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Being kind to others boosts the “feel good”, peace, satisfaction, and reward centers in your brain. Being a nice guy lights up your brain like the 4th of July. Some call it a “happy high”. Do you remember Snuffles, the Hanna-Barbera cartoon dog who loved dog biscuits? That’s the feeling that goes off in our brain. OK, maybe it doesn’t feel THAT good, but you get my drift.
Kindness increases your self-esteem AND reduces stress. And both of these things improve your mood. Being thoughtful, generous, caring, and supportive will actually take you out of your fight-or-flight stress mode and put you right into that rest & digest mode that allows your body to heal. And that’s not all. Believe it or not, acts of kindness also help your immune system. Doing good deeds on a regular basis increases the chances of your immune system doing a better job. Studies also show that kind acts have a positive effect on mental illness, reducing your risks of things like depression. Simple things like spending time with a senior citizen, starting a pleasant conversation with a new co-worker, giving compliments to friends or even strangers or texting a word of encouragement or support go a long way – and it’s not going just one way! It’s a “2 fer -oner”!
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