5 AMAZING BENEFITS OF
Being Kind
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 1P 2H 3G 4S
ersonal happiness appy families ood health
5K
uccess at work
indness begets kindness
GRACIOUSNESS IS KINDNESS IN
ACTION
What is kindness? Behaving in such a way that shows you care about other people and want to help them. — Macmillan Dictionary Kindness is other-centredness. It begins with the intention of benefitting others without expecting anything in return. Graciousness is kindness in action. It is marked by courtesy and is rooted in a disposition of kindness. A gracious person puts in time and effort in doing something that makes a positive difference for others. Small acts such as greeting a neighbour, holding the door for others, expressing appreciation for the kindness of a friend and lending a helping hand to those in need are all expressions of graciousness. These simple acts seen in everyday life can help make someone else’s day better and create goodwill. Researcher Stephen Post, president of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love which conducts and funds research on altruism, com5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 7
when we give of ourselves,
everything from life satisfaction
to self-realisation
and physical health
IS SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVED
passion and service, has found that when we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realisation and physical health is significantly improved. Mortality is delayed, depression is reduced, and well-being and good fortune are increased.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 9
doing nice
things for
people led to a
SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE in people's
positive
moods
Benefit #1: Personal happiness If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. — Dalai Lama Many studies have shown a link between happiness and kindness. When we are kind to others, our brains “reward� us by releasing a mixture of chemicals, including dopamine, which makes us feel good. The positive feedback loop between kindness and happiness: Be kind and you will be happy Be happy and you will be kind Helping others bestows a sense of satisfaction on both the receiver of the help, and the one who provides the help. Over time, people who do good deeds develop a friendly and joyful personality that attracts and magnetises those they associate with and brings kindness their way. 5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 11
DOING
NICE THINGS
FOR OTHERS
ONCE A WEEK
LED TO THE MOST HAPPINESS
Research reveals that doing good deeds or kind acts can make people feel better. Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that doing nice things for people led to a significant increase in people’s positive moods. It also led to an increase in relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance in socially-anxious individuals. People who engage in kind acts also become happier over time, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside. Having studied happiness for 20 years, her research found that performing positive acts once a week led to the most happiness. Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. — Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 13
Helping others
bestows a
sense of
SATISFACTION
*Smile and acknowledge your colleagues in your workplace. Do the same for people you encounter every day. One greeting at a time, you will brighten the lives of others every day. Make a dedication on the radio station to all who smiled at strangers today.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 15
kindness & graciousness
are deeply
rooted at
HOME
Benefit #2: Happy families The home is the chief school of human virtues. — William Ellery Channing Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree. — Marian Wright Edelman In a survey titled “Enduring Love?: Couple Relationships in the 21st Century”1 conducted by researchers at The Open University, UK, thoughtful gestures and saying thank you were found to be prized highly by partners. Simple acts like making cups of tea and taking out the trash were measured as being as effective in showing affection for a partner. When kindness and graciousness are deeply rooted at home, our ability to be compassionate and empathetic is nurtured to become a natural part of our disposition. Children who are brought up and guided to act kindly to others can develop greater sensitivity and apprecia5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 17
Just talking about acts of kindness around the dinner table makes
kindness come alive
tion for kindness, and carry these positive values with them as they grow. Strength of character may be learned at work, but beauty of character is learned at home. — Henry Drummond
*As a family, share with each other the kindness you experience each day. Just talking about acts of kindness around the dinner table makes kindness come alive. Writing cards or notes of appreciation to individual family members or friends can become a meaningful family tradition.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 19
Being kind
LIFTS YOU UP
both MENTALLY and PHYSICALLY
Benefit #3: Good health Research has shown that being kind to others has profound and measurable physical and mental benefits. When we do an act of kindness, we will feel good on a chemical level, thanks to the production of dopamine and endorphins. Dopamine is associated with positive thinking and endorphins are known as our body’s natural pain-killers. Physically, the benefits come from the relaxation of your cardiovascular system. If you perform a kind deed for someone, you create an emotional bond. The body produces oxytocin, the bonding hormone. This hormone causes the release of nitric acid, which dilates blood vessels, and protects the heart by lowering blood pressure. Moreover, a group of researchers at the University of North Carolina have found that by having subjects practise meditating on positive emotions and kind thoughts, they could observe an increase in heart rate variability which is linked to the lowering of risk for 5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 21
when we do an act of kindness our body releases
feel-good chemicals
cardiovascular disease, and regulating glucose levels and immune responses. Compared to the experiment’s control group of participants, more of the meditators showed an overall increase in positive emotions, like joy, interest, amusement, serenity and hope after completing the experiment.
*A commute becomes stress-free and enjoyable when we move in to make space for more passengers, give up our seats to those who need it more, such as the elderly or pregnant women, or allow other passengers to alight before boarding. We can even get a morning boost of good chemicals simply by greeting service staff and other passengers with a smile.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 23
Kindness creates a more HEALTHY
&
EFFECTIVE
workforce
Benefit #4: Success at work Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. —Helen Keller An article on the Forbes website talks about the business impact of kindness and generosity.2 Kindness at the workplace can result in greater staff engagement and, ultimately, an increase in the bottom line. Kindness creates a healthier and more effective workforce, which in turn increases productivity. Employees who are happier with their workplace relationships tend to be more engaged and willing to go beyond the normal scope of duty, and are more likely to be retained. Human beings are social creatures. It is in our nature to communicate, interact and collaborate with one another. And there are few forms of interaction as powerful as the act of acknowledgement in conveying acceptance and paving the way towards a warmer friendship. Today’s workplace culture places great 5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 25
As a sense of kinship and positivity increases, so will synergy among
tea m embers
emphasis on teamwork and collaborative working styles. Few of us work in isolation, and by building better rapport with our colleagues, our productivity increases, the fun element of work grows and the general work environment becomes more pleasant and welcoming. As a sense of kinship and positivity increases, so will synergy among team members. These are key ingredients for a happy and motivated workforce. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. — Leo Buscaglia
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 27
Too often we
underestimate
the power of a touch,
a smile, A KIND WORD
*Ask a colleague who is not in your usual lunch group to go for lunch with you and your group. Write a note to your boss or colleague and express your appreciation for him or her. Or bring some snacks to share with your colleagues today.
5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 29
U
SIC
OTHERSCE
NTRIC
ALLY
G R A CI O
IS I NT RI
N
S
SS NE
Benefit #5: Kindness begets kindness The very nature of kindness is to spread. If you are kind to others, today they will be kind to you, and tomorrow to somebody else. — Sri Chinmoy Kindness gives birth to kindness. — Sophocles What kind of society do we want to live in? We can create a kind and pleasant society and make life better for everyone, or one that is indifferent and hostile. Graciousness is intrinsically others-centric. It is motivated by a personal willingness and desire to connect with someone and make a positive difference, however big or small, for them. Through each gracious exchange, we inject positivity into another person’s life. When others treat us graciously, we enjoy the fruits of another person’s thoughtfulness and goodwill. Those who experience or witness it are inspired to pass it onwards to those they go 5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 31
Through each gracious exchange,
WE INJECT POSITIVITY into another person’s life
on to meet, which was how the “Pay it Forward” movement started. When people take ownership of their conduct and are committed to being kind to others, a gracious society is born. It all starts with one — one person and one simple kind act — and kindness will spread from one person to another. Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. — Scott Adams
*Email a friend and thank him for something he did for you, or just for being who he is. Include in the last paragraph: “If you appreciate this please pass it forward by expressing your thanks to a friend or more.”
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WE LEARN TO BE KIND...
WHEN WE LEARN TO BE THOUGHTFUL
Bonus: Personal satisfaction When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, “Yes, this is how I ought to feel.” — Harold Kushner We learn to be kind when we learn to be thoughtful. Putting ourselves in the shoes of others helps us to view things from another person’s perspective. Better understanding the needs and desires of others presents us with the opportunity to do something helpful or positive for them. Being considerate and aware of our surroundings and environment may cause us to discover more ways to be gracious. By being thoughtful, we look beyond our own needs to consider how our actions can make a positive difference, without expecting to receive anything in return. Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellowmen. — Mahatma Gandhi 5 Amazing Benefits of Being Kind 35
1 2
http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/enduringlove/ http://tinyurl.com/87jz81h