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In conjunction with World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is a global day that aims to promote the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world. It is celebrated on November 13 of each year and it helps everyone understand that compassion for others is what binds us all together.
Do we sometimes take for granted the unexpected power of our acts of kindness?
According to findings published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, researchers found that people who perform a random act of kindness “tend to underestimate how much the recipient will appreciate it”.
When we think that our acts of kindness have little or no effect on others, it might hold many of us back from doing nice things for others more often. Stress can also keep people from being kind to others - it can be that little voice in people’s heads that causes them to question whether their kind gesture will be misinterpreted.
“We just don’t think the positive impact of our behaviour is as positive as it is,” - Marisa Franco, Author and Psychologist.
While we might think that what we are giving is relatively inconsequential, the recipients are less likely to think of it along those lines. Those on the receiving end of the act of kindness consider the gesture to be significantly more meaningful.
There are a million ways to offer kindness. And at a time when the world seems to have so many problems, we should all start to take kindness more seriously.
Here are some acts of kindness you can intend to do:
Give a compliment to your family
Prepare a meal for your loved ones
Bring in a favourite treat and leave it in the pantry room
Send a friend a helpful or inspiring article that made you think of them
Write a thank you note to someone who has helped you during the week
Send a message to a friend, letting them know you appreciate them
Participate in a fundraiser
And, don’t forget yourself! Schedule a self-care time for yourself, spend a few hours reading a great book or make time for another activity you love. Being kind to yourself will give you the energy and strength to be kind to others.
Let’s inspire more people to carry out random acts of kindness everyday.
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