With so much division and hatred dominating our headlines and our heads, it’s important to take a step back and remember the simple solution of kindness. No grudge, political view, or difference in background surpasses our obligation to be kind to one another. World Kindness Day gives us the perfect opportunity to take a step back and remember this obligation. On November 13th, the world is encouraged to spread kindness through simple acts.
Some might ask about the benefits of participating in such a day. Kindness is a double edged sword; benefitting both the giver and the receiver. In a study, 89% of Americans said showing an act of kindness to someone else made them feel better, and 90% said that receiving it made them feel better. In a study done in the UK, 63% of adults said that their mental health is improved when someone shows them kindness, and the same percentage said that their mental health is improved by being kind to others. Lilly King, a junior at MPHS believes, “It’s important to be kind because you never know what someone else is going through.”
Kindness is one of the simplest concepts, but it can also be one of the hardest for many to incorporate into their everyday lives. It can often be scary or overwhelming. A kind gesture doesn’t have to be huge or hard to do, in the words of Mother Teresa, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless”. World Kindness day is the perfect time to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and perform an act of kindness; who knows? Your small act of kindness could change a life! If you’re still feeling stuck or scared, here are a few simple ways to get started; many don’t even involve interacting with anyone.
Write someone a kind note
Leave affirmations on lockers, bathroom mirrors, or in library books
Smile at people
Give someone a sincere compliment
Bake someone cookies
Do a favor for someone
Let the person in line in front of you take your spot
Wave to someone
Hug someone
Volunteer your time
Pay for the car behind you in a drive-thru
Be extra polite
Donate to a charity
Say ‘bless you’ when someone sneezes
Hold the door open for someone
With these examples in mind, everyone at MPHS encourages you to participate in World Kindness Day and continue throughout the year! Many acts of kindness were spread throughout the school for World Kindness Day 2024, some students at MPHS delivered brownies to our incredible teachers, there were also kind notes left on classroom doors, and lots of gifts being given out. Even though World Kindness Day is over, it’s never too late to be kind. Every single day is an opportunity to do something kind for an unsuspecting recipient!
“He who sows Kindness gathers love” – Saint Basil
References
Psychiatry.org – New Poll: Small Acts of Kindness Make Most Americans Feel Better
Kindness research briefing | Mental Health Foundation.
