Science has shown that kindness improves our happiness and health on genetic, physical, mental, and emotional levels. Learn more in this podcast, part one of two!  

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2-ish minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and happiness expert Shawn Achor says that a happiness habit of sending a note of appreciation will increase our happiness, and it can move us from a pessimist to a low level optimist.  Whether that’s sending an email or text message every morning in appreciation for someone or taking the honors course and writing a kindness card, this type of activity has been proven to boost happiness not only in ourselves, but others as well. 

Studies have shown that if you perform just one act of kindness a day, you can reduce your stress, anxiety and depression. Your body is flooded with serotonin, the chemical in your body that makes you feel happier, healthier and calmer. The recipient of your kindness gets the same boost of serotonin too! You get a boost of endorphins that reduce pain and your oxytocin levels rise, which help you feel more loving - which has also been proven to reduce blood pressure. Again, the recipient of your kindness gets the same boost in endorphins and oxytocin.      

What is also so incredible, is that this is contagious.  Yup, when other people see you sending a kindness card, they feel the scientific boosts of happiness as well.  You don’t have to be the sender or recipient to feel good.  So it works like this, you post on social media that you sent or received a kindness card.  Hashtag #kindnesscards. Your friends on social media feel a boost and they are significantly more likely to take your inspiration and do something kind for someone else in their sphere, just by seeing your post.  And if you are the recipient of the card, it’s almost guaranteed that you will pass on some kindness to another person. It’s just our human nature. 

Don’t we all want to live in a world that has more kindness and more positivity.  Whether that’s on social media or in our backyard.  

It only takes one person to start the chain reaction and if enough of us do it, there is no stopping it. So go out there, spread kindness, use the hashtag #kindnesscards and share with us all the joy so we can all get a boost of happiness.  

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