“I used to have fantasies of positive vandalism. Breaking into the school and painting a dirty room bright colors overnight. Fixing broken glass in people’s houses while they’re gone. Leaving full meals on tables in the struggling part of town. I fantasize [about] slipping grocery money into the old lady’s purse, secretly planting daffodils [in] every grey place there is.” —Anne Herbert
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, U.S. crime was on the rise and many felt unsafe in their communities. The homicide rate in 1980 had doubled since the ’60s and citizens were four times more likely to be robbed. This led to much coverage of these incidents, with the term “random acts of violence and senseless acts of cruelty” used in the media to describe them. The phrase became a regular part of the vernacular.
In reaction to this unfortunate ‘new normal,’ a peace activist in the San Francisco Bay Area named Anne Herbert reimagined the phrase to counterbalance the meaning and published an article titled “Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty”, in the Whole Earth Review, (the quote above was taken from that piece).
The concept took off a few years later, in 1991, when a major publication reprinted the article, and then again when the book was printed in 1993. The nonprofit Random Acts of Kindness Foundation began soon thereafter, and on February 17, 1995, Random Acts of Kindness Day began in Denver. Since then, observances have expanded to multiple locations worldwide.
This shouldn’t be surprising since many believe that happiness is our natural state, so it makes sense we would strive to return to that, using the practise of kindness to get there.
Below, we examine the importance of acknowledging and celebrating what some may view as a ‘trivial’ holiday, especially in today’s volatile social climate.
Vulnerability + Empathy = Kindness
In this Tedx Talk, Tufts University student Audrey Ledbetter shows how the combining the practise of these two human feelings can lead us all down a more steady path of kindness.
The Science of Kindness
Though it may seem like chosen behaviours can’t possibly be measured, there is actually scientific proof that acts of kindness are mentally and physically beneficial to both the giver and the receiver of the act.
More specifically, when someone performs an act of kindness, there are hormones released that can spark feelings of euphoria and even lower our blood pressure. Cedars Sinai explains this “Helper’s High” in their report.
Further research shows that giving or receiving kindness can minimize pain, boost energy and reduce stress.
Making Kindness a Habit
Everyone reading this is likely a kind person and thinks of themselves as such. While true, there may be more ways you could consciously train yourself to be more kind and project a happier state of mind to everyone you encounter.
Self-kindness
As a general rule, people who are unhappy subconsciously spread their unhappiness to those around them, creating a negative ripple effect. Meaning…. Look in the mirror, and start there.
So, how can you be nicer to yourself? Here are a few ideas:
Eliminate negative self-talk, keep a regular gratitude journal, boost your mental health with frequent exercise, and curate content in your social media and news feeds, which reflects the good that still exists in the world.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Global Positive News Network & Positive News both publish uplifting stories every day and offer newsletters to get the latest delivered straight to your inbox.
On Instagram, @goodnews_movement shares inspiring updates and @thatgoodnewsgirl posts “something positive every day.”
Kindness in the Workplace
Even if your job does not require you to physically be present amongst your colleagues, practising the principles of kindness is vital to a healthy work environment.
Work Human offers the reasoning behind why an environment of kindness is so important for effective workplace results, and shares a list of simple ways to spread kindness while you’re on the job.
Kindlab offers a free curriculum to K – 8 teachers who want to promote kindness in their workplace, starting with the kids.
Kindness Toward Strangers
Perhaps it’s easy to be kind to those you care about, but you find it more challenging to make the effort with strangers. Or you’re an introvert, who simply doesn’t feel comfortable initiating conversation with people you don’t know. That’s fair—and the good news is that there are plenty of alternatives that still enable you to project kindness.
Kindness is Everything has a specific list of ideas directed specifically toward strangers.
Born This Way invites us all to build kindness into our everyday lives through their #BeKind365 movement, offering several simple ways to participate.
Celebrate Today
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a growing page of ideas for things we can do to commemorate the holiday.
Mental Health Foundation (UK) offers 50 ideas to choose from to perform random acts of kindness.
Admittedly, life can be very challenging and the nicer we are to one another, the easier it will be to navigate those harder times.
Perhaps the simplest thing we can do when we interact with anyone—whether it be in person or virtually—is simply pause, breathe, and follow the Golden Rule:
Do Unto Others As You’d Have Them Do Unto You….
LOVE this! 😄🙏
Thank you for the wonderful information. It is truly a mindset and I look forward to reading the information to enhance it further. God Bless 🙏☮❤🌎🤍
Thank you for this lovely reminder. I especially enjoyed the Ted talk. It definitely was a clear and concise definition of a very important virtue. I always enjoy a good definition. I am also happy to have the good news sites to explore and I will definitely share this article to help spread the word.