Practicing gratitude is one of the simplest tools that you can use to improve how you are feeling.
Research has shown that the positive side effects of using gratitude include physical benefits such as better sleep and psychological benefits including less anxiety and increased happiness and resilience. Social benefits include; fewer feelings of loneliness and isolation, increased forgiveness and greater helpfulness and generosity.
When thinking about the things that we are grateful for, the benefits will be greater if you don’t think about the “things” you have, such as toys but rather, look for kindness from others, or a kind deed that you have seen or been involved in.
Sone of the ways in which you can practice gratitude is to write a gratitude journal, make a list or share with others, three things which you are grateful for.
Another way of practicing gratitude is to be a gratitude detective by watching for kind and caring behaviour from other people.
How about boosting your wellbeing by setting yourself a challenge to show gratitude in some way every day?
There is a saying that “Kindness makes the world go around!” and do you know what? I agree. One of the best things about kindness is that when you do something kind for someone else, it makes you feel really good.
The character strength of kindness sits within the “Positive Emotions” arm of our PERMA model.
Kindness is my favourite character strength and when classes are surveyed, guess which character strength is usually the most popular? You guessed right – kindness.
We never forget when someone has shown kindness towards us, but research has shown that the wellbeing benefits of being kind to others is far greater than receiving kindness!
Kindness can be as easy as smiling at someone and saying hello.
Here are a few reasons for being kind:
Being kind feels good. Doing something for someone else really does make us feel good. Just as running releases endorphins, so does kindness. Make someone smile and you’ll feel better for having done so.
Kindness broadens our perspective. In order to be kind, we have to pay attention to what is happening around us. As we notice more things and help others, we get a glimpse of other ways of looking at things. A broader perspective helps us to keep things in context.
Kindness softens our heart. When we look for kind deeds, beauty, and the opportunity for kindness, we’ll find that we are more compassionate and more tolerant. As we practice empathy, it opens our heart to others.
Kindness brightens our world. When we are kind to people, it makes them happy. The more people who experience kindness from us, the more happy people will be in our lives. When those around us are happier, our world becomes a brighter, lighter place to live.
Kindness helps people feel respected and less alone. By recognising someone’s need for help and acting on it in a compassionate manner, it makes the recipient feel valued. It also makes the giver feel better about themselves and more connected.
Kindness makes people want to be around us. One of the most common responses to kindness is gratitude. People appreciate what we’ve done for them. Our kindness is very attractive, so they want to be around us and actually seek us out.
Kindness bears wonderful fruit. Kindness begets kindness, openness, health and reduces the effects of stress on our bodies and our hearts
Kindness begets kindness. When you are kind to others, the impact of your action doesn’t stop there. Many times the recipient of your kindness and others who see or hear about your kindness are inspired to be kinder. The ripples of kindness are truly endless.
One of my favourite quotes is: “In a world where you can be anything, choose kind.”
Colour Your World With Kindness
Kindness Grows
I’ve always loved this clip and never tire of viewing it – How many acts of kindness can you see?
Kindness is My Superpower
A Short Story on Kindness
What are you going to do to show kindness this week?
