5 powerful reasons to practise kindness
Did you know that kindness is proven to make us feel good? There are many, many scientific studies around the benefits. I particularly enjoy this short video from Life Vest Inside, a non-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring, empowering and educating people of all backgrounds to lead a life of kindness.
In the video Life Vest Inside share 5 powerful reasons why we should be practicing Kindness –
- Stimulates the production of serotonin, not just for the giver and the receiver of the kind act, but also for anyone who witnesses it.
- Increases mood improving endorphins.
- Boosts more of the love hormone oxytocin.
- Doubles DHEA which slows down aging.
- Reduces the stress hormone cortisol.
How wonderful that from such a small and simple gesture that we are able to spread good feeling around. And this can be developed as a habit, just like any other. The more we do it, the easier it becomes!
Every week in the Happy Healthy membership we take time to write down someone that we are going to reach out to with kindness, thanks or support.
And imagine if we begin to cultivate Kindness as a habit how that might impact on the way that we are able to show kindness to ourselves.
In Buddhism there is the practice of Metta, or Loving Kindness meditation where you meditate on the words:
“May I be well, may I be happy, may I be safe and at ease.”
First of all you direct those wishes towards yourself. You then send them out to other people. People that you love, people that you know, and don’t know so well and to people with whom you have a more difficult relationship with. Finally you can direct those wishes out to all living beings.
Loving kindness meditation has been linked to increased positive emotions, increased vagal tone, and increased perceptions of social connections.
I have created an Embodiment and Loving Kindness Meditation recording which you can listen to here for free.
Give it a go and let me know how you get on.