The Power Of Kindness

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” – Aesop

Kindness is a choice and one we can all immediately incorporate into our daily lives, and the benefits of doing so can be truly astounding. Being kind can significantly increase happiness and also has the potential to positively transform our well-being, life satisfaction, and even how long we live.

While there are key days throughout the year that encourage the act of giving e.g. Pay it Forward Day, World Kindness Day and Thanksgiving, there’s a lot of research out there that suggests that being kind to others is something we should all be practicing daily, and in doing so, we’ll reap countless benefits that not only significantly impact our own lives, but also the lives of others. Here’s what the science tells us:

Being Kind Makes Us Happier

It feels really good to give. There is scientific research that proves that when we’re kind to others, we’re rewarded with boosts of dopamine, the neurochemical found in the brain that’s linked to pleasure and reward. When dopamine is produced, we experience a big surge of positive feelings that often mimic those of a morphine high. In the realm of giving, this is often referred to as the Helper’s High.

Kindness Improves Our Health

In his book Why Good Things Happen to Good People Stephen Post writes, “The remarkable bottom line of the science of love is that giving protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease.” That in itself is amazing! The research

found that those who regularly practice kindness report lower blood pressure and decreased stress – although it’s worth noting that being kind doesn’t mean we stop having stressful moments. Unfortunately those still come and go as a part of life, however, research has found that those who regularly practice kindness report lower levels of cortisol (also known as the stress hormone) and also tend to be more resilient and able to push through adversity.

Kind People Live Longer

Numerous studies have linked kindness with improved life expectancy. One such study by Doug Oman of the University of California, Berkeley, found that elderly people who regularly volunteered were 44% less likely to die over a five-year period. Even more remarkable is that those who volunteered for two or more organizations had 63% lower mortality than non-volunteers. This was a stronger factor than exercising four times a week.

Kindness Improves And Strengthens Social Connections And Relationships

Kind people are often seen as more likeable and trustworthy and according to Sonya Lyubomirsky, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, being kind also leads you to perceive others more positively. In marriage, kindness has been reported to be the most important predictor of satisfaction and long term stability and thus a significant determinant as to whether a marriage will last the long haul.