The Art of Kindness
‘Doing good does you good’– Mental Health Foundation
We know that doing something nice for others feels nice, but more and more research is now showing that it benefits us as much as it is beneficial to others
· Physiological changes relating to happiness
· Sense of belonging
· Positive outlook and perspective
· People are likely to pay it forward
If you look at most blogs or articles about Habits of successful or happy people you will find that kindness, gratitude, compliments are all listed.
This week at the beginning of lent some of the members of the ‘Team Phoenix’ Facebook group had a conversation about how lent is to not just give something up but to use what you have given up to something positive. The example given was if you give up chocolate you give the money or chocolate you would have eaten to those who need it more.
There was a consensus, even with those who don’t normally honour this lent tradition, that it would be nice to take something up for 40 days. This resulted in a few people agreeing to take up 40 days of gratitude and kindness. To show gratitude for the things we have and the people who are around us and to show a daily act of kindness towards others.
In a world where it is easy to see so much in the news about horror and unkindness it is important that we look for the acts of kindness that also happen. Even in the most horrific of incidents there will be stories of courage, kindness and love. They won’t always be as obvious but they are there if you look for them.
The brain will see what we ask it to look for. If we focus our minds on gratitude and kindness we will see it. Looking for a kind humanity will help the way we view the world.
Most people don’t complete random acts of kindness to improve their longer term physical and mental health. That isn’t their motivation. Most people you ask will tell you that they do it because it is nice to make someone smile and that there is that ‘in the moment’ feel good factor.
Use your smile to change the world; don’t let the world change your smile.
Why not challenge yourself to 40 days of gratitude and kindness?
If you are stuck for ideas then why not take a look at the attached two links.
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/doing-good-does-you-good
