By Theresa Ficazzola
What have you done so far in February to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) week and day? If you can’t think of anything, then do something today!
According to the RAK Foundation (yes, it’s a real thing!), RAK week is celebrated every February during Valentine’s Day week, while RAK day is celebrated every February 17. The goal of the RAK Foundation is to make kindness the norm, not just during RAK week.
Don’t wait until you notice that someone is in need of a smile or a paid cup of coffee. By proactively and spontaneously doing RAKs every week, they’ll become second nature to you. And the positive reinforcement you get from doing something nice for others will make you feel good, too.
What Kindness Can Do
According to the RAK website, kindness:
· Builds stronger connections by strengthening relationships
· Improves mental and physical well-being by releasing feel-good hormones like oxytocin and serotonin, which help reduce stress and increase happiness
· Creates a ripple effect by inspiring others to pay it forward, creating a chain of positivity that spreads far beyond the initial act
· Breaks down barriers by transcending differences in culture, background and beliefs
· Inspires action by encouraging others to join in
The Science of Kindness
According to Psychology Today, kindness exchanges a surge of the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin in both the giver and the receiver. Other benefits from research report that being kind:
· fosters compassion
· spurs feelings of happiness
· promotes a sense of connection and community with others
· deepens gratitude
· connects us to hope and optimism
· allows us to use our strengths in meaningful ways
· improves physical well-being, lowers blood pressure and eases pain
· surges the dopamine pleasure-reward center of the brain, leading to what’s known as the helper’s high
· produces oxytocin that helps us, and others, feel safe and comforted
· offers feelings of increased energy
· decreases loneliness
· reduces anxiety and eases depression
· increases our own self-worth
· promotes longevity
Be Kind to Yourself and the Planet, Too
But don’t forget about two other important areas that could benefit from a RAK – yourself and the planet.
Do something nice for yourself. Treat yourself to lunch or a spa day, spend some alone time with a cup of coffee or tea and reflect on the good things in your life, make a list of things you’re grateful for, etc.
Then do something nice for the planet. Buy organic, sustainable produce, recycle everything you can, plant a garden to feed and nourish bees and butterflies, use less electricity, install solar panels on your roof in Staten Island and the surrounding areas, etc.
Installing Solar Can Benefit You and the Earth
Did you know that installing solar panels on your roof in New York or New Jersey can enable you to do your part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Let SI Solar show you how affordable and easy your own solar system can be.
By installing solar, you’ll be helping your pocketbook by saving money on your electric bill, which you can then use to do something nice for yourself or others. And, you’ll be helping the planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thereby making the world better for current and future generations. It’s a win/win.
SI Solar has been helping New York area residents enjoy the benefits of solar energy for over 10 years. Our knowledgeable owner and experienced crew would be happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation assessment of your home to see how you can take advantage of all that solar has to offer.
Make Kindness the Norm
And after you take care of yourself and the planet, remember to be kind to others every week.
RAK offers this advice on making kindness the norm:
• Start Small—Incorporate simple acts of kindness into your daily routine, like offering compliments, holding the door open, or lending a helping hand.
• Model Kindness—Be an example for others, especially children, by showing kindness in your words and actions.
• Amplify It—Share stories of kindness to inspire others and spread positivity.
• Create Systems—Advocate for policies and practices–in schools, workplaces, and communitie–that encourage and reward kindness.
Everyone can do something nice for someone else. That includes at home, school, work, on the street, at the store, or any public place where there are people. Plus, often a RAK requires very little effort, cost or time.
With so much negativity and uncertainty in today’s world, a little kindness can go a long way, especially to those individuals who really need a pick me up.
