How being kind can give you a psychological boost

Today, I want to talk to you about kindness and what it means to you and your physiological system. Kindness releases oxytocin, the connective attachment hormone in your body.

This thing that is acts of behaviors that you would do for another or even to yourself ‑‑ because I want you to think about kindness towards yourself as well ‑‑ is actually a physiological boost that we can give to ourselves.

A simple smile, hello to another, is going to be a simple act of kindness, and then there’s other bigger ones, ones where you go and you help somebody elder or hand hold somebody who’s maybe been in the hospital or really work with somebody that’s struggling with maybe a project and you want to give them support.

Any kind of act of kindness towards yourself or another is going to help you in a chemical way. This place where loneliness happens is not beneficial to our health long‑term.

There’s been so many scientific proof that loneliness in this place really depletes the energy source or the immune system in our body. The remedy for that is kindness, which connects us to our self and another in a real beneficial way.

Whether you’re offering to someone a little smile or hello for their day, a hug, or doing an act of kindness, know that you are benefiting yourself in a social way, an emotional way, and also a physiological medical way.

Keep doing this act of kindness, pieces for yourself and others. I think you’ll really like it.

We all were taught as children that kindness is important, but being kind to yourself and others is more meaningful than you might think.

Being kind to others and yourself releases the hormone oxytocin, which gives you a physiological boost. So something as small as a smile or holding the door for another person, or doing something larger like volunteering or supporting a friend will help you socially, emotionally, and physiologically.

We know that loneliness depletes the immune system and is not beneficial to our long-term mental health. The simple way to combat loneliness is with kindness that connects us to our self and to others in a beneficial way.

Give yourself a boost – socially, emotionally and physiologically – be kind to yourself and others! For more information on good mental health, contact Healthy Futures today.