How Can We Spread Kindness Throughout Houston?
By Vicki Powers
The world can never have too much kindness.
Random acts of kindness are a tangible way to put others before yourself. Just one act of kindness can serve as a wave that ripples beyond that person when he or she continues a kindness act to someone else.
At Houston Recovery Center, kindness is a daily practice in many ways. For instance, we extend kindness when we develop relationships with people on the streets. And keep going back until they’re ready for help. We offer kindness to the people who are publicly intoxicated and come through our sobering center doors – greeted with empathy instead of judgement.
The Science of Being Kind
There also are scientifically-proven benefits of being kind. It can increase happiness and energy and also decrease blood pressure, anxiety, stress, and pain both to you and the recipient of kindness. And who knows, maybe even extend your life!
Check out The Science of Kindness video for a cute explanation.
Ways to Extend More Kindness
How can we be more kind to others in our family, workplace, and community? RandomActsOfKindess.org offers six concepts related to kindness:
*respect: treating people, places, and things with kindness
*caring: feeling and showing concern for others
*inclusiveness: including others, inviting them in, and welcoming them with open arms
*integrity: acting in a way you know to be right and kind in all situations
*responsibility: being reliable to do the things that are expected or required of you
*courage: being brave when facing new or difficult circumstances
Some of the most heart-felt random acts of kindness occur anonymously such as paying for the car behind you in the drive-through line or leaving quarters out at a laundry mat. Need more creative ideas for Random Acts of Kindness week? Print the February calendar from RandomActsOfKindness.org and do a kind act each day.
The world is craving kindness. It can begin with you.