World Kindness Week and Day (November 13th) are upon us. While we prepare for the holiday season, it is important to know how a little kindness can go a long way. The American Psychological Association defines kindness as a “benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed toward another person” and “is often considered to be motivated by the desire to help another, not to gain explicit reward or to avoid explicit punishment.” Kindness brings a sense of happiness and well-being to those it is directed toward—and to the one giving it. In research, kindness has been shown to build social bonds, increase trust and acceptance in our relationships, and increase overall happiness in ourselves.
Instinctively, we as humans seek to create positive environments for the survival, well-being, and happiness of ourselves and those around us. Take, for example, affective touch, like a hug, from someone we feel close to. Affective touch can make us feel relaxed, safe, and calm, and activates our parasympathetic response when our brain interprets it from a non-threatening source. Kindness can also positively impact us on the social, national, and international scales. Research shows that kinder societies also tend to be happier societies. “Engaging in benevolent acts and expecting kindness from others” both correlated with individual happiness levels. So, how can we utilize the power of kindness this season and beyond? Below are a few things to consider about kindness in practice:
- “Kindness starts with being kind to yourself”: Take the time to look after your needs. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise, give yourself time to breathe and rest, and be mindful of your thoughts and emotions. It is harder to practice kindness if you aren’t first kind to yourself.
- “Lead with compassion, follow with kindness”: It may be checking in on a coworker who is struggling or offering to get coffee when someone seems overwhelmed. Always remember that we may not have the full picture of what someone is going through, but we can still lead with compassion and follow with kindness.
- “Give to give, not to receive”: Knowing the benefits of being kind to others can make us desire those rewards. However, oftentimes giving kindness just to give it is much more rewarding.
- “Practice makes kinder”: The more we practice kindness, the kinder we become. If random acts of kindness don’t come easily, challenge yourself to do one kind thing each day for someone and watch how much easier it gets.
- “Kindness begets kindness”: Just as a bully can create a culture of fear, so can kindness from one help foster kindness in others. So, try to lead by example and start helping people turn to one another in small and big ways.
Remember that the power of kindness can have lasting effects. We can reflect and remember a time when someone did a kind act or had a kind word for us. Seek to make a lasting positive impact on someone, not just this holiday season, but every day of the year.
Written by: Aaron Fowler, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Greene County, fowler.440@osu.edu.
Reviewed by: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County, barlage.7@osu.edu.
