Why Kindness Matters
Kindness is defined as a behaviour marked by ethical characteristics, a warm and pleasing disposition, and a genuine concern for others. It is often considered a virtue, however, it also has an unfair association with negativity and weakness.
On the contrary, kindness requires a strength of character and a strong sense of oneself. Furthermore, practising kindness daily can have incredible benefits on your well-being and happiness. In fact, research by John Gottman found that kindness is one of the most important predictors of satisfaction and stability in a marriage.
Moreover, kind people enjoy increased energy, happiness and serotonin levels, as well as lower levels of stress, anxiety and blood pressure, according to a survey conducted by Random Act of Kindness.
As this research suggests there are many advantages to practising kindness in your daily life. Whilst it is important that daily kindness is done without the hope that you can gain something from it, it is also wonderful to remind ourselves of the power of something as simple as kindness.
Here are the 4 top benefits of being kinder every day:
1. Kindness makes you happier
There is a natural high that floods our being when we do something nice for someone else. Even something as simple as holding the door open for a colleague at work can make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. On a biochemical level this natural high is often referred to as ‘Helper’s High,’ and it is suggested that this good feeling comes from elevated levels of dopamine in the brain. Simply put, kindness make you happier.
2. Kindness is contagious
By performing an act of kindness you are not just benefitting yourself, you are also affecting the people around you. According to research from Dartmouth College people who witness an act of kindness experienced an improved mood and are more likely to be kind to others. Therefore, every time you are kind to another people you are also paying it forward and passing on the kindness to the people around you.
3. Kindness helps you age better
To be kind is often associated with a warmth of character. This is important as emotional warmth has wonderful effects on your heart and the bodies ageing. As acts of kindness and emotional warmth produce the hormone oxytocin in the brain. Research from the American Journal of Physiology suggests that this hormone reduces levels of inflammation in the cardiovascular system and in turn slows ageing in the body.
4. Kindness has long-term effects
Kindness is the gift that keeps on giving. Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that kindness has long-term effects on both happiness and kindness, finding that there is a ‘positive feedback loop,’ between the two. In other words, kindnesses increase happiness, which increases a persons’ likelihood of being kind. In turn, their acts of kindness will inspire another person, who will inspire another, and so on and so forth. A little bit of kindness goes a long way.
The benefits of kindness are manifold and in honour of World Kindness Day today, we wanted to share some with you.
I see acts of kindness being performed by Wealthy affiliate Members every day
Tell us some ways you incorporate daily kindness into your lives in the comments below.
Acknowledgement - Coaching Aademy
Recent Comments
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I am not surprised that this post came from you Rich. You have so much to share with the world and I am so glad I am your friend, my brother from a different mother.
Great post!
Frank
I will print your post and put it on my wall, as a reminder, in fact I will do it right now before I forget!
Mahalo Nui Loa my brother! Send my regards to your loving wife!
Thank you so much for this post. Kindness is integrity, character, strength, a bight light in the darkness and a smile to light the world of someone in need.
Kindness is a force that perpetuates love, hope, and peace.
Laura
Great post ... I have always lived with the ideology that "Do on others as you would be done on to you". And I think that kindness should be in everyone vocabulary, for sure this would give us a much better world then we presently live in.
We have a friend that has been diagnosed and presently fighting his life to survive cancer. He is staying with us for a little while because he doesn't want to be alone, we have a house in the country in a very quiet neighbourhood. The fact that I am presently not working because of wok shortage is great because he doesn't have to be alone. He is able to get rest while having someone close by in case he needs assistance.
I think that if everyone would take a minute to be kind to someone our world would be a much better world. ... cheers ... thank you for your great post ... Michel
thanks kindly for blogging on this today -- it's all about one's integrity and sense of compassion for all living beings as well ... enjoy a beautiful day full of kindness & gentleness! .. 😊
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I just read your post on kindness and thought that is awesome.I am a great judge of character just by looking at someone in most cases.I read you, as sincere,and as i was checking out your profile i found your post on kindness.I knew i was right about you. "ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO SPREAD A LOT OF LOVE AND KINDNESS AROUND."
Thank you,
Rich
You are too kind with your comments. I think I have my mother to thank for teaching me to be kind to people, whether friend,family or strangers. I have passed it on to my children.
The upbringing is a great influence in molding great people for sure.Great people also come out of difficult situations.I have been on both sides of the coin,that's why I hope to be an inspiration to all I can be.
Thanks for becoming a friend,
Mark P.