Why do random acts of kindness feel so good?
It is the surprise factor. When we are surprised our experience is enhanced.
Think about that scary movie when the bad guy jumps out of nowhere. Our hearts immediately race and we may even let out a gasp.
Similarly, when someone does something nice out of the blue, we are awash with a warm glow. It feels special.
In 2004, the first Random Acts of Kindness Day was celebrated in New Zealand. It was a day to celebrate kindness and the ‘pay it forward mentality’ according to its organizers. In the United States, the impact of kindness has been researched since 1995 at the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.
Kindness has been found to have positive impacts on mental health, physical well-being, social dynamics and child development. We often talk about how it is important to strike a good balance between focusing on your business and your self-care. So in an effort to support your self care, we thought we would take a moment to lift your spirits by sharing some random acts of kindness.
True Sportsmanship: In the Southwest Region Little League playoff game, a ball thrown by the Texas East pitcher hit the Oklahoma batter in the head so hard that it knocked off his helmet and sent him plummeting to the ground. Thankfully the batter got up, signaled that he was fine and walked to first base. Once on base, the batter noticed something. The pitcher was obviously shaken up by the incident and was having a hard time holding it together. The 12-year-old Oklahoma batter dropped his helmet to the ground, went to the pitcher’s mound and enveloped the pitcher in a hug reassuring him that everything was okay.
Even the Tooth Fairy Needs Help: If you have children in your life, you know that the tooth fairy is serious business. A couple traveling with their six year old daughter was happy to arrive safe and sound after a 36 hour delay. At baggage claim, their daughter noticed that she had lost her tooth and was frantic to retrieve it so that she could reap her tooth fairy reward. How could that happen if she couldn’t put her tooth under her pillow? Despite her parents taking the time to walk back to the gate, the tooth was lost. A pilot walking through the airport saw her distress. He stopped, knelt down next to her and wrote the following note. He assured her that the Tooth Fairy would accept the note in lieu of the tooth:
Starbucks and the Pay It Forward Culture: If you are a Starbucks drive through customer, you may have been fortunate to have your coffee paid for by the car in front of you. Once a person starts this process, others are often inspired to do the same. Did you ever wonder how people respond when they drive up and get this pleasant surprise? To let people know how this act impacts others, a Denver Colorado Starbucks employee shared people’s reactions after a recent run of coffee kindness:
-”One man who just lost his father the day prior cried in happiness because there is good in the world.
-One woman having a very rough morning expressed how thankful she was for the person ahead of her changing the outlook of her day.
-Another person was going to her first day back to work after being home with her newborn baby for the past 6 months and was stressed about that and appreciated the kindness.”
She closed her post by saying, “Moments like these are moving for the people who experience them and make me love my job.”
We hope that these stories brighten up your day and inspire you.
Oh, and by the way, the United States has its own Random Acts of Kindness Day. In 2023, it will be February 17th.
Enjoy your day and pay it forward!
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