The Contagious Effects of Kindness
People love to frown upon those whose actions have been considered “unkind” or “inhumane”. However, people also love to commit the actions of unkindness themselves.
Due to the current society that is struggling, kindness is often absent where it is needed the most. People have issues being discriminated by their appearance, race, religion, or sexual orientation as well as issues with bullying or doing their best to fit in. Discourteous behavior is a damaging disease to the human soul. When one has internal conflicts, which is insecurity, they can spread that insecurity to another person, which is putting others down. When another person is made fun of or put down, they too develop an insecurity, which is why it damages the human soul. However, giving a heartfelt compliment, or showing cheerful support, can show a person that society isn’t as bad as it seems — And that’s all it takes.
According to www.randomactsofkindness.org , kindness is completely 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!”
This isn’t all there is to the actions of kindness. Helping others bestows to the maintenance of good health, and reduces the effects of diseases and disorders. Feelings such as stress and depression are reduced when a kind act is performed. Physiological benefits of kindness include:
- Strengthened immune system
- Improved cognitive performance
- Lower heart rate
- Balanced cortisol levels which result in less internal stress
- More likely to live a longer and more satisfied life
- Laughter and inner joy resulting in decreased stress hormones; lower blood pressure; diminished pain
(Source: www.honeyfoundation.org )
Ways to be Kind
All in all, we are all human, and we are all connected in some way. How we treat each other is essentially how we treat ourselves. Everyone is going through a point in their life where there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, or extremely, no reason to live in a world that is considered “cruel”. It gives us hope, spreads love, and can save lives.
Here are some easy ways to be kind:
- Give a hug
- Say “I’m sorry” when needed
- Offer to carry someone’s bag
- Buy a gift for someone
- Offer up your seat
- Include someone in any event or social gathering
- Ask someone how their day was
- Buy someone their favorite lunch
- When needed, be a shoulder to cry on
To conclude, kindness is so rare and needed in today’s society. It’s doable to brighten up someone’s day. So the next time you have a chance to help others, do so. It’s the first step to a better world.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou
