Quote from Caroline Flack 'in a world where you can be anything, be kind'

Kindness is undervalued and underrated. It’s a superpower. And small acts can have big impacts!

Over the last few years, more than ever, I’ve realised the power of kindness.  Not necessarily grand gestures – but unexpected, thoughtful, simple acts of kindness which have just meant so much.  Whether it’s a card in the post, a cooked meal or just a chat, the kindness I have experienced has been amazing and has helped me get through cancer treatment and beyond.

I’ve had small and not-so-small gestures from friends and family – gifts of flowers, care packages, support at appointments, nutritious meals.   They would do whatever they could to help – staying with me, ferrying me from home to hospital, helping with household chores and coaxing me to get out and move.  There are so many examples which have made a big difference. 

And I’ve also had immense kindness from near strangers.  Some have given their time and shared their stories which helped me with big decisions. These little acs of kindness extended to the medical teams who cared for me – when I was in hospital under COVID protocol nurses would go out of their way to spend time with me before, after and during their shifts. They would chat to me and generally check how I was doing when my family and friends were not allowed to visit. And other patients were also so kind – keeping our spirits up, helping make time go quicker in hospital. These smallest acts of kindness have made a positive difference to me and helped make a challenging experience much more bearable.

I read that kindness can have a positive impact and lead to better outcomes for cancer patients and although this research is limited to the care team involved, I would like to think that the kindness from friends and family as well as strangers can also help.  It has for me.

It’s made me think about my own levels of kindness – I’m a people pleaser so its sort of naturally ingrained in me but I’m far from perfect and I’m most definitely not a saint.  I do actually love helping people and genuinely get a buzz from it.  I’m no good in a medical emergency but I’m a natural problem solver and solution focused so I’d like to think I can be helpful in so many other ways. Recently, (and this has taken some reflection because I’ve just done these without thinking) I’ve tried to be kind:

  • Giving a helping hand to a fellow passenger who was struggling to open a bottle of water – a small act of kindness but so appreciated (she called me her guardian angel but it didn’t occur to me not to help). 
  • I’ve been a sounding board for a friend wanting to make some changes in their life.   
  • I’ve been volunteering for a charity – a few hours and a listening ear, I hope I’m making a difference during tough times.   
  • Although, I’m having a career interrupted moment, I continue to put my work experience to good use – I constantly share commercial ideas to help my friends with their entrepreneurial endeavours.

The list goes on, yet we rarely pause to acknowledge acts of kindness whether we’re the ones giving or receiving them. In a recent podcast, the author of The Keys to Kindness, Claudia Hammond, suggested we should all become kindness twitchers spotting and appreciating these moments as they happen. I love this idea, and I’m making a conscious effort to notice and appreciate the kindness that comes my way.

Being kind doesn’t mean saying yes to everything or stretching yourself too thin. It’s about small, intentional moments of connection, a thoughtful gesture, a few kind words, or even just a warm smile to a stranger. And it doesn’t have to wait for a crisis; sometimes, the tiniest act of kindness can completely transform someone’s day, yours included.

A book, The Keys to Kindness by Claudia Hammond

Kindness: It’s Basically Free Therapy

There are many benefits of kindness. Science says: being kind is good for you. Studies show that acts of kindness have a profound impact on physical health as well as mental health. It can:

  • Boost dopamine and serotonin—those lovely feel-good chemicals
  • Boost endorphins – a natural pain & stress reliever
  • Decrease blood pressure and cortisol which can reduce stress.
  • Increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion and improve mood.
  • Increase social connections, decreasing loneliness

And it can be infectious, encouraging others to join in with their own kind acts – the ripple effect of kindness.

What stops us from being kind?

We all like to think we’re kind people and we mostly are, but being honest we just don’t always get around to it despite good intentions – at least, I don’t anyway. Life is busy, we assume someone else will step up, or we overthink whether our help will be wanted.  And sometimes it can feel like another thing to do on the ever growing list of life admin tasks in our busy daily lives. Not all acts of kindness require heroic efforts or money – the beauty of kindness is that you don’t need to plan or schedule it, just noticing moments in daily life where you can be kind and acting upon it is enough.  

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Aesop

Easy Ways to Be Kind (and get a natural boost)

Small acts of kindness can make a big difference.  Here are a few low-effort, high-impact ways to be a kind human this week and beyond:

  • A simple smile or a ‘good morning’ to a stranger.
  • Hold the door open for someone or let someone go ahead of you in a queue or in traffic.
  • Help someone when they look like they are struggling
  • Send a quick message to a friend – “Thinking of you!” goes a long way.
  • Surprise someone with a handwritten note or card – Almost retro, but so delightful to receive.
  • Make an introduction – connect 2 people who could benefit from meeting one another.
  • Leave a kind review for a local business—especially the independent ones.
  • Donate to a food bank or charity – A few quid or a tin of soup or even your unwanted items? Easy.
  • Volunteer somewhere – It could be a local charity or in some other way – you’ll feel great and helpful.
  • Be kind to yourself – Speak to yourself like you would a friend, and take a break when you need it.

 What’s the best act of kindness you’ve ever experienced?  Share below.