
- Are you being kind to others?
- Are you uplifting others?
- Are you helping others?
- Are you giving more than you are receiving?
- Are you being kind, compassionate, and just giving to others, without expecting anything in return?
Just be Kind!
We all know that we should be kinder, more loving and more compassionate towards others, even if it is not returned… but how many of us do so? How many of us only give in order to receive? …
Are you aware that practising kindness and compassion towards others has been proven to make you more healthy, less stressed & more happier?…
I provide some scientific evidence of the proven benefits of kindness and compassion and believe me, it really does go way beyond just making you feel better…
What is Kindness?
We should all know what kindness is and what it means, although just in case; here it goes, the dictionary definition of kindness is defined as a type of behaviour marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward1.
Kindness is chemical
Scientific evidence has proven that kindness physically changes your brain, it impacts the heart and boosts the immune system, and is an antidote to depression.2
Most research on the science behind why kindness makes us feel better has centred around the chemical oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain.3
Sometimes called “the love hormone,” oxytocin plays a role in forming social bonds and trusting other people. It’s the hormone mothers produce when they breastfeed, cementing their bond with their babies.
Kindness lowers blood pressure
Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure and, therefore, oxytocin is known as a “cardioprotective” hormone.4
Kindness reduced inflammation
Oxytocin, as mentioned is our brain’s feel-good5 hormone, it has been found to reduce inflammation6. Inflammation is linked to all kinds of diseases in the body, including diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, and migraines.
Being kind is good for your heart.
Oxytocin expands blood vessels, which reduces blood pressure7. This makes it good for you and encourages a healthy heart ( besides dieting, exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle…)
Kindness makes you less stressed & you live longer
Kind people have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) in them and therefore age slower than the average population8
Less anxiety
Kindness has been proven to lower anxiety. A new study9 suggests that performing acts of kindness might help lessen social anxiety. A group of highly anxious individuals performed at least six acts of kindness a week and it was found after one month, that there was a significant increase in positive moods, relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance in socially anxious individuals.
Less depression
Being kind is equally related to being less depressed, according to research and findings conducted by Western Reserve University School of Medicine. When we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly improved. Mortality is delayed, depression is reduced and well-being and good fortune are increased.10
Kindness is contagious
A series of studies in neuroscience11 at Stanford University, headed by Prof Jamil Zaki, have found that kindness is actually ‘contagious’ and that if you see an act of kindness or generosity, you are likely to spread it. One good deed will in turn inspire another, and in turn uplift and inspire others and so one…
Increased happiness
A Harvard Business School study12 involving 136 countries found that societies which were the most charitable and financially generous had the happiest people.
More energy
In one study, 50% of the participants reported that they felt stronger and more energetic after helping others; many also reported feeling calmer and less depressed, with increased feelings of self-worth”13
Giving more will make you happier.
A study conducted by Elizabeth Dunn at the University of British Columbia recently caught my attention ( conducted in 2020) they found that spending money on other people may have a more positive impact on happiness than spending money on oneself14
Be kind. Without expecting praise or a reward
I know that sometimes it is not easy to be kind and more compassionate to others, especially when it is not returned.
I invite you to take this opportunity to be kind & give more, and to think of the intention behind your kindness and compassion, I realise and acknowledge that it can be very hard sometimes to be kind to others; especially to those that are not kind to us, but do it anyway! AND do not expect anything in reward for being kind, by paying it forward it will ‘come’ back to you in other ways.
Partake in this activity & challenge below and see how you feel after 7 days.
Challenge & activity: Random Acts of Kindness
Over the next seven days, perform seven acts of kindness beyond what you normally do. You can do one extra act of kindness per day, or you can do a few acts of kindness in a single day.
These do not have to be over-the-top,, or time-intensive acts preferably they should not cost you too much or anything at all, but they should be something that really helps or impacts another person. For example, help your colleague with something, give a donation of money to a cause you believe in, say something kind to a stranger, write a thank you note, or send a random gift to someone to brighten their day if you know they are going through a rough time, donate to a new charity, donate blood…. and so on. The trick is the person who receives this kindness must not know it is you; or who it is from.
At the end of each day, list your random act of kindness in your journal. Notice how you felt at the end of each day, and journal your feelings and how you felt giving their random acts of kindness.
You can post an image of your journal/image of what you did, with no details whatsoever on the details of who received it and without giving yourself away! As this will spoil the fun and the intention, I want to encourage you to be more kind and allow others to be as well. You can tag EverJOURNEY on social media and use the hashtag #RandomActsofKindnesseverjourney
Some videos I encourage you to watch :
Watch: Elizabeth Dunn: Happiness and Money click here
Further reading: Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending Book by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton
Watch: How to Be Happy Every Day: It Will Change the World | Jacqueline Way, Founder of www.365give.ca TEDxStanleyPark Click here
Wishing you love, happiness, kindness and compassion in your life.
All my love
Tam
References:
- Definition of kindness Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindness
- Cedars Sinai, the Science of Kindness Article 13th Feb 2019 link: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/science-of-kindness.html
- Live Science. Oxytocin: Facts About the cuddle hormone, article link: https://www.livescience.com/42198-what-is-oxytocin.html
- Dartmouth Education Emotional wellness link to article: https://www.dartmouth.edu/wellness/emotional/rakhealthfacts.pdf
- ‘Love hormone’ is two-faced: Oxytocin strengthens bad memories and can increase fear and anxiety 22 July 2013 North-western University link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130722123206.htm
- Oxytocin is a principal hormone that exerts part of its effects by active fragments
- Author links open overlay panel, Kerstin Uvnäs Moberga, Linda Handlin, KathleenKendall-Tackett, Maria Petersson link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987719306784#:~:text=Oxytocin%2C%20however%2C%20also%20exerts%20powerful,23%5D%2C%20%5B53%5D.Petersson M. Cardiovascular effects of oxytocin. Prog Brain Res. 2002;139:281-8. doi: 10.1016/s0079-6123(02)39024-1. PMID: 12436943.
- McCraty R, Barrios-Choplin B, Rozman D, Atkinson M, Watkins AD. The impact of a new emotional self-management program on stress, emotions, heart rate variability, DHEA and cortisol. Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1998 Apr-Jun;33(2):151-70. doi: 10.1007/BF02688660. PMID: 9737736.
- The University of British Columbia, Kindness may help socially anxious people relax, says new research by Dr Lynn Alden, link: https://psych.ubc.ca/news/kindness-may-help-socially-anxious-people-relax-says-new-research-by-dr-lynn-alden/
- Post, Stephen. (2005). Altruism, Happiness, and Health: It’s Good to Be Good. International journal of behavioural medicine. 12. 66-77. 10.1207/s15327558ijbm1202_4. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7840821_Altruism_Happiness_and_Health_It’s_Good_to_Be_Good
- Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory https://www.ssnl.stanford.edu/research
- Harvard business school, American Business History : A Very Short Introduction link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/default.aspx
- Dartmouth Education Emotional wellness link to article: https://www.dartmouth.edu/wellness/emotional/rakhealthfacts.pdf
- Dunn, Elizabeth & Aknin, Lara & Norton, Michael. (2008). Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness. Science (New York, N.Y.). 319. 1687-8. 10.1126/science.1150952.