Intertwined Kind Minds
By: Rachel Durling
You may have missed last week’s National Random Acts of Kindness, but here are some ways to keep it up all year long.
Simple acts of kindness:
Put a quarter in an expired parking meter to save someone from a parking ticket
Bring your coworker or boss a coffee
Cook dinner for your roommates, significant other or family
Give a stranger a compliment
Send a written letter to a friend or family member instead of a text
Planned acts of kindness:
Run / Walk a 5k for a good cause
Plan a lunch out with an old friend
Go to your grandparents’ house to help with house chores
Acts of kindness for yourself:
Take a bath after work
Listen to an old favorite song in the car and sing every word
Drive to the beach alone and aim to learn one new thing about yourself
Buy a new indoor plant for your house
Performing random acts of kindness has more benefits than you may think. Dr. Waguih William IsHak, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA, says studies reveal that random acts of kindness encourage the release of dopamine, according to cedars-sinai.org. Dopamine is a “feel-good” hormone that may produce alertness, focus, motivation, and happiness, says healthline.com.
However, a dopamine surge does not last long, so one should continually perform random acts of kindness to make it a habit and perpetuate its physical and chemical effects.
Kindness promotes selflessness by forcing one to put others’ needs and desires before their own. Kind acts also encourage community-building since they promote conversation and connection among family, friends, and strangers.
It is essential to conduct acts of kindness toward oneself. Health Psychology Open conducted a study in 2017 with 176 participants, which revealed that people who practice self-kindness and self-compassion might experience reduced stress and improved health. Kindness toward oneself may require sacrifice, but offers rewards...so take a bath, listen to your favorite music, and get yourself an indoor plant.
