6 WAYS KINDNESS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER

While kindness is usually aimed at other people, being kind can also have a positive impact on our own mental and physical wellbeing. 

Being kind is one of the easiest things you can do to make someone’s day. Simply performing an act of kindness, like smiling at a stranger or baking a cake for a friend, can benefit you just as much as the person on the receiving end.

Even thinking about a time you demonstrated kindness – or vice versa – has been shown to boost your mood and elevate those warm, fuzzy feelings (also known as kama muta, a term with origins in ancient Sanskrit). Kama muta, generosity and kindness all help us connect with others, and do wonders in providing us with a sense of purpose and belonging. 

So with benefits like connection, elevated mood, and general feel-good vibes, how can we practice kindness more? And can it actually change our lives? Spoiler: yes.

Here are six acts of kindness you can try today.

Spending time helping out someone who really needs it offers up a whole range of feel-good feels: it’ll give you a sense of purpose, make you feel part of the community, boost your self-esteem and may even combat feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. It’ll even make you feel healthier. 

Volunteering can be anything from getting involved in classroom reading at your child’s school or arranging a meal tree for a sick friend, to registering with an organisation to cook or deliver meals, visit people who may be socially isolated, or walk dogs at your local animal shelter. 

If you’ve got the means, donating money to charity is another wonderful way to practice kindness. Studies have also shown that people who make donations have lower blood pressure and reported an increase in self-esteem, and a decrease in feelings of depression and stress. 

It also promotes generosity – seeing others give makes you more likely to give yourself. When we donate money (or our time or belongings), the reward centre in the brain is activated, which can lead to a nice little surge of dopamine. The result? When we display true altruism, we feel happier. 

AIA Vitality members can donate their monthly Active Benefit vouchers to a range of Australian charities. Find out more here. 

According to The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, every blood donation has the potential to save three lives, and can be used towards 22 different medical treatments, including cancer, obstetrics and road accidents – talk about the epitome of kindness! Along with benefiting people in need of healthy blood (not to mention, saving lives), giving blood may also improve your emotional wellbeing and reduce negative feelings. If you’re unable to donate blood, why not think about donating a few dollars to the Red Cross? 

There are so many benefits to getting involved in a community event like a fun run. Not only can you raise money for charity, everyone chucking a few dollars your way will feel the good vibes that giving brings too. 

You’ll also get all the benefits associated with exercise and getting out into the great outdoors. We’re talking improved fitness, that boost of motivation that comes with setting a goal (and achieving it), and the community spirit of running, walking, swimming or cycling alongside a group of people who are just as keen to make a difference. 

Around 4000 ponytails are needed every year to make wigs and hairpieces for people living without hair. So instead of letting your ponytail get swept up and dropped into landfill next time you’re getting a new do, why not donate it to a charitable organisation who can turn it into a wig and improve the life of someone experiencing illness? You’ll look good, and feel even better. 

Kindness can also extend to our four-legged friends. Give a very good boy or girl a home by adopting a rescue animal from your local shelter. Animals give you unconditional love, and owning a pet gives you an enormous sense of purpose – after all, you’ve saved a life! When you rescue a pet, especially a dog, you’re improving your own health and fitness, due to all those morning walks and Frisbee throws at the park, plus you’ll be meeting people in your community who can’t walk past your pooch without stopping for a pat.  

Disclaimer:
This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.