Do you remember the person who showed you kindness when you least expected it? How do you feel now when you think of that person? Heart-warming, isn’t it? A smile automatically comes on your face. And how do you feel about the instances where you were kind to others? You feel proud of your behavior and feel the joy and satisfaction, isn’t it? Time cannot erase the memory of kindness. Such is the beauty and depth of kindness.
Of the many virtues, kindness is profound. It makes a lasting impact on both the giver and the receiver. It brings out the divinity in a person and makes the giver of kindness an angel. All the saints and scriptures speak very high of kindness and urge their followers to embrace this virtue. Author Mark Twain said beautifully about kindness as – “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear, and the blind can see.” Dalai Lama said this about kindness – “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness”. If kindness is the only virtue we practiced in our life, it still makes a significant difference to our life. Modern Science has also listed several benefits of practicing kindness in day-to-day life.
Let us see the benefits of practicing kindness.
10 benefits of practicing kindness:
1. Practicing kindness releases feel-good hormones named serotonin and endorphins in your body. These hormones give joy and impact physical health positively.
2. It de-stresses you. When you practice kindness, your focus shifts towards the needs of others, and this helps you stop being consumed by the needs of your life and being stressed.
3. Kindness is good for the health of your heart. When you practice kindness, hormone named oxytocin is released in the body. This hormone releases a chemical called nitric oxide in blood vessels, which expands the blood vessels. Oxytocin is known as cardio-protective hormone due to this property, and kindness produces oxytocin.
4. Kindness helps in easing anxiety and worry.
5. Performing acts of kindness helps a person come out of depression.
6. Some of us keep searching for the purpose of our life. Answer to this lies in kindness. Practicing kindness helps you find meaning and purpose in your life.
7. It improves relationships and creates beautiful moments in the journey of life.
8. Being kind boosts your self-esteem and makes you feel good about your own self.
9. Kindness is a mood enhancer.
10. Being kind enhances our immunity and slows down aging.
These are some benefits of practicing kindness. You can practice kindness at your home, your workplace, and wherever you go. Kindness does not need a reason to practice it. It can be practiced randomly anywhere anytime. Kindness can be practiced through thoughts and emotions, words, and actions.
Below are some ideas to incorporate Random Acts of kindness in your day-to-day life through your actions.
21 Random Acts of Kindness you can do:
1. Help your family members in their daily chores.
2. Care for a stray animal.
3. Place a bowl of water for thirsty birds in your balcony.
4. Support small businesses. Don’t bargain with small scale vegetable and fruit vendors.
5. Volunteer your time for any service activity in your community.
6. Help a neighbour in need.
7. Help your friend in need.
8. Plant a sapling and nurture it.
9. Help someone cross the road
10. Visit an old age home and spend time.
11. Help a differently-abled person.
12. Give a memorable and generous tip.
13. Sponsor for the education of a child.
14. Spend time with your parents.
15. Feed the birds and animals.
16. Smile warmly at someone.
17. Visit an orphanage and spend time with children.
18. Make someone smile.
19. Spend time with your siblings.
20. Share your resources with people in need.
21. Donate money to a cause.
Below are 6 ideas to incorporate Random Acts of kindness in your day-to-day life through your words.
1. Appreciate your family member wholeheartedly.
2. Send a note of appreciation to your colleague.
3. Give your time and say words of hope to someone going through a low phase in life.
4. Send a thank-you note to someone who impacted you positively and tell them how they made an impact in your life.
5. Compliment a stranger.
6. Appreciate your household worker.
Below are 15 ideas to incorporate Random Acts of kindness in your day-to-day life through your thoughts and emotions.
1. Think positively about others.
2. Send loving and nurturing thoughts to your family members.
3. You can practice loving-kindness meditation. Below are the steps.
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes for a better experience.
2. Inhale gently and deeply. Exhale. Relax your entire body. Feel the lightness of your body. Smile gently.
3. Think of a happy moment in your life. Feel the joy in your heart. Feel the gratitude to divine for blessing this joyful moment in your life.
4. Raise your hands in blessing position and send love and peace from your hands to your entire family. Visualize them healthy and happy.
5. Send love and peace to your locality.
6. Send love and peace to your city.
7. Send love and peace to your state.
8. Send love and peace to your country.
9. Send love and peace to the entire world.
10. Visualize every person, every being across the world filled with good health, prosperity, happiness, and peace.
11. Gently keep your hands on your lap.
12. Sit in silence for 30 seconds and connect within.
13. Visualize yourself filled with love and kindness. Visualize kindness is entering from the top of your head into your body and filling each and every cell of your body.
14. Visualize your entire body is filled with health, joy, love, kindness, and strength. Visualize you are healthy and happy.
15. Move your hands and feet. Gently rub your hands and place them on your eyes. Massage your face and open your eyes with a big big smile.
These are some ways to incorporate kindness in daily life. When you are going through any negative thoughts or emotions, replace this negativity by practicing any random acts of kindness or loving-kindness meditation. Kindness is a great mood changer. Make kindness your habit. Don’t go to bed without practicing kindness in a day. With small acts of kindness, we can create a positive impact around. No act of kindness is too small.
“Remember, there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams
