Growing up we were always told by our parents that we should treat others in the same way that we would like to be treated ourselves. Why should we be nice to others? Well not only does it feel pretty damn good to be kind, it’s also good for you.
Yes, believe it or not being kind, caring and compassionate to your fellow human beings has loads of social, physical and mental benefits for you. Which is all the more reason why you should get your nice on!
Here are five benefits to get you in the spirit of niceness and show you how being kind benefits you.
Kindness boosts your self-esteem: Studies have shown then when you’re nice to someone, you receive a bigger boost in positive emotions than the person that you’re being kind to. Fact. Your self-esteem sky rockets and you begin to see yourself in a more positive, more accepting light. Kindness helps us to see our own sense of worth and encourages us to treat other people (and ourselves) better in the long-term.
Kindness improves your social life: We all want friends who are kind, giving and considerate. We all need people in our lives who will be there if something bad happens. By being kind to your friends, you ensure that your friendships remain solid and fulfilling. By being kind to strangers, you make new friends. It’s a win/win situation.
Being kind to others can improve your life in dozens of different ways
Kindness promotes optimism: Doing kind deed causes our perspective of the world to change. Kindness makes you believe in the good in life again and gives you a strong sense of hope that no matter how bad things are, they can always get better. By being kind, we feel in control and know that we can make a positive difference in our own lives and the lives of others.
Kindness gets rid of stress: Living a life that is based on kindness is a life that is stress-free. A kind attitude means that you’ll face less conflict with people in your life. Plus, doing good for others causes you to experience a surge of happy hormones which are the perfect antidote to daily stress.
Kindness encourages gratitude: In order to live a truly happy, fulfilling life we need to learn how to be grateful for the things that we already have. Kindness encourages you to count your blessings (especially if you’re doing acts of kindness to people who are less fortunate than you). Counting your blessings promotes even happier thoughts and feelings. It’s an endless cycle of goodness!
Is it time you started performing some random acts of kindness every now and then?
