World Kindness Week is November 7-13
For November I want to highlight the importance of kindness. There are few things that our world needs more of these days. I received a random act of kindness recently – more than one in fact. One was a beautiful vase of flowers, totally unexpected. The other was simply kind words from a stranger on a day I was feeling low.
I have since tried to pay it forward by giving flowers to someone, and I’m challenging myself to offer ‘random acts of kindness’ on a regular basis.
kind·ness
- the quality of being friendly, generous, caring, and considerate
- an act of assistance
- sympathetic concern for the well-being of others
synonyms:
goodwill · warmth · gentleness · tenderness · concern · care ·consideration · helpfulness
thoughtfulness · compassion · understanding · friendliness · patience · tolerance
Small Acts of Kindness Make a Difference
35 Little Acts of Kindness (oprah.com)
35 Small Acts of Kindness to Brighten Someone’s Day | Reader’s Digest (rd.com)
How Kindness Impact the Brain
Kindness has a very concrete space in the brain. It shares the same neural networks as empathy.
Effects of Kindness on the Brain – Exploring your mind
Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up.
The art of kindness – Mayo Clinic Health System
The simple human act of kindness has numerous health benefits. It can help you experience fewer aches and pain and lower your blood pressure. It can protect your overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. It’s free, widely available and has no side effects.
The Science Behind Kindness and How It Benefits Your Health | University Hospitals (uhhospitals.org)
Kindness in Relationships
Kindness is the key to making relationships last
- Turn towards your partner
- Respond with kindness
- Be giving
- Appreciate your partner’s intentions
- See the good and celebrate
Kindness in Relationships: Kindness is the key to making any relationship last | SeeKindness.org
Dr. Jessica Higgins writes about an article from The Atlantic, “Masters of Love,” by Emily Esfahani Smith:
“She summarizes that the key to lasting relationships is kindness and generosity. Based on the research of Gottman and others, “kindness (along with emotional stability) is the most important predictor of satisfaction and stability in a marriage.”
When kindness is expressed in relationship, couples feel more care, consideration, love, and understanding. Kindness contributes to an overall feeling of goodwill and positivity. Partners are inspired and motivated to continue the pattern, which results in a positive cycle of love and generosity.”
As I work with couples, I witness how true this is, and I know that couples can learn to change negative patterns into positive patterns. It is a learning and growth process that takes work, but it is worth it. If you need help, please reach out, linda@stilescounseling.com.
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