In this BIT: Why be kind? The simple acts of kindness go the furthest, so here’s how to be kind and how to be nice in your daily actions.
One act of kindness goes a long way. The recipient of kindness benefits, feeling happier due to someone’s kindness or generosity. The give of kindness benefits, seeing someone else happier due to their own actions. Now, here’s the interesting piece, those within the proximity – the witnesses – of kindness also feel happier, and benefit from this encounter. Seeing people being kind to one another demonstrates that there is good in the world, and inspires one to generate an act of kindness themselves. How can we be kind? What is the ripple effect of kindness? Let’s take a closer look.
Think of our world as a pond. When we throw a pebble into the water, it generates ripples. These spread throughout the pond, making a sort of impact – big or small. The more pebbles we toss into the pond, the more ripples we create. However, the bottom line is, even the tiniest of pebbles generate ripples.
We don’t need to do a lot to make an impact in someone’s life. Why should we be kind? Even by spreading one or two acts of intentional kindness a day, we can benefit our lives, and the lives of those around us.
Intentional vs Unintentional Act of Kindness: We should all strive to be kind on a daily basis, through all our actions. However, generate intentional kindness ripples by going out of your way to be kind to a few people everyday. These intentional efforts allow us to emphasize the value that kindness brings to our lives! It’s true, the hack to how to be kind is in the emphasis placed on kind and daily actions.
More On Kindness…
Now that we’ve established the importance of kindness, let’s highlight some of the science behind these simple actions.
– Oxytocin: When we witness an act of kindness, the ‘love hormone’ of oxytocin is produced. This hormone lowers blood pressure, boosts optimism, and improves overall heart health.
– Energized: In a study, participants found that after helping others, they felt more energized, and calmer.
– Pleasure: As we act in kindness, our brain’s pleasure and reward center lights up! This evokes the same feeling as receiving an act of kindness.
We hope that this inspires you to be kind to someone today, bringing you a Small Bit of Happiness.
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Featuring quick videos created for teens by teens.
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our top tips on how to be nice and kind to others through small acts of kindness.