injured policeman. He covered the wound and practiced CPR until a helicopter arrived. Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain. However, his gestures of helplessness and despair at not being able to save the policeman’s life were later broadcast all over the world.

We can all empathize with his pain. The following day, representatives from the entire political spectrum praised his ability in reacting. Indeed, he possessed a determination that went far beyond fear, alarm, or indecision. Above all, he wanted to help. Furthermore, in doing so, he prioritized others over himself.

Is it better to feel good or do good?

This question might sound rather strange. What’s better?  Investing in your own well-being or prioritizing the well-being of others? Maybe you think there’s a simple answer. That something as simple as doing good makes you feel good. However, certain experts don’t necessarily agree. In fact, this very idea has puzzled human behaviorists for several years.

What the research claims

Researchers from UCLA (University of California) conducted an interesting study. They concluded that there are two types of vital purposes in humans and that each of them has biological implications.

• The first category includes people who are characterized by aspiring towards hedonic well-being. In other words, a type of happiness that exclusively originates from self-gratification, in the vital search for one’s own well-being.
• The second kinds of people are those who exhibit ‘eudaimonic well-being’. This signifies another type of much deeper and higher purpose. In fact, these people try to develop and grow in order to give the best of themselves to others.

Conclusions

The study found that people with clear eudaimonic dispositions had stronger immune systems. In fact, they discovered that these people developed less inflammation and had a higher number of antibodies. This is synonymous with stronger immune systems.

At the psychological level, it was shown that these people possessed strong convictions. It didn’t matter how many times life had hit them, the disappointments they experienced, or the losses they suffered. They kept thinking with their hearts, kept prioritizing others, and continued to trust in the human being’s own goodness.

Meanwhile, hedonic individuals were shown to possess fewer antibodies, a weaker immune system, and erratic characteristics. In fact, they tended to be fickle and changeable.

Thinking and acting with your heart is worth it

It’s quite possible that you’ve gone through a time in your life when your goals were purely hedonic. However, far from seeing it as a clear reflection of an act of selfishness, you must understand it as just one more stage in your personal growth. In fact, sometimes we’re all simple explorers. We want to experiment, let ourselves be embraced by life, inhale it, gratify ourselves, and consume it in large bites.

However, little by little you ascend the pyramid of your needs until you understand that you comprise an interconnected whole. A wonderful and complex interrelated network where your actions have an effect on others. Doing good and acting with your heart means bringing harmony to chaos. In fact, it can be a beacon in the midst of darkness or disaster. Just like the parliamentarian, Tobias Ellwood trying to save the life of Keith Palmer, the policeman who was stabbed by the terrorist.

Believe it or not, being a good person doesn’t ask that you be a hero. Nor does it demand that you get involved in taking risky actions for others or try and win over the whole of humanity. Good people are discreet but luminous, silent but happy, and humble but immense, just like their own hearts.

Try and sow goodness and respect in your daily actions and set your sights on the smallest of things. In this way, when the opportunity to make big changes comes, these small daily actions will help you. In fact, it’s in this kind of daily work where eudaimonic well-being rises above simple hedonism, where you can be a source of inspiration that affects the world.

Images courtesy of Jiwoon Pak