One way to make this cold and dreary February a little warmer is to continue the spirit of love and kindness past Valentine’s Day. Three days later, on February 17th is International Random Acts of Kindness Day. A kind gesture can be as simple as holding the door open or offering a smile to a struggling parent at the grocery store. What may take you seconds could positively affect the other person’s entire day!
David Friedman, author of We Can Be Kind, took the concept of Random Acts of Kindness to the extreme and decided to make one purposeful act of kindness daily for an entire year. He gave himself a few guidelines to follow, including:
-The act of kindness should get you out of your comfort zone.
- Most of the acts should not have a large financial component, making a passive donation does not count.
-Acts can be big or small.
After his year long experiment Friedman found he was less judgmental and a happier person all around.
This isn’t a coincidence, there is scientific proof behind the benefits of kindness.
Scientists have seen that being kind to others produces endorphins. The endorphins cause an increase in your happiness and energy and a decrease in depression, stress and anxiety. There is a sort of “positive feedback loop” to being kind. The more joy you create, the happier you feel and the kinder you become.
SPS challenges you to perform an act of kindness this February.
- Clean off someone’s windshield
-Bake cookies for the fire station
-Give someone a compliment
We can’t wait to hear about your experiences during our next meeting with you.