“A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.” – John Ruskin
I don’t know about you, but these cold winter months have really put me in a funk. There’s nothing really specific that has brought me to this point. I think the combination of the holidays and the crazy schedules associated with that, the snow and ice and frigid temperatures and just the “blah” feelings have hit. It’s almost my birthday and I’ve never been big on celebrating my birthday, especially now that I’m in my 40’s.
But I have realized, much to my surprise, that one of the main things that pulls me out of the doldrums of blah is being kind to others.
Not just being kind or saying kind things to someone but following up on those words with actions. It just does something to me and when I decided to look up and see if it was just me feeling this way, I was surprised that performing random acts of kindness can actually have a positive effect, not just mentally, but also physically!
Random acts of kindness affect us in some of the following ways:
- Pain – kindness releases endorphins in the brain. It’s a natural painkiller.
- Stress – kind people age slower and have lower stress than the average person.
- Anxiety & Depression – kindness improves mood, depression, and anxiety. Kindness stimulates the production of serotonin which heals wounds, calms and increases happiness.
- Blood Pressure – kindness helps release oxytocin, a ‘cardio protective’ hormone that releases another chemical called nitric oxide in the body that dilates blood vessel, thus reducing blood pressure.
- Pleasure – elevated levels of dopamine in the brain cause pleasure/reward centers to light up. This is known as the ‘helpers high.’
- Self-Worth – kindness can make us not just feel good about ourselves but begin to believe in ourselves, increasing our self-worth.
- Relationships – kindness helps improve relationships by reducing the distance between individuals.
We should be practicing random acts of kindness on a regular basis, not just during the Random Acts of Kindness Week (the 2nd week of February). You may feel odd the first couple times you do it, or nervous, but I think you’ll find that the more you do it, the more you get comfortable with it. The more comfortable you are with it, the more it becomes a habit in your life. When it becomes a habit, you are bettering those that you help and yourself. When you are bettering yourself, your life can take an upward swing, and those around you can see a difference, and in turn, start the cycle of kindness in their own lives!
I love getting my children involved in practicing acts of kindness. They enjoy helping others and seeing their reaction. Knowing that my children have a good heart and care for those around them tells this mama that I’m doing something right!
So, what are some practical suggestions for performing random acts of kindness with your children? Here are a few of the Random Acts of Kindness that we’ve done in our family:
- Put change in a vending machine
- Hold the door open for someone
- Pick up litter (movie theater)
- Donate outgrown clothes
- Buy a coffee for a stranger
- Donate food to the food pantry
- Make blessing bags to hand out to homeless individuals
- Collect money or items for your favorite charity
- If it’s a hot day, hand out cold bottles of water
- If you are in a drive-thru line, purchase the meal for the car behind you
- Use chalk to write happy messages on public sidewalks
- Give someone a compliment
- Put stray grocery carts away at the store
- Let someone go ahead in line
- Put trash cans away for the neighbors
Here is a downloadable “Random Acts of Kindness Bingo Board” I created to have some fun with my kids.
Kindness isn’t hard — it’s free and it’s a choice. Teach your children young how good it feels to give of themselves to others. It doesn’t take a lot of time or energy, and is usually something free or using limited funds. Anyone can pay it forward with kindness. Try it and see how it changes your perspective.
What are some ways that you have practiced random acts of kindness with your kids?
