World Kindness Day was formed 23 years ago in 1998. It is now celebrated on November 13th every year to promote kindness throughout the world. It is a day to come together to create and live in a kinder world.
Opportunities All Around Us
Whether it’s World Kindness Day or any other day, always look for opportunities to be kind, they are all around you.
Be aware and scan your environment, looking for the ways to help someone or perform a kind act. The big thing is to be willing to help.
For example, if you see a person struggling to grab something from the top shelf of the grocery store, walk over and offer to help.
Kindness Health Benefits
You receive a tremendous feeling inside your body when you do something kind. There is a reason for this feeling; kindness has an enormous amount of health benefits which make us feel good.
Serotonin – Performing acts of kindness boosts serotonin, a hormone which increases feelings of satisfaction, happiness and well-being.
Endorphins – Get the “Helpers High” which is similar to what long distance runners experience when endorphins are released called the “Runners High”
Oxytocin – Kindness releases the hormone Oxytocin which has a calming effect and can have a positive effect on your mental well-being.
Ripple Effect
The beautiful thing about kindness is it’s a win, win, win for everybody. Not only does the giver and receiver of the kind act receive positive health benefits but anyone observing the kind act can receive the positive effects as well.
Your one kind act can have a ripple effect. Amelia Earhart said it best “No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”
This is the reason why you may have heard stories of people in the drive thru keeping paying it forward when they receive a free coffee.
Kindness Ideas
- Coffee Shop – When you are in line at a coffee shop, pay for the person behind you.
- Restaurant – Buy someone’s dessert at another table or leave a big tip to your server.
- Online – Leave a nice message on someone’s Facebook page or leave a positive review online for a business.
- Compliment – Give someone a genuine compliment whether it’s a complete stranger, friend or family member.
- Donation – Leave an anonymous donation to someone you know that could use the money.
- Parking – Put money in a parking meter that has expired or give up your parking space to someone in a crowded parking lot.
- Hold Door Open – Hold the door open for someone when you are at a store.
- Garbage Pick Up – When you see some litter on the ground, pick it up and put in the garbage.
- Grocery Store – Give up your place in line so someone can go ahead of you, pay for someone’s groceries or donate some groceries to a charity.
- Bus Transportation – Give up your seat on public transportation or leave a clear plastic bag taped to the bus stop with hand warmers, bus ticket and coffee gift card in it.
- Driving – Let someone go ahead of you in traffic and always express compassion instead of anger or frustration when driving.
- Smile – Smile at a stranger. A genuine, warm smile can go a long way and can make someone’s day. The great thing is it’s FREE as well.
For more kindness ideas, click here.