Kindness... Take as Directed!
If there’s anything we need today…it's a little more kindness! Eric Hoffer, known as the American Longshoreman Philosopher, is credited with the quote, “Kindness can be its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.” ¹
We see it every day. People pushing, people shoving. Traffic jams and road rage. Lengthy drive-thru lines & impatient customers. And for heaven’s sakes, don’t smile as you pass someone on the street?
Remember those times, when part of every Mother’s top ten list was, “…Donald Gene be kind today…do something nice for someone else today…” What ever happened to kindness?
Why today, we even have to have a foundation with its sole purpose to remind us and coach us on being kind as a culture? See www.randonmactsofkindness.org for more details, but here’s their Mission:
The mission of The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is to make kindness the norm™ in our schools, workplaces, homes & communities. We work toward that goal by creating free content that promotes kindness toward others & teaches important social emotional learning skills to kids.²
Didn’t Kindness used to be the norm???
There’s even a “Science of Kindness” with current data to support the benefits of being kind:
Witnessing acts of kindness produces oxytocin, occasionally referred to as the ‘love hormone’ which aids in lowering blood pressure and improving our overall heart-health. Oxytocin also increases our self-esteem and optimism, which is extra helpful when we’re anxious or shy in a social situation. — Natalie Angier, The New York Times
About half of participants in one study reported that they feel stronger and more energetic after helping others; many also reported feeling calmer and less depressed, with increased feelings of self-worth. — Christine Carter, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center
A 2010 Harvard Business School survey of happiness in 136 countries found that people who are altruistic — in this case, people who were generous financially, such as with charitable donations — were happiest overall. — Harvard Business Survey, 2010
People who volunteer tend to experience fewer aches and pains. Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying early, and that’s after sifting-out every other contributing factor, including physical health, exercise, gender, habits like smoking, marital status and many more. This is a stronger effect than exercising four times a week or going to church.” — Christine Carter, Author, “Raising Happiness; In Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents”
According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.” — Emory University
Like most medical antidepressants, kindness stimulates the production of serotonin. This feel-good chemical heals your wounds, calms you down, and makes you happy! — Talya Steinberg, Psy.D for Psychology Today
Did you know that ‘kindness’ also decreases the following: pain, stress, anxiety and depression. Lower’s your blood pressure. And last, but not least…kindness is contagious:
The positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who witnessed the act, improving their mood and making them significantly more likely to “pay it forward.” This means one good deed in a crowded area can create a domino effect and improve the day of dozens of people! — Jamil Zaki, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Stanford University for Scientific American, July 26, 2016³
So, what are you waiting for…let’s get on the kindness bandwagon & make this world a kinder, better place!
Remember, at Conizo, we believe that through every season & generation of life — wisdom and hope can intersect to help you live…that well-lived life!⁴
Thanks for stopping by…and remember your Mother was right, “Be kind!”
Notes
Eric Hoffer Quotes, Brainyquote, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/eric_hoffer_124438
Make Kindness the Norm, RAK Foundation, https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
The Science of Kindness, RAK Foundation, https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness
Conizo Living & Wellness, www.Conizo.com