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The Dalai Lama explained his religion by saying, ‘my religion is simple. My religion is kindness.’ And as South Africa’s Desmond Tutu says that being kind is a simple act since ‘it isn’t the spectacular things that makes you remarkable in the eyes of God, but instead, it is in lighting just one candle to dispel a little darkness that you are doing something tremendous.’ Read on to find out why being kind is good for you and others.

Less anxiety, less stress and more energy

Besides the spiritual aspects mentioned above, being kind is good for you because it saves energy while reducing feelings of anxiety and stress. When one is kind, one is saved from wasting a tremendous amount of energy on negative feelings which include suspicion and resentment. Kindness can be a great antidote to stress.

Stefan Einhorn explains in his book The Art of Being Kind that kind people have better immunity and live longer. Kind thoughts generate positive messages to your body, which strengthens your immune system. One only has to think about how good one feels when thinking compassionate thoughts as opposed to how one feels when thinking dark and angry thoughts.

The ripple effect

The World Kindness Movement began as an effort to connect people across the world through acts of kindness. The belief is that by showing kindness to others, one can impact humanity as a whole. Examples include giving up one’s seat for a pregnant woman or elderly person or giving a sandwich to the beggar on the corner.

An act of kindness can make somebody else’s day while fuelling your own self-esteem. By appreciating and believing in others, you help them grow into better people. This principle works in a family environment as well as a work environment. When people feel cared for they are able to function more effectively.

Kindness works because not only does it reflect generosity of spirit, but it is contagious, too.There is a ripple effect: a kind act is like a stone being thrown into a pond. The ripples can multiply. The world is full of unkind people but it’s easy enough to disarm them with kindness.

Tags: lifestyle, stress relief