A friend posted a meme this morning that read “Be kind today. January 65th is hard for everyone.” It made me chuckle, as we were just talking in the office about how long January has felt this year, and how tempers seemed to be a bit short. Later, I stumbled upon an article on Linked In about the importance of kindness, and how social media has deadened people’s filters. And as I read the comments on this particular article, it was impossible to disagree and left me wondering: As a culture, are we forgetting HOW to be kind?
Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 9 – 15. Did you know there is a whole foundation dedicated to this? Their blog post from this week shared this phrase that really struck me: “In a world full of opportunities to connect and uplift one another, kindness has the power to shine brightly. What if we made kindness the norm – the foundation of how we live and interact every day?” They share different ways to encourage kindness at school, at home and in the workplace: holding a door, giving a compliment, proactively helping someone.
Kindness builds stronger connections by creating better communication and nurturing relationships. People who are consistently kind experience 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) than others! Studies also show that kind people age slower and have improved moods. An act of kindness has a ripple effect, motivating others to repeat the behavior – because the act of kindness makes us feel good, and it is instinctual to pass that on. Kindness breeds compassion, and is active, not passive.
Several years ago, I was in a McDonalds in an inner-city neighborhood, trying to kill some time between medical appointments. As I sat and ate my lunch, an elderly gentleman and his companion passed by me. Our eyes met, and I instinctively smiled. He stopped in his tracks and said, “You smiled at me, a stranger!” I was so taken aback by his response, and he could see my surprise. “That so rarely happens anymore. Thank you. Have a wonderful day.” Such a small gesture, given without any thought, made a significant impact on someone else’s day.
Kindness is not about grand gestures and gifts, but about acknowledging the little things, and recognizing that we know very little about what our neighbor or co-worker or peer is experiencing. And it costs nothing to be kind.
Learn more about the importance and origin of Random Acts of Kindness Week at www.randomactsofkindness.org
Michele is the CEO of Spero, a mental health and substance use and recovery clinic. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance use, reach out to Spero for assistance at 800-722-0590. Our team can help guide you through the services available in the community to meet your individual needs.
