It’s Time to be Kind
Ditto Bowo | Unsplash
By Kristen A. Schmitt
One small act of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s day. Opening a door for someone. Sending a note to a friend or family member. Leaving quarters next to the washing machine at the local laundromat for someone else to use. Writing a message of hope with chalk on the sidewalk for someone who may need it to brighten their day.
Small gestures like the ones suggested above add up, providing a sense of connectivity with others that can help to ease loneliness and isolation and, even, improve your daily way of life. Why? Because doing things for others has been proven to help increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, boost your mood and decrease your stress level, according to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, a study published in 2019 found that being kind to ourselves and others or even simply actively observing kindness boosted our overall happiness.
“We all seek a path to happiness,” says Dr. Waguih William IsHak, a professor of psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai. “Practicing kindness toward others is one we know works.”
Scientists have long studied how kindness affects us, linking it to the hormone oxytocin (also known as “the love hormone”) because of the role it plays in how we form social bonds and learn to trust others. Other studies connect completing random acts of kindness to a dopamine release, which is a “feel-good brain chemical” also known as a “helper’s high,” according to Cedars-Sinai.
And the more you do, the better.
“The trick you need to know: Acts of kindness have to be repeated,” said IsHak. “Biochemically, you can’t live on the 3-to-4-minute oxytocin boost that comes from a single act.”
And the act of kindness should begin with yourself, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Practice gratitude and reel in any negative self-talk. Bring the same level of compassion and courtesy you have for others for yourself. (For ideas on starting a gratitude journal, check out this post.)
Multiple acts of kindness are a way to spread compassion and thoughtfulness whenever you can. Why not give it a try? It’s free, positive and results in happiness – in yourself and in others.
Random Acts of Kindness Week is Feb. 12 to 19
Need a few ideas on how to get started? While Feb. 12 to 19 is officially Random Acts of Kindness Week – and Feb. 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day – you don’t have to wait until then. You can start right away with help from these resources:
Random Acts of Kindness is a non-profit organization dedicated to kindness education. Check out their website for 50 ideas of random acts of kindness, lesson plans, positive quotes and more.
The Mayo Clinic has put together the Kickstart Kindness month-long program that helps you extend kindness to the various parts of your life, including co-workers, your community, the environment, your home and family and more.
Kindness should extend to your workplace. Not only can it help motivate employees, but it can also foster a better sense of belonging, according to the Harvard Business Review.
“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” — Amelia Earhart