Practice Random Kindness by Alicia Kirschenheiter

It's Good For Your Health!

By: Alicia Kirschenheiter, Lifestyle Management and Fitness Coach

All too often, we randomly miss opportunities throughout the day to complete a simple single act of kindness.  I am not speaking of charitable causes, fund raising, donations…or frankly any event that costs us more than a moment of our time.  I know from a pure, “My Mom always told me to be nice.” standpoint, kindness is something that should be inherently grained into our psyche.  However, kindness and gratitude, in my opinion are two of the easiest and most effective ways to stimulate your own wellness and some of the biggest overlooked.

I realize that incorporating kind acts and gratitude practices into you daily routine for your own wellness, is well, selfish and probably the complete opposite of the definitions of kindness and gratitude.  With that being said, what better way to not only do something for someone else and reap some of the benefits for yourself. Integrate these practices with DIY Wellness Solutions.

Wellness is the pursuit of the best health possible through fit body, balanced mind and peaceful spirit.  The practice of kindness and gratitude actually has shown to be very beneficial to all of these same three wellness branches.  One of the wonders of pursuing a wellness path is a heighten sense of creating the same balance for things around you.  While I am not philosophical enough to say it is enlightenment, I will say it is awareness. I truly believe that once you begin to respect and value yourself enough to want the best health, you begin to find and respect more things around you.  By being aware you develop appreciation and the desire to impact the things you now respect positively. It is a circle of do good and feel good.

Acts of kindness and gratitude have been shown to:

•     Increase self esteem, self worth, optimism and confidence
•     Help forget your own physical or emotional pain
•     Help decrease stress and acts as a stress release
•     Improve immune response
•     Decrease feelings of depression and self doubt
•     Increase sense of balance and over all well being

Best of all, as noted by Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard cardiologist involved in scientific research for over 30 years (he is also author of The Relaxation Response), helping others it allows us to ‘forget one’s self’.  Dr. Benson states that another reason is that when we carry out an act of kindness, our body rewards us by creating a ‘feel good’ sensation, which boosts self esteem and well being. This has been titled, the helper’s high.

The evidence is overwhelming that in its purest form, giving and being thankful is good for everyone involved.  So, be conscious, be gracious and take the time to give back.  The benefits of positive action are priceless.  

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