Ten things you never knew about... kindness

Today is World Kindness Day which was introduced in 1998 as “a day that encourages individuals to overlook boundaries, race and religion”.

1. The date of November 13 was the opening day of the first World Kindness Movement conference in Tokyo in 1998 and the 35th anniversary of the Small Kindness Movement of Japan. 2. Biochemically, kindness has been shown to increase levels of natural opioids in the brain which increase dopamine to produce a natural high. 3. Being kind also increases oxytocin which benefits the heart and cardiovascular system. 4. Acts of kindness also produce endorphins, which are our natural painkillers. 5. “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love,” (Lao Tzu). 6. Research has also shown that committing acts of kindness lowers the blood pressure. 7. “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” (Mark Twain). 8. The Kindness Of Strangers is the title of several books including Kate Adie’s autobiography. 9. That title comes from Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. 10. Research shows that kindness is contagious, creating a kindness ripple through its recipients.