Unveiling the power and importance of kindness

Since the pandemic began, you may have noticed signs in shops and cafes saying, ‘The whole world is short-staffed. Please be kind to those who showed up.’ It’s a reminder not to be rude, disrespectful or even threatening to the people who are trying to make your coffee or help you buy groceries.

We really shouldn’t need reminding of the importance of such basic courtesy but apparently, a good many of us have forgotten! So, how can we create a kinder society – and why does it matter?

What is kindness?

Kindness means being friendly, generous or considerate. That requires noticing another person’s needs and doing something to help.

Kindness is not a feeling; it’s something that needs to be expressed through words or deeds. Depending on the situation, kindness may mean:

  • Saying ‘thank you’
  • Complimenting someone – on the quality of their work, for example
  • Offering someone a lift
  • Making a meal for someone who’s sick
  • Writing a nice review of a business
  • Paying for the people behind you in the drive-thru
  • Buying someone a gift
  • Doing some chores without being asked
  • Spending time with someone, listening to them and enjoying their company.   

Kindness takes deliberate effort – which is perhaps why it can be neglected when our lives become too busy or pressured. Preoccupied with our own concerns, we may fail to consider other people’s needs and find ourselves snapping at the barista or yelling at the driver who cut into the traffic.

Why is kindness important?

Want to feel better about yourself? Be kind.

In a nutshell, kindness is important because it makes people feel good – when you’re being kind, your brain’s pleasure centres light up.

Kindness is linked to:

  • Increased feelings of well-being
  • Improved self-esteem
  • A stronger sense of belonging and connection
  • A reduction in loneliness
  • Increased happiness and satisfaction
  • A more positive outlook.

Of course, kindness tends to improve the immediate moment. But its benefits last far longer than that, especially if they are reinforced by more kindness all around you.

The ripple effect of kindness

Kindness tends to spread. Researchers examined 88 studies involving over 25,000 people to assess how much our altruism increases after witnessing someone else’s kind deeds (whether in real life, in books or on TV).

They found a moderately strong effect – people who had witnessed kindness were more likely to behave kindly themselves when given a chance especially if they had:

  • Witnessed kindness recently
  • Seen people praised or rewarded for being kind.

This suggests that, for kindness to spread, it needs to be regularly visible in our society and positively reinforced as something admirable.

Encouraging kindness

Because kindness fundamentally involves action, the best way forward is to just do it. Get the kids involved and:

  • Bake some cookies for the neighbours
  • Take some flowers to a sick friend
  • Let someone go ahead of you in the supermarket queue
  • Take your elderly neighbour’s bins to the street for collection each week
  • Pick a charity to donate to
  • Regularly take non-perishables to your local food pantry.

Kids always tend to respond well to a good story. Carol McCloud’s Have you filled a bucket today? is a lovely to help parents, grandparents and educators teach empathy, nurture kindness and create a positive environment in the home, classroom and community.

How can we help? 

At Think2Be Healthy, we know it takes a village to raise a child – and we want that village to be a kind one!

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Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.

References

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