Human kindness is one of the warmest, most meaningful, generous ways of experiencing and sharing the entire world with others. It has always been and will always be. We express love, affection, care and consideration for both supporting ourselves and one another. These generous acts show themselves in various ways when we smile, forgive, appreciate, even when we reject. It’s a versatile act and it seems there is a science to it. We all witnessed when someone yawns, the other person also yawns.
The underlying reason is mirror neurons, one of the most popular discoveries in neuropsychology. Thanks to these neurons, we mimic the other person and feel similar things to them. Moreover, in many examples in nature, we see that some animals can empathize and even raise other species’ offspring when needed. A recent study demonstrated that even rats show empathy. When given the choice, they chose not to have food if their choices caused pain to other mice. As a result, rats tend to change their behavior for the sake of their friends, even though they are reinforced by a reward.
What’s more interesting is, on the second basis of the experiment, in a setup where both are given electroshock at the same time, if one of the mice was suffering because of the choices of another mouse, the responsible one showed more neurobiological pain response, possibly remorse. How fascinating is that!
Humans, similarly, can feel someone else’s pain or joy. In particular, we can activate our mirror neurons with the observation method. This is a contagious situation that our children will learn from us and copy us eventually. To adapt to such behavior, kids observe from their environment. Take this as a simple formula, if we raise our children with love and human kindness, we can build a better community with empathy in cooperation. Well then, what we need to do is start today, ASAP!
The more human kindness spreads in society, the more people will show it to each other. We sometimes forget to employ kind behaviors in our lives, even though we carry the potential inside. If you want to change the world, you can start with yourself, work on how you treat others and yourself. But how exactly does kindness affect our brain? According to neuroscience and social science studies, kindness changes the brain chemistry through empathy and it increases itself by practice. Research proves that hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, endorphin and oxytocin are released when a person treats others kindly, resulting in psychological health benefits.
Both physical and mental, ultimately, overall well being is enriched through this chemical activation. These mood-regulating neurotransmitters cause us to be less stressful, less angry and happier, more connected, more motivated. There are some physical benefits of kindness as well such as lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health.
Another hormone released through kindness, oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone” plays an undeniable role when it comes to making social bonds and better communications. This specific hormone is released most commonly when mothers are breastfeeding their babies. The essence of compassion, loving and human kindness, trust and support for each other comes from this hormone.
The Small Recipe For a Better World
Smile!
Smiling is contagious just like yawning, and research shows this. Which of us can still pout when the other person smiles sincerely at us? Smiling makes both us and our interlocutor feel better and helps us overcome situations that we see as unsolvable.
Compliment
Complimenting is unique for us humans, as we are the only species who can talk and share what we think about each other. It is a great example of human kindness. Time to share compliments that we thought of but did not utter. Why not tell them what we like about others?
Say the Magic Words “Please” and “Thank You”
Imagine a world where these words were used at the end of each sentence. The help and support that we will provide to each other will increase automatically.
Do a Random Act of Human Kindness
‘Random Act of Kindness’ is a Buddhist practice to feel better and spread love. Try doing something without expecting anything. Surprise a neighbor, stranger or a family member in a non-special timeEven if you can’t change the whole world, you can change your own!
If you’re looking to build new habits and enhance your health, then it’s time to start thinking about what you should be doing differently in your life. The good news is that there are many ways to make changes to your lifestyle that can improve your health and lead to better overall wellness. If you want to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle, download wannawell app for free.
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