World Kindness Day
Former US Senator Bob Kerrey (D, Nebraska) once said that, “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change” and many people would agree with him. So many people in fact, that every November 13th since 1998 it has been commemorated as World Kindness Day. Not only can the simple act of being kind to someone else help make the world a slightly better place, but it can also make you a healthier person! In fact, being kind can:
Make you feel better, both physically and mentally! Dopamine, serotonin and other neurotransmitters and endorphins are your brain’s natural chemicals that help make us ‘feel good’. Even just witnessing acts of kindness can help your body produce oxytocin, which can also help lower your blood pressure.
Be contagious. Apart from your body producing oxytocin by just witnessing an act of kindness, you are more inclined to participate in acts of kindness yourself as you go about your day. That act of kindness would then have more people witnessing that act, feeling the effects and then they themselves are more likely to participate in an act of kindness and the cycle continues!
Help you live longer! According to the author of Raising Happiness; In Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents, Christine Carter, people over the age of 55 have a 44% lower chance of early death if they volunteer to help others. This health benefit is actually better than exercising 4 times a week!
Now that you know the benefits of kindness in your daily life, it’s time to go out there and “pay it forward!” Not sure how to go about being kind today? Try these 7 helpful tips from RandomActsofKindness.org to get you started:
Send a text. Reach out to a friend, family member, classmate or coworker with an uplifting text. Let them know how much they mean to you and that you’re thinking of them!
Avoid the road rage. Everyone gets a little frustrated when stuck in traffic on your daily commutes, but that’s no reason to not be kind on the road. Let that car merge ahead of you, give that tailgater a wave and a smile or have a laugh with the members of your carpool.
Make it a point to bring kindness, joy or laughter to your day. Share a funny video with coworkers, chat with friends about your favorite tv show from the night before, or anything else that puts a smile on yours and someone else’s face.
Get a little uncomfortable. Do you have a friend who really loves a band you’re not a big fan of? Maybe they’re fans of your team’s biggest rival? Whatever it is, surprise them with tickets and go with them. Showing someone that you’re willing to go out of your comfort zone to make them happy will make everyone happy in the end.
Reconnect. Similar to sending a text, reaching out to friends or family members you haven’t spoken with in a while can make a big impact on their day. See how your cousin you haven’t seen since last Christmas has been or send grandma a text saying you miss them very much. Even the simplest of texts can make a difference.
Compliments, compliments, compliments! Share random, thoughtful compliments throughout the day with others. Whether that’s coworkers, strangers or the barista handing you your coffee. Everyone can use a compliment to help brighten up their day!
Pay it forward! Speaking of your barista, try paying for the customer behind you in line for your morning coffee run! You never know when a simple cup of coffee can make someone’s whole day simply by being kind.
