Our days are filled with yin and yang, bad things happen, and so do good. On those days when you feel like the bad outweighs the good, a sudden bonus moment makes all the difference. Bonus moments can come from other people, from the universe, or even from the digital realm.
Why We Appreciate a Bonus Moment
Dopamine is that feel-good neurotransmitter in our brain that gives us that happy burst when we need it. Many things can generate a dopamine hit, and one of those is serendipitous bonus moments. The unexpected part of the reward is what boosts dopamine production. Even if you’re having the worst day imaginable, even a momentary dopamine boost from an unexpected kindness can turn it all around. There’s power in kindness and in unexpected rewards.
Serendipitous moments come from all over, and the delivery affects us in slightly different ways. As humans, we can show kindness to each other and offer little bonuses. These reinforce social bonds and allow us to feel seen. When the universe rewards us, we feel like good luck is on our side, creating optimism. Even digital offers can make us feel like we’ve got something for nothing, with no strings attached.
Let’s look next at some of the many ways we can receive and give little bonuses to each other.
A Bonus Moment from Another Person
A random act of kindness from a stranger can turn an awful day instantly into a better one. It doesn’t take much. For example, have you ever bought a coffee at a coffee shop, and when it arrived, it was the next size up? That barista may have sensed you needed a bit extra, so they kindly upgraded you, free of charge. There are so many ways people can give others bonus moments. Here are a few others:
- The person in the car in front of you paying your toll as well as theirs
- A shopkeeper rounding down instead of up
- Someone holding the elevator door open for you
- The dry cleaner fixing a button for free
- The check-in staff member giving you a free room upgrade
Remember, bonus moments work both ways. Next time you drive through a toll gate, why not pay for the car behind you? You’ll lift that person’s day.
A serendipitous moment doesn’t need to come from another person; the universe acts in mysterious ways, and often it’s positive.
A Small Gift From the Universe
The universe loves to give us little gifts, and if you take the time to look around, you’ll see them more often. Remember that time you were driving along a winding road, then turned the corner only to encounter an amazing view of the ocean or an epic sunset. That’s the universe giving you a serendipitous moment.
Some other gifts from the universe might be:
- A shooting star on a clear night
- A flutter of butterflies, the first of the season
- Fog rolling on over the mountains
- A beautifully coloured bird landing near you and not immediately leaving
- That perfect slice of pizza
- Your favourite song comes on the radio right when you need to hear it
- Every traffic light turns green as you approach it
- The perfect parking spot becomes available as you drive up
- Finding something you thought was lost in a random pocket
- Thinking of someone and then bumping into them in the street
Some days it feels like the universe is going out of its way to reward you. Be sure to be present as much as possible — you’ll be surprised by what bonus moments are waiting for you if you do.
The digital realm offers its own surprises, too.
Digital Bonuses
On average, in India, we spend around 6 hours a day in the digital universe. In all that time, bonus moments should, and often do, happen. When was the last time you checked your email only to find a message from a good friend that you’d been meaning to reach out to? The digital world also rewards us; here are some of the ways:
- A verification taking minutes instead of days
- A financial transaction that happens in seconds, not hours
- A show you’ve been waiting for drops early
- Your favourite band adds new music to your playlist without you knowing
- Discovering you have enough points to redeem for something free
- An expired promo code still works
- Just before you hit ‘checkout,’ the price drops
- An app unlocks premium features for free
- Your ride-share app is showing cheaper rates than usual
- You get bumped up in a virtual queue
These digital bonuses are random, and savvy businesses have explored this concept to offer consumers free or bonus items that feel spontaneous. Entertainment platforms have caught onto this psychology, too, offering surprise perks to keep users engaged. For example, you can find no deposit bonuses on Casinos.com, which are free offers that allow you to play without depositing any money yourself.
Next time you receive a surprise email or early TV series drop, consider that the digital world isn’t always as bad as many perceive it to be.
Random Bonus Moments Make Your Day
If you’re having a bad day, stop and take a moment to notice the small kindnesses around you. It might be something as tiny as a kind look from a stranger that triggers dopamine in your brain, and suddenly a smile appears on your face. Randomness, not size, makes bonus moments powerful. If you’re the one having a good day, why not take a moment to do something unexpected for someone else? You may just make their day, too.
