Why Kindness Matters Today

AND BE KIND TO OTHERS

Today in our busy often frantic lives, we move a little faster than we probably should, often rushing from appointment to appointment, and we sometimes forget to take the time for a little kindness in our daily interactions.  Let me tell you why I believe kindness is important:

There are truly a myriad of reasons, but it's simply important because it makes our daily lives a little bit nicer. When you take the time to smile - even at a stranger - or if you take the time to tell someone they did a good job or that they really look lovely in that outfit - you just added something nice to their day: You made them feel good for that moment and may have even turned around the mood if they were having a bad day.

A wonderful teacher and coach whom I admire, Haesun Moon of UFT's Solutions Focused Coaching http://solution-focused.ca/education-training/canadian-schools/  told me once that before she enters a room, she makes sure that leaves it better than she found it. She puts aside her worries and concerns and takes the time to make sure she adds - not detracts - from the atmosphere.  Pretty simple but profound wouldn't you say? Imagine if every time you went to a meeting, or a party or a get together, that you stepped back and made sure you added a positive element to that environment.

Did you know that kind acts actually benefit YOU! Yes, it's true, and according to scientist David R. Hamilton,  author of Why Kindness is Good For You,  your positive actions towards others actually elevate the brain's natural versions of morphine and heroin, which are known as endogenous opioids and cause elevated levels of dopamine in the brain leading to a natural high, often referred to as "Helper's High."

I really don't think it's hard to understand why kindness matters. Do you?  It truly makes life just a little bit warmer and richer, and as a famous quote attributed to a well-known philosopher who went by the name of Plato, put it: 'Be Kind: Everyone you  meet is fighting a hard battle.

That, in a nutshell, is why kindness matters.

For more information on kindness workshops in schools, please contact Steffi Black at steffiblack@gcylaw.com or visit her website at www.steffiblackcoaching.com for more information on the kindness program.