November 13th is World Kindness Day. It’s the time of the year where we practice kindness. There are so many holidays that I did not know existed before social media. Some of them are pretty silly in my opinion, for example National Greasy Food Day, October 25th in case you were wondering! But some of them I really like. Especially the days that bring attention to being healthier or being a better person.
World Kindness Day is one of those. Researchers have found that being kind increases people’s overall happiness levels. The interesting part about the research is that there are many ways of being kind and how to practice kindness. Each of these acts of kindness increase a person’s overall happiness level. So by being kind you are not only bringing more positivity into this world, you are also making your own life more positive. On this World Kindness day, show kindness to the people around you to raise their joy level!
Here Are Some Ways That You Can Practice Kindness in Your Life:
To Those You Love:
This may seem like one of the easiest ways to add kindness into your life. Being kind to those you love or care about could include anything from your partner, to your children, or your neighbors. In this form of being kind, it may feel more personal. This form of kindness may also help relationships in the long run by adding positivity and appreciation into them. Take some time to think about how you can be kind on a daily basis. When participants in the study added one act of kindness to their daily life, they reported significantly increased satisfaction and happiness overall.
To Strangers:
Being kind to strangers is something that is talked about quite often. The whole, pay it forward movement is a great example of this. Being kind to strangers can be beneficial in two ways. The first is by spreading kindness and seeing the reactions to this. The second is by adding awareness of the kindness happening around you. Lee Rowland, a professor at Oxford University found that when you notice the kindness and positivity around you, instead of the bad news and stress, your overall mood is boosted.
To Yourself:
Last but certainly not least, the third way the researchers studied being kind is being kind to yourself. So this world kindness day, take some time to think about how you can be kind to yourself. Being kind to yourself may look like taking some time to go for a walk, using healthy coping skills, or giving yourself some grace after a long day. No matter how you practice being kind to yourself, recognize the benefits you feel when you add that extra bit of kindness in.
On November 13th this year, World Kindness Day, take a moment to stop and choose how you are going to add kindness into your day along with the days following. It may be through all three methods, or possibly just one. Regardless of how you choose to be kind, spread happiness wherever you go and not only will those around you thank you, your own mental health and wellness will thank you.
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