World Kindness Day

Did you know that November 13th is World Kindness Day? I think I speak for everyone when I say the world could use more kindness. We’re constantly following our routines, and we get so bombarded with life that sometimes we forget to prioritize being kind. In case you need a reminder, here’s ten reasons to be kind to yourself and others:

1. Being kind to others makes them (and you) feel good. In fact, there’s scientific evidence to suggest that the psychological benefits of kindness are reflected in the circuitry of our brains. When we’re kind to others we create and nurture neural pathways that enhance feel-good endorphins.
2. Kindness is contagious. By being kind to others you could be starting a cycle of positivity! By performing acts of kindness, it encourages others to do the same.
3. It’s free! For the most part, you don’t have to spend anything to be kind. Sure, you can buy someone a coffee or a bouquet of flowers, but there are simpler ways to spread joy. For example, you can hold the door open for somebody, help a friend with a task, text a positive message, spend time with your loved ones, or give someone a compliment.
4. Being kind can make a huge positive impact on someone’s day. Maybe they’ve had an awful morning and feel like nothing’s going right, or perhaps they’ve just received some devastating news. We can’t possibly know exactly what people are going through in their personal lives, therefore, it’s always important to think before we speak. When you hold the door for someone you could be reviving their faith in humanity. When you’re nice to a customer service assistant, you could be the one ray of sunshine among a lot of rude customers. Always choose kindness, no matter how little an impact you think it’ll make.
5. Kindness helps open your mind. It helps us listen to others and discover new perspectives on the world. We’re able to exercise more compassion towards others even though we might not necessarily understand their situations.
6. Friendships are built on kindness. Being kind can introduce you to some very important and impactful people in your life. Whether it’s a coworker, someone at the grocery store, or at your local church. You never know who you might meet.
7. It’s a great habit to have.. It’s something that you’ll be respected for, and the benefits are endless.
8. It brings positive karma! Whatever you put out into the world will come back to you. If you spread kindness and empathy, you’ll receive it back.
9. Being kind to yourself helps with your own self-esteem. Self-care and self-love go hand in hand. We wouldn’t speak to our friends with hatred or disrespect, so why would we speak to ourselves that way? To build and maintain a healthy self-esteem we need to think about how we speak to and treat ourselves, as well as those around us.
10. Just because! Being kind will never hurt you, so why not?

Kindness in its simplest form makes the world a better place. How many times has someone said or done something nice for you, and left you feeling gratitude towards them? It makes you feel like there’s some goodness in the world and can even encourage you to go out and do some good of your own.

Of course, we can’t forget about ourselves in all of this. To stand true to kindness, we also need to be kind to ourselves, no matter how difficult a task it may seem. We owe it to ourselves. Choose to be kind today and every day! You won’t regret it.

Happy World Kindness Day!