Smile: Smiling shows that you welcome the other person and are ready to communicate.

Show Consideration: Ask yourself, “How will what I say or do affect the other person? You don’t want to spread unhappiness accidentally or unnecessariyl.

Give Praise: Sincere praise gratifies others and shows that you are comfortable with yourself.

Admit You Are Wrong: At any given moment, on any given issue, you may be wrong. Having the courage to acknowledge it makes you more agreeable.

Don’t Ridicule, Humiliate or Demand: Show your anger but don’t let it overpower you. You can express your thoughts without attacking the other person.

Let Others Be Kind To You: Part of being considerate is accepting and treasuring kindness.
-Parade Magazine, August 25, 2002

An act of kindness is a spontaneous gesture of goodwill towards someone. Kind words and deeds come from a state of benevolence, generated by a core response deep within all of us. Best of all, kind acts are contagious. When people see kind acts being committed, it makes them feel good and inspires them to do the same. We want to create an epidemic of kindness.

Be Anonymous
When carrying out acts of kindness, care should be taken not to intrude or embarrass. Some kind acts may be able to be carried out anonymously. It absolves the receiver of any sense of awkwardness or indebtedness, and for the giver, it becomes an enjoyable game. Also, anonymous kindness bypasses our ego’s demand for attention, and is the highest form of kindness.

Get High
Being kind is an enjoyable experience. It makes you feel good, and useful, and alive, and it validates you as a human being. When you are kind it triggers a number of beneficial physical and psychological responses. The most obvious response is the ‘feel good’ sensation, which has been called the “helper’s high”.

Be Healthy
When you do something good, your body rewards you by releasing endorphins. These morphine-like substances create the feel good experience, and also have the capacity to reduce or even block pain signals to the brain. People suffering from physical or psychological pain experience relief when they carry out an act of kindness.

Be Happy
Depression has received a good deal of attention from the press of late. It has been stated that over twenty percent of the population is affected by it at some time during their life. Depression feeds on introspectiveness: dwelling on our problems will drive us deeper into the morass of depression. When you practice kindness you are placing your attention onto someone else, or as Herbert Benson put it, the act of helping allows us ‘to forget one’s self.’ When you do this you have put your depression ‘on hold,’ and your acts of kindness may allow you to see your own situation from a different perspective. This could result in being able to find new ways to seek relief from the condition.

Live Longer
It has been scientifically proven that regular, small acts of kindness have a positive effect on your physical and mental well being, but also on your longevity. Kindness is not only a feel good experience, it is also beneficial for your health.

The above benefits of performing acts of kindness is taken from www.spreadkarma.org. More information about sharing acts of kindness and how you can share acts of kindness can be found at www.spreadkarma.org

Writer Gordon MacDonald said that each night he reads a story to his
little daughter. One day he was preparing to be away from home for a
few days and he taped a selection of stories for his daughter to
listen to while he was gone.

When he came back, he was eager to hear his daughter’s reaction.
She answered, “Dad, the stories were fine, but it wasn’t the same,
I couldn’t sit on the tape recorder’s lap.”

Too often we underestimate the power of touch. Negative as well as
positive touch has the power to elicit strong emotions. It can hurt
and it can heal. Touch people in a negative way and you may get a
strong reaction you didn’t expect. Touch them in a safe, affirming
and
affectionate way, and you’ll probably get just as strong a response -
-
only this one you will welcome.

Touch is powerful for infants. Newborns who are touched will thrive.
Studies have shown that babies deprived of touch have a significantly
higher mortality rate than those who are held and cuddled by caring
adults — even when the “touched” babies are reared in unsanitary
conditions.

Touch is powerful for teenagers. Teens who are touched communicate
better. Many adolescents assert their independence by refusing to
be hugged by their parents. But most of them will accept a simple
back
or shoulder massage. That act of touch communicates love in a
powerful
way. It will frequently break down emotional barriers and even help
young people to “open” up and talk about what is on their minds.

Touch is powerful for adults. Both men and women who are touched are
happier and healthier. According to University of Colorado
researchers, most adults would like to be touched more. Holding a
hand
or offering a hug can warm hearts and heal relationships like nothing
else can.

Touching is powerful. Learn the art of a caring touch and you’ll
discover a magical key that opens the lives and hearts of those you
care about.

– Steve Goodier
www.lifesupportsystem.com

Deborah