A Secret to Happiness

Check out this video:

I happened upon this video this morning while scrolling through social media. How wonderful! Most people probably think that working on the ground crew for an airline company would be mind-numbing, repetitive and irritating. And that doesn’t even take into account having to work with customers who are quite often tired, late, annoyed or all three in one. Most airline employees, although polite, are not what I would call happy. This gentleman has chosen to look at his job as a way to make other people happy – it’s not about making himself happy. That is the difference!

Last Sunday, the pastor spoke about Acts 9, the conversion of Saul. At the end of the sermon, he got to verses 26-30 where it talks about Saul going to Jerusalem and trying to join the disciples there. The disciples, however, were afraid of Saul, not sure that his conversion was genuine. Barnabas was the first one to accept him and let him join in the group. The name Barnabas actually means, “encourager.” The pastor challenged everyone to be a Barnabas to those around them.

When I watched the video about the dancing airport employee, I realized that this is what a modern-day Barnabas looks like. Being a Barnabas means being less concerned about your own circumstances and focused on helping others, even if it is just to make them smile.

Studies show that helping others, even in small ways, can actually affect our own happiness. When we help others, hormones in the brain are triggered that give us sensations of pleasure. Three specific hormones: dopamine (“the happiness chemical”), endorphins (pain blocking chemicals) and oxytocin (“the peaceful hormone”) all increase, making us feel great just by helping others.

Let me encourage you to be like this airport employee today. No, you don’t have to dance, but try to focus on the needs of others more than your own needs. Who knows … maybe you will find yourself dancing!

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