World Kindness Day

13th November marks the World Kindness Day and what better way to celebrate it than by learning why kindness is so important and how we can practice it every day?

About World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day was established in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement – a not-for-profit organisation committed to inspiring individuals and connecting nations to create a kinder world.

In the UK, there is also a special organisation – Kindness Day UK, which was launched in 2010 with more and more individuals, schools and charities getting involved in its events ever since. 

What is kindness and why is it important?

Kindness is “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate”, without expecting anything for return. It is often linked to empathy and compassion towards other people. Kindness is about doing something good for others and thinking of their needs – whether that’s giving up a space in the bus or helping an elderly person with their shopping. Kindness is something more than just being nice because acts of kindness should be genuine, authentic and should come straight from the heart. But why is kindness so important?

I would like to present to you some quotes about kindness, showing how significant it is in our world. 

“Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. Make a difference for another today” – Amy Leigh Mercree

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world” – Desmond Tutu

As you can see, kindness is such a valuable act much needed in our society. 

Benefits of kindness include:

• Kindness boosts mental health and well-being

It has been scientifically proven that acts of kindness actually contribute to a stronger mental and physical health and relationships. Making other people feel good makes YOU feel good too – it’s a win-win! 

• Kindness releases positive hormones

If you’re being kind, your body releases hormones such as endorphins and oxytocin, which help reduce inflammation and blood pressure. Endorphins, on the other hand, boost energy and help ease pain. Acting kind truly makes a positive impact on our bodies!

• Kindness causes a ripple effect

Kindness is super contagious – if you do something nice for another person, it will inevitably boost their mood and they will be more likely to show kindness towards someone else too! Let’s spread kindness to the world together. 

How to practice kindness?

Whilst being kind is not always easy, especially when we are tired, rushed and stressed – it doesn’t take much to practice kindness! You can do it by simply smiling to the person next to you or offering a cuppa to your flatmate. These small gestures really do make a difference. 

You can also get involved in volunteering which will enable you to not only meet like-minded people, but you will also contribute to a greate cause. 

And for more ideas, check out my previous article on small things you can do to make someone’s day.

But most importantly, always remember to be kind to yourself too 😊