World Kindness Day

“The best portion of a good man’s life; his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.”
—William Wordsworth

Did you know that November 13, 2013 is World Kindness Day? Have you ever practiced a random act of kindness? Wikipedia states that a random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people. Either spontaneous or planned, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities. It is also known as paying it forward.

Scientific studies reveal a strong link between gratitude and random acts of kindness and overall good health, including stress reduction, inner peace and happiness. Stress relief expert Lauren Miller states that “having a grateful spirit in the midst of any life challenge creates a lighthearted response to the events before you.” Additionally, she states, “When you are grateful and practice random acts of kindness in your life, you end up feeling safe and connected to that which is good and true in this world and the result is inner calm, clarity of thinking and a heart full of love.” A random act of kindness can be an instant stress reliever.

According to scientific studies some of the physiological benefits to practicing random acts of kindness are; increased immune system, improved cognitive performance, increase in energy, lower heart rate, less internal stress, increased likelihood of living a longer and more satisfied life, laughter and inner joy resulting in decreased stress hormones, lower blood pressure and diminished pain.

Some random acts of kindness ideas include, paying for the car behind you at a drive thru, making a dinner for firefighters, donating used books to the library, helping someone load groceries or have a charity day at work. The list is long and you can be as creative as you want to be. Check out www.actsofkindness.org for ideas and more information.