World Kindness Day

November 13 is World Kindness Day, which is there to promote the importance of kindness for yourself, for others and ultimately our society as a whole.  

If you think back to the last time you helped someone who was struggling or performed even a small act of kindness, you’ll likely remember that “warm glow” and sense of satisfaction it gave you. But kindness is a win-win situation because that good feeling spreads both ways - giving and receiving kindness both feels very rewarding.  

Through acts of kindness, we connect to people. Kindness moves us, it’s uplifting and we remember it when we receive it. Kindness is contagious: Seeing others perform acts of kindness or altruism can be emotionally moving and motivates us to do so ourselves.   

A study that analyzed results of more than a thousand brain scans of people who performed kind actions discovered that they benefitted regardless if their actions were altruistic or strategically motivated (out of self-interest). The positive feelings show up in our brain’s reward system. Altruistic actions cause stronger effects. (1)  

What can Increase and/or Decrease by Kindness? 

Kindness doesn’t only feel good, it has a lot of positive effects on our mind and body. 

Kindness increases and promotes: 

☐ Oxytocin, the “love hormone”. 

☐ Overall health and wellbeing. (2)  

☐ Self-esteem and optimism.  

☐ A feeling of connectedness and belonging.  

☐ Life satisfaction.  

☐ Happiness through acts of generosity.  

☐ Longevity. (3)  

It is also stimulates the pleasure and reward areas in the brain and increases the mood regulator hormone serotonin (“happy hormone”) (4)    

Not only increasing, kindness also decreases or lowers these: 

☐ Pain as it releases endorphins (natural pain killer).  

☐ Anxiety, fear, and stress. (5)  

☐ Depression. (6)  

☐ Blood pressure. (7)  

Kindness also reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23% for people who perpetually perform acts of kindness. (8)   

How to find ways to be kind? 

It can be as simple as saying positive things to or about people we interact with during our day or just to find ways to be of service to them. You can try to really listen to someone who seems to struggle. Being kind to strangers is another great way of practicing kindness. Even just a simple smile can have a positive effect on you and the receiver. More time consuming but very rewarding actions would be volunteering or charity work or alternatively donations to charity.  

Examples of how you can practice kindness: 

☐ Give someone an unexpected compliment on who they are as a person.

☐ Smile at somebody on the street.

☐ Make someone a cup of coffee or tea.

☐ Mail someone a card (randomly).

☐ Leave someone a supportive note on their desk.

☐ Help a neighbor.

☐ Reach out to loved ones by letting them know you’re thinking about them.

☐ Make time to volunteer.

Kindness is something that is so simple yet has tons of benefits, either for ourselves and also people around us. Let’s remember to always be kind to create a peaceful environment for us to live in.

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