The idea of kindness is nothing new. Many of us talk about and think about being kind. As parents, we talk to our kids about the importance of being kind. How many of us actually practice kindness; put it on our to do list and make conscious efforts to BE kind, to our partners, our children, and others. It may seem silly to think about putting “kindness” on our “to do list,” but given our brain’s default network toward dysregulation, it is wise for us to work at changing those neuropathways! Here is why. Kindness Guru David Hamilton, PhD has spent years studying the effects of kindness and discovered that when we do something kind for someone, we feel good. Kindness has double benefits for those we are kind to and for ourselves. Being kind has many physical and psychological health benefits. On a biochemical level it raises important chemicals and hormones that reduce inflammation, boost immunity, protect the cardiovascular system, and improve mood. Some say that practicing kindness even slows down the aging process! Kindness makes us happier and helps create and strengthen feelings of connections with others. Kindness has rippling effects, like a pebble in a pond that creates circles of waves around it, kindness is contagious. There is no telling how many positive effects spread out toward others from our own acts of kindness. Kindness is a choice and the teaching and learning about kindness is in the practice. It is easy to be kind when we feel good towards our partners, the real challenge is when we get triggered, feel irritated or annoyed. It is at these times that it is more difficult to feed our “good” wolf. There are many ways in which to be kind, with words we choose, how we speak, and in our actions. How do you practice kindness? As Spring approaches, contemplate planting your own seeds of kindness and watch them grow. Practice kindness as if your relationships depend on it, because they do!

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