Guest Blog | How does Kindness Affect your Mental Health?
Sarah Noble is a Mindset and Mindfulness Speaker, Writer and Mentor, and Accredited Mindfulness Teacher. She lives in Dunedin with her partner and son, Dylan, who is 10 months old. She loves vegetables, rock music, nature, travel and swearing. You can find Sarah on Instagram and Facebook
Kindness is an amazing tool for improving our mental health! Want to learn how?
We’ve all heard the saying “It’s better to give, than receive”, but we often don’t think too much into it, do we?
Giving to others, being kind to others, expecting nothing in return is such a simple act, yet, has many benefits, particularly for our mental health and overall wellbeing.
As humans, we are wired for connection. Being kind to others helps to keep us connected, which feels fulfilling. We feel like we belong, and we feel less alone.
Along with feeling connected and improving our relationships, kindness helps to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. It can reduce pain, improve mood, reduce blood pressure, increase feelings of pleasure, increase self-worth and increase happiness. Don’t just take my word for it there are many studies to back this up.
Kindness is an amazing tool for improving our mental health! The ways to be kind to others are endless – a hug, pay it forward at the coffee shop, let someone in front of you in traffic, volunteering, donating to a cause that aligns with you, send a nice message to a loved one, pick up rubbish, help a friend move house, smile at strangers, babysit – the list goes on!
We also increase our sense of compassion when we are being kind to others. You will likely receive random acts of kindness yourself in return – but don’t focus on that of course!
It’s nice to just give to your fellow human, knowing you are making their day a little brighter. After all, we never truly know what anther is dealing with, a small act if kindness could mean the absolute world to them.
So, try it out. Be kind to others, in a way that feels right for you, and watch your mental health improve!
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