Kindness starts with you
What is ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ Day?
It’s an international celebration day to carry out simple acts of kindness for others. To go out and be the light we want to see in the world. It’s part of ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ Week that lasts from 13-19 February.
I explain below that as well as helping someone else, being kind has four benefits to you! Everyone benefits from kindness. And being kind to yourself is something that many of us need help and support with.
Helping someone with kindness
Sometimes we can make the biggest impact through the smallest things we do. We can carry out acts of kindness…
· Through our words – appreciate someone for what they do or how they do it, compliment them on something
· Through our thoughts – be generous in how you view others, be positive and understanding towards them
· Through our actions – give someone some time and listen to them, give a small gift, help someone in need, donate to a cause you care about.
Any of these can help to make a real difference and brighten someone’s day. And it will brighten yours too!
Being kind helps you!
This is because there are four benefits to you when you’re to being kind to others…
1. You express your humanity. Being kind to others is a powerful part of our own humanity. Psychological studies have shown how we have the ability to be kind, from an early age as small children. It makes us feel better about ourselves and gives us a focus beyond our own self-interests.
2. You have more awareness and appreciation. When we help someone in need, it doesn't only help that person. It can also remind us that life can be fragile - and so can the systems that are meant to support us. So we can be more understanding of others and their needs. And also feel more grateful for what we have ourselves.
3. You help create a positive culture and community. Modern life and systems can often encourage isolation or a cynical, self-centred or critical view of our world. But this wasn’t how we were created and doesn’t make us truly happy or fulfilled. Humans are sociable by our nature. We are meant to live in community with others, sharing and cooperating with each other. Kindness helps us attach positively and keeps our social groups working well.
4. Helping others helps your own health and wellbeing! Studies have shown that being kind to others helps you on all levels. It can release hormones in you, which you benefit from…
a. physically (raises energy levels, lowers blood pressure and even lowers pain)
b. mentally (lowers anxiety and stress)
c. emotionally (feeling more optimistic, happier and calmer)
Benefits like these have clearly been shown in studies of volunteers.
So these four benefits show that when you give, you also receive!
So start your kindness this week!
Get out there and brighten someone’s day
- through your thoughts, your words and your actions.
It will benefit you too and change the world around you!
Random Acts of Kindness Day was started in 1995 by a small charity, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and from there it’s just grown. Find out more here. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
Part of a new blog series: Being kind to yourself. As well as being kind to others (and benefiting in the process) there’s a range of other ways that you can be more kind to yourself. Over the coming weeks I’ll outline tips of how you can start to make these changes in your thoughts and actions.
To find out more about 'What Life Coaching is' - click on that page of the website above or on the link here: