An act of kindness, whether big or small, has a ripple effect that produces a wide spreading wave of positivity and happiness. A smile from a stranger, the compliment from a work colleague, or your neighbour taking in a parcel on your behalf are small yet impactful gestures of kindness that can lift your mood and change your day. Research surrounding kindness also suggests that being kind to others physically and mentally improves our own wellbeing. To name but a few examples, the act of kindness can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels and boost serotonin levels.
With the world celebrating World Kindness Day on 13th November, it presents an opportunity for us all to reflect on the benefits giving and receiving kindness has on our wellbeing, particularly following the significant emotional impactsCOVID-19 has had across the UK.
How Kindness Affects Us
The Cambridge Dictionary describes kindness as the ‘quality of being generous, helpful, and caring about other people, or an act showing this quality.’ This description illudes to kindness being a shared experience, a two-way benefit that is very often the building block of every community, family and friendship.
There is more to being kind than meets the eye, it’s actually a very complicated physiological and mental act that can have a fantastic effect on our mental health. When we experience kindness, whether that’s giving or receiving, our brain produces the chemicals dopamine and oxytocin, and these chemicals can uplift our moods and in turn reduce anxiety and feelings of depression. Other chemicals that are released when we experience kindness are endorphins which help in minimising pain and stress. This concoction of “feel-good” chemicals aids in our overall wellbeing and breeds the warm feeling we often experience during an act of kindness. As a direct result of these positive emotions and feelings, we feel more connected and less isolated from those showing us kindness.
What is World Kindness Day?
World Kindness Day has been celebrated on 13th November since 1998 and aims to promote feelings and acts of kindness across the globe. The purpose of World Kindness Day is “to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us.” Since its creation more than two decades ago, the day has achieved global attention, attracting participants from every inhabited continent. These have included activities such as concerts, dance mobs and the distribution of “kindness cards.” Although the day provides kindness with the platform it deserves, the movement is a reminder to us all that simple acts of kindness have power and that together, we can all work to create a kinder world, every day of the year.
There is a plethora of information on how to get involved in initiatives to support the day, with resources and ideas for individuals, workforces and schools. The Random Act of Kindness Foundation also focuses on a campaign called “Make Kindness the Norm” which includes seven tangible ways to make kindness part of everyday life – so why not take part and try these out for yourself this World Kindness Day?
Showing Kindness to Yourself
Self-care is an important part of being kind to yourself. Creating a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimise frustration and anger, increase happiness and improve energy levels. Self-care routines and practices may differ from person-to-person, but the International Self-Care Foundation has developed a framework for self-care around seven pillars, these include: ‘Knowledge & Health Literacy’, ‘Mental Wellbeing’, ‘Physical Activity’, Healthy Eating’, Risk Avoidance’, ‘Good Hygiene’ and ‘Rational Use of Products & Services’, which encompasses our overall needs.
To get into the habit of incorporating all seven of these pillars into your daily life may be challenging at first, so here are some self-care tips to get you started on our wellbeing journey this World Kindness Day:
- Talk kindly to yourself: How do you speak to the people you love and care about? Can you turn that voice on yourself?
- Practice gratitude: What three things are you grateful for each day? Write them out or tell them to someone important to you.
- Perform acts of kindness: Walk with an elderly neighbour. Leave a thank you note for a colleague. Let a stranger go in front of you in a queue. What can you do to brighten someone’s day?
- Eat a balanced diet: Eat more of the foods that are healthy for you physically and mentally. Consider making manageable changes to your diet to support your overall health.
- Invest in your interests: Do things that align with your interests and passions. Like running? Make sure you fit that into your week. Creative? Make time for a creative outlet. Don’t let the non-important activities push what’s important to you.
- Practice mindfulness: Stop and think about what you’re doing in the moment. You can mindfully do almost anything – eat a meal, brush your teeth, or choosing to go for a walk mindfully.
- Spend time in or around nature: Being around elements of the natural world can be calming and improve your sense of wellbeing. Go cold water swimming, take a long hike, visit a beach, or walk places rather than use a mode of transport.
Hopefully these self-care tips will inspire and help you to be kind to yourself as well as those around you this World Kindness Day. To find out more about us, the types of training we provide, or book a course through one of ourlicensed instructors, visit our website and help to ensure kindness is the norm.
