Last update: Augusts 21, 2016
Good people are always a little naive. Their looks are magical and their smiles honest, but their hearts, at times, hides secret defeats. Hidden wounds for having waited too long for someone who has not returned and tears shed by those who have made fun of their noble, immense and naive soul.
An interesting study, conducted by Stanford University (United States), has shown that goodness is perceived as a wonderful and exceptional way to connect with others. Well, despite being a socially appreciated feature, there are those who see in this character people who can easily be manipulated in their favor.
A curious fact to keep in mind is that those who always act from the heart, without looking at their own personal gain, do not change over time. It is not easy to eradicate this essence, because even if disrespect, disillusionment and small betrayals hurt, no one can escape from his identity.
Good people are, first of all, authentic, and being authentic means being yourself, always being guided by sincerity. There is no room for fictions, for lies and for selfishness.
Good people and compassion
If until recently, when speaking of good people, concepts such as empathy, reciprocity, altruism and respect were used, Stanford University of Psychology indicates that it is necessary to include a further dimension to those that intoxicate every part, every nuance and every beat of these noble souls: compassion.
This psychological construct connects directly with the most intimate part of our emotions, to the point of involving many parts of that social brain where the continuous interest and concern for others resides. Compassion is, therefore, an emotional response to the suffering of others and often a genuine desire to help others.
If good people sometimes show a subtle sheen of naivety, this does not mean that this is due to naivety or not knowing how to understand the risk of giving everything and receiving nothing. Compassionate instinct is inherent in many people, a form of intrinsic motivation that seeks neither rewards nor benefits.
This naivety is, therefore, genetic, a wonderful feature that the scholars of the "Max Planck" Institute they say they belong to children and to many animals. When a young child, for example, sees another crying, his heart rate increases and his pupils dilate. When the baby stops crying, the other calms down too.
We could say that we all come into the world with this natural instinct for compassion. Our brain puts in place a sophisticated reward mechanism when the suffering of others disappears, because with this the survival of the species is guaranteed.
Well, as we grow up and due to the influence of certain contexts, this natural compassion disappears or fades. To the point that, at times, those who see compassionate acts practiced, far from appreciating them, make fun of them or despise them.
Never regret being a good person
Life will not treat you better just because you are a good person, because you act in accord with your heart or with a compassionate instinct. Sometimes those who sow goodness do not reap respect, and this you will learn with the bad guys: but you will never have to lose your dignity or your essence.
Just as neuroscientist Jordan Grafman, from the National Institutes of Health, tells us, acting with compassion and selflessness brings exceptional benefits, to such an extent that the brain codes these actions as gratifying, rewarding us with a good dose of endorphins.
Positive psychology has always valued goodness, respect and compassion as methods of investing in psychological well-being and opportunities to create happier and, of course, more respectful environments.
A good person must be aware that, in order to continue to be a beautiful and strong tree, it must nourish its roots every day and, to do this, it is necessary to practice these simple actions:
- Follow your intuition, your personality is likely to be enriched by that touch of wonderful naivety with which you can always see people's strengths and not their defects. Allow your past experiences to alert you, listen to your instincts, so that a "no" said in time is the best wall to protect your self-esteem.
- Do not allow disillusionment to extinguish the light of your heart, to embitter your soul spontaneous, your being authentic. Failure is an experience to be accepted and then let go. Continue to be courageous every day of your life, because courage is nothing but attachment to our noble roots that continue to grow, without fear, without doubt.
