Guess what day it is?! That’s right, it's World Kindness Day! (My apologies to all of you who got your hopes up thinking it might be Wednesday…nope, still Monday). World Kindness Day was started in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement and is celebrated in over 28 countries around the globe. The intention of this day is to build community, inspire unity and encourage empathy. Acts of kindness can be shown in big and small ways from holding a door open for someone to bringing over dinner to a friend who is under the weather. Although it’s great that there is a whole day dedicated to kindness, acts of kindness can be done EVERYDAY, which aligns with 2023’s theme, “Be Kind Whenever Possible.”
Being kind not only boosts the mood of the person on the other end of your kindness, but it improves your mental well-being, too! I’ve been reading up on Positive Psychology lately and it centers around the idea that we can spiral upward as opposed to a downward spiral. Positive Psychology focuses on activities that let us savor the goodness of the past, our present happiness, and hope for the future. When we engage in acts of kindness, it gives a quick hit of endorphins in the moment, but then when we reflect back and think about that small act, we can achieve similar benefits just by reminiscing about either the kindness we extended or received. Research has shown that the benefits of kindness are greater when they are done face-to-face or physical acts of kindness as opposed to donating online without knowing who you are helping.
If you need inspiration, google “ways to be kind,” and lists will pop up with dozens of ideas. Do it because it makes others feel good, do it because it will improve your mental health, too. Be kind today and every day. One small drop of kindness can make ripples.
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