Today, October 5th, also known as National Do Something Nice Day is one of the first holidays of the month that reminds us to be kind to one another. Although typically, good deeds derive from a selfless mindset, being an inherently generous person can be difficult especially if no one else seems to be returning the favors. However, when you are kind to others, not only will you make someone else smile, but more than likely your joy will also increase.
Don’t believe it? Try it yourself.
Doing something nice for other people has been scientifically proven to benefit one’s mental and physical health substantially, even more so when this compassion is consistent.
A particular study released in the Journal of Social Psychology explains the positive feedback loop between kindness and happiness. The participants in this study were instructed to perform an act of kindness every day for 10 days with a control group to compare. The investigation clearly showed an increase in happiness for the experimental group, but the other individuals presented no signs of an elevated mood. These results indicate the truth behind the kindness/happiness feedback loop, the nicer you are towards others the more likely you will be individually happy and content with your life. The more good deeds you perform, the happier you will be, which makes you much more likely to want to do more kind things. Not to mention, when you present your own generosity, you make others happy which makes them much more likely to also perform a good deed, likely onto you. WIN. WIN. WIN.
Along with feeling more satisfied with your life, developing a habit of being a kind person also makes you live longer. Performing a kind act or service for someone else releases the hormone oxytocin, which helps lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety, among the other happy hormones like serotonin which brings peace and calm to individuals. Being nice to others also significantly decreases the presence of the stress hormone, cortisol, which is infamous for negatively affecting the body’s natural functions. Cortisol completely takes control of an individual’s internal system raising blood sugar in the bloodstream and the brain which often results in weight gain, early aging, and some can even develop type 2 diabetes. People who are dedicated to helping others and are good-natured generally have 23% lower levels of cortisol than others. So, doing something nice for someone could literally save your life.
In simple terms, just be nice.
Hope this inspired you to do something kind today and every day for someone you feel deserves it. Even if those good deeds are somewhat selfishly motivated, you should be proud knowing you made someone else happy.
