Does Being Kind Make You Happier?

Being kind can have an amazingly positive effect on your own wellbeing. With Random Acts of Kindness Day around the corner we invited author of ‘The Little Book of Kindness’ Bernadette Russell to tell us how kindness can help us in everyday life and at work.

It’s been well researched that being kind is good for your wellbeing¹ it lowers your blood pressure, is good for the heart, slows aging and improves your relationships. Doing something positive for someone else enhances our own happiness and is contagious and with Random Acts of Kindness Day just around the corner in February we wanted to find out more about how being kind can help our wellbeing and how we can still find time for acts of kindness when life gets frenetic.

We invited author Bernadette Russell who, prompted by the seemingly hopelessness of the world around her, undertook a pledge to be kind to a stranger every day for a year. The experience left her wanting to inspire others. Here she shares her thoughts and experiences on kindness.

WorkLife Central: What does being kind do to people’s mindsets?

Bernadette: “It makes you feel good about yourself, makes you feel positive and happy. The positive benefits of carrying out acts of kindness have been researched by many scientists such as Dr David Hamilton, but you can see for yourself by doing it, how much better you feel about yourself and the world.

WorkLife Central: You spent 366 days carrying out acts of kindness is it always a conscious effort or does is become an unconscious habit?

Bernadette: “I started with the 366 days of kindness but I didn’t stop, I still do it every day. It’s more of an awareness, part of being present in the moment and noticing any opportunity to be kind, however small, and like any daily practice, it becomes easier.”

WorkLife Central: For someone who is feeling stressed out with life and finding it hard to balance home life and work, why should they make that extra effort to be kind?

Bernadette: “I would say to those people: be kind to yourself first, be aware of how you treat and talk to yourself, find a few moments to be still and take a break, work out what you need to make your life happier and healthier. A lot of very busy people are very unkind to themselves. But it doesn’t require any extra effort as the trick is to focus on the small possible things: helping someone carry a heavy case on the tube, smiling at a stranger, asking your work colleagues how they were, actively listening to your loved ones.”

WorkLife Central: What does kindness at work look like?

Bernadette: “Active listening to work colleagues (not simply waiting until the other person has finished speaking), praising those who have done a good job, being cheerful, polite and helpful, making tea. Get up from your desk and deliver a message in person once in a while, much more human and friendlier than pinging yet another email and you get to stretch your legs. Sharing skills, tips and advice.”

What does Kindness at work mean to you?

We recently ran some polls on Twitter and we were pleased to find out that:

• 85% of respondents thought that the company they worked for was kind
• Having kind colleagues was more important than good rewards
• Interestingly, having kind colleagues was more important than having an understanding manager

We asked Bernadette for her top tips on spreading kindness:

1. Focus on the small things it is possible to do whilst living your (no doubt busy) lives- this will make the habit sustainable.
2. Try doing an act of kindness every day perhaps as a resolution.
3. Embrace the small things. Ideas include: making someone breakfast in bed, checking in on an elderly neighbour, tidying up litter in the park, smiling and saying good morning to a passer-by, noticing if someone needs help or a seat on the tube and offering it.

Remember even if it’s small it will get noticed!

*****

¹ https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness

Tags:
• Wellbeing
• Stress, Anxiety & Mental Wellbeing