Have you ever experienced a random act of kindness from a stranger or an anonymous source? Do you remember how it made you feel?
Research reveals that doing good deeds, or kind acts, can make socially-anxious people feel better. For four weeks, the University of British Colombia researchers assigned people with high levels of anxiety to do kind acts for other people at least six times a week. The acts of kindness included things like holding the door open for someone, doing chores for other people, donating to charity, and buying lunch for a friend. The researchers found that doing nice things for people led to a significant increase in people’s positive moods. It also led to an increase in relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance in socially anxious individuals.
When we give of ourselves, especially if we start young, everything from life satisfication to self-realizatinon and physical health is significantly improved. The moral of this is to be kind and do kind acts for others. You can benefit your heart, reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and simply be a happier human being. Who wouldn’t want that?
What will your first random act of kindness be?
Acts of Kindness You Can Practice Daily:
-Give someone a genuine compliment
-Offer a hug or embrace for no reason
-Make peace with someone
-Pay for the person behind you in the coffee line
-Strike up a conversation with a stranger
-Hold the door open for the person behind you
-Go on a complaint-free diet
-Listen to a friend, or someone who needs it
-Say “I love you” more often to your family and friends
-Commit to consistent self-care for yourself
-Say thank you and please every day without fail
-Help someone find a job