Random Acts of Kindness Week

by Andrea Schramm, LPC

We likely are not strangers to the idea that random acts of kindness are a beneficial experience for us and for the recipient of our kindness. Did you know there is a Random Acts of Kindness Foundation whose mission is to make kindness the norm? What a wonderful idea! Kindness is good for us.

What are the many ways being kind is good for us? There is some cool science behind kindness. It turns out kindness is catching. Studies show when we engage in kindness it benefits both us and the recipients of our kindness by reducing our stress, anxiety, and depression through the release of the hormones Serotonin, which makes us feel better, Endorphins which reduce pain and Oxytocin which lowers blood pressure and makes us feel more loving and loved. Simply witnessing an act of kindness between others can have a positive benefit on us and encourage us to also engage in kindness.

How do we prepare ourselves to engage in acts of kindness in our busy world we live in. To reap the benefits of acts of kindness for ourselves and others, building a habit offers an opportunity to include acts of kindness in our everyday interactions. Making a list of random acts of kindness we feel comfortable and able to perform can help us establish this habit by choosing one act a day to engage in.

Here is a simple list to help you build an acts of kindness habit:

• Look one person in the eye and smile, say thank you or have a nice day
• Open a door for another person
• Ask someone about their day
• Send an encouraging email
  

Watch your habit grow and catch on as you add more acts of kindness to your daily routine. Notice how much better you feel adding acts of kindness to your daily life and the lives of others.

Start by visiting Random Acts of Kindness Foundation https://www.randomactsofkindness.org