Kindness
“While we can’t force others to be kind, we can be kind ourselves and hope to inspire other people.” - Orion Jean (2021 TIME Kid of the Year, Ambassador for Kindness)
Kindness is a choice. Every day offers opportunities to be kind. It’s even true that kindness can sometimes be as simple as not being cruel. One of the yoga philosophies, Ahimsa, speaks of the importance and value of kindness. We know it’s true. Who doesn’t appreciate the kindness of another? Today let’s look at some of the many benefits of kindness:
Mental health: Kindness can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help people with depression or anxiety by taking their minds off their own symptoms.
Social connections: Kindness can help people feel more connected to others, reduce loneliness, and deepen friendships.
Sense of belonging: Kindness can help people feel like they belong an reduce isolation.
Self-esteem: Kindness can help boost self-esteem and prevent shame from corroding a person’s identity.
Mood: Kindness can increase happiness and improve mood.
Physical health: Kindness can help people live longer and be healthier overall.
Contagious: Kindness can be contagious, encouraging others to be more generous themselves.
Brain chemicals: Kindness can increase the body’s feel-good chemicals, like serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.
How to practice kindness? Here are a few ideas:
Give a thoughtful gift
Offer a compliment
Speak an encouraging word
Help with a chore or task
Give a hug
Spend quality time with someone
People who give themselves - in a balanced way - tend to be healthier and live longer. If we learned anything after the pandemic, we know for sure we are made for community, and for any community to thrive there must be kindness. I could go on and on about kindness, but I’ll leave you with this. In 2022 a study by the International Association of Applied Psychology found that individuals who engage in regular acts of kindness report higher levels of life satisfaction and overall happiness. I love that!
We’ll dig deeper into this at my Create Your Own The Blue Zones Retreat in January 2025. If you’d like more information on the retreat, please reach out to me - I’d love to tell you all about it! You can check out this website https://truenaturetravels.com/retreat/costa-rica-jennifer-wendy-2025 for the details and see photos from past retreats on Yoga With Wendy and HHI Yoga on social media. We have just 3 spots left so if a yoga retreat or a trip to Costa Rica has been on your bucket list and your heart is telling you to go do not wait! It's only 3 months away. This will be my 3rd and last time leading this retreat in the beautiful Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. Every time has been magical and I’m filled with gratitude for the gift of retreating with wonderful people who make the trip so special. The remote venue is beyond description, nestled beside the sea under a tropical canopy of palm trees. It’s a haven for decompressing and relaxation. For the adventurous we offer surfing, horseback rides, and hiking or snorkeling excursions. One of the best parts of this retreat is the local people, as our resort hosts exude kindness and we are all better for being surrounded by them.
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, thanks for reading! I hope it encourages and inspires you to be kind to others and to yourselves. I am grateful for you all.
I hope your day is filled with kindness.
Until we meet again,
XO
~Wendy