Any of you that know me will be startled by my headline as I am passionate about getting people to give up the evil weed.
The thing is there is something much better that you can do than give up anything this Lent – which has the added benefit of being great for your health.
Well at least that is according to research carried out in Michigan.
I am talking about kind deeds. Intentional activities, such as being kind to others, are important drivers of psychological wellbeing.
Research from the Institute of Social Research at the University of Michigan recently uncovered just how powerful good deeds could be. In a study of hundreds of elderly couples, researchers found that mortality was greatly reduced in individuals who reported giving help or emotional support to others, compared with those who did not.
The link between getting shopping for an elderly neighbour and reduced mortality are not immediately obvious. But there is strong scientific evidence for a beneficial effect of positive emotions, induced by doing things for others and thinking the best of people, on physical health and survival.
For instance, research subjects in a positive mood show much more rapid cardiovascular recovery from stress than those with negative mood. Healthy patterns (a peak in the morning and a twentyfold reduction by bedtime) in secretion of the stress hormone cortisol are associated with high scores on measures of wellbeing and the more positive the emotional style, the lower the risk of developing a cold.
So the message for Lent is, do as you would be done by. Being kind to others might actually make the greatest difference to your long-term health.
And you are spared giving up anything this lent – except maybe that seat on the bus.
Here in the UK the Oxford diocese is to commence a text service from February 19th. You will be be able to send a text to it’s Lent hotline (text 64343) and get back a suggestion for a good deed, such as giving your place in a queue to someone else.
There is another reason to not give up smoking, or indeed booze or chocolate for Lent – and I will address that one in my next post.
About Keith Watson
Hi - I am Keith Watson.
This blog is dedicated to Banger - a teacher from my teenage years who - at least once a week - insisted upon cracking the hilarious - and I have to say - never heard before line "What's on Watson?".
I would smile demurely - the rest of the class would fall about with sides aching - and life would go on for another week.
'Wats-on My Mind' I have decided will assist me personally as well as be of interest to others (I hope) who share my challenges. It will help keep me organised and document my activities so that I know what I did yesterday.
You think I am joking!!
I have been in the website development game since 1993 and have been involved with over 2000 website builds (with the help of my fantastic team of freelance programmers)
It was only in the last two years though that I have moved over to making money for myself on line and in particular linking up with an amazing talent called Adam Eason to produce and distribute self help and hypnotherapy products.
As a result of looking to promote these products I have downloaded hundreds of internet marketing articles and e-books, studied countless reports, tested list building tactics, butterflied, boot-camped, buzzed, adsensed, affiliated, met a jerk, jv'ed, plr given-awayed, and generally suffered from information overload.
My computer - presumably in a fit of pique or simply demanding a holiday has given up the ghost on at least two occassions - causing me even more stress.
Oh this simple business of making money online.
BUT the great news is that it is all working and our list has grown - I have found some gurus I have complete faith in - and Adam and I are actually making money from our endeavours.
Some way to go but I am more relaxed and can spot a phoney over hyped, sexed up, must have latest product which you must either buy or if not, simply fade into oblivion. There’s not room on this Internet for the two of us.
This ramble of an introduction is really to set the scene for I am sure an interesting journey which I invite you to join. In fact I want you to help me find the right tools, scripts, plugins etc. etc, that will catapult me into the stratosphere of success. I hope you will be there with me.
I don't just consider success in a monetary sense. I so want to help some friends of mine who are involved in Christian missionary work in some pretty harrowing parts of this world. If I can bring any help to their missions that will give me more satisfaction than anything else.
I really, really do love this web stuff and the people you meet. I am convinced that this powerful technology can be harnessed to do some good.
