Kindness
By Stephanie Kinnander
I’d like you to stop for a minute and imagine a world where being nice to everyone around us was the norm. A world where people pay it forward and look out for each other. As children, we are biologically wired to be kind, but due to outside influences and day to day stresses in our lives, we lose our inherent instinct to be nice to those around us and focus on all the things we have on our plate. It can become so easy to just keep walking or look the other way when someone we don’t know could use our help.
In February, we recognize Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 9-15) and encourage people to perform simple, unexpected acts of kindness to brighten someone’s day and create a ripple effect of positivity. According to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, people who sprinkle kindness are more likely to live longer even though it is tremendously contagious!! The foundation shares that kindness has been shown to increase oxytocin, which lowers our blood pressure and improves our heart-health. It stimulates the production of serotonin and endorphins, which reduce the effects of depression. It can also act as a natural pain reliever and reduces stress and anxiety.
Read on for ways to Inspire, Empower, Act, and Share kindness today and beyond!
- Give compliments – offer sincere compliments to friends, family, and even strangers to brighten their day.
- Send thoughtful messages – send uplifting messages or notes to friends, reminding them of your appreciation and support.
- Help a neighbor – assist a neighbor with tasks like shoveling snow, mowing their lawn, or carrying in groceries.
- Donate to charity – contribute to a charitable organization or cause that you’re passionate about.
- Visit the elderly – spend time with elderly individuals in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, offer companionship and a listening ear.
- Volunteer your time – volunteer at local charities, shelters, or community events to make a positive impact.
Visit
www.randomactsofkindness.org to find additional ways to celebrate. This site includes ideas such as lesson plans, kindness challenges, and a kindness calendar.
Whether you can give a little or give a lot, any act of kindness will bring a little bit of joy to others and a lot of extra benefits to you! Kindness is contagious so spread it and watch it grow.
For more information, contact the NE Prevention Resource Center at the Human Service Agency at (605) 884-3516 or visit
www.humanserviceagency.org/NEPrevention. To stay informed, follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/NEPRC.HSA or Twitter
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