Kindness for the sake of it is generally not supposed to benefit you. But here are some surprising ways that it can!
When I heard that February 17th was National Random Acts of Kindness Day I knew I had to write about it. You see, in my entrepreneurial journey, there is one thing all of the people I have learned from suggest. That is, of course, to be kind to others.
You might be wondering why. Or maybe you’re thinking, aren’t you kind to everyone? But kindness for the sake of it has incredibly beneficial (and long-lasting) effects.
Kindness and the law of attraction.
If you don’t know much about the law of attraction, don’t worry, I didn’t either. But in the few years that I have begun studying it, it has incredibly far-reaching effects. The problem is, that is true both positively and negatively.
For the purpose of this post I will keep it brief. In essence, what you think, you are. What you think, you attract. So if you continuously think you are a lucky person, you will be one. And even if unlucky things happen, you are still a lucky person because it’s way more about the mindset. If you think only bad things happen to you, you will attract more bad things, with some breaks thrown in.
In terms of kindness and the law of attraction, when you are consistently thinking that you are a kind person, and you do kind acts, they will come back to you. It is the embodiment of good karma, put good out, get good back. So for National Random Acts of Kindness Day, if you’re a little lacking in the good karma department, go do something nice for someone!
Physiology and kindness.
Being kind doesn’t just bring you good karma, some non-physical representation of the universe, but its scientifically proven to bring it back to you. How? Because kindness, when practiced, promotes more by strengthening the neurons between the actions.
Like a mouse in a lab, when the mouse presses the button and receives food, it knows in the future that to eat it must press the button. Until such time that it doesn’t have to remember, it is instinctual. The same is true for kindness. When you act kind towards another human being, you are rewarded (hopefully) with a smile and so on. You are being rewarded with thanks and appreciation, thus strengthening the connection. Being nice means people are nice back.
In terms of how this brings about more goodness is because when you are happy you release “happy” brain chemicals. Those chemicals that are released when you receive a hug and so on. Your brain craves those chemicals and will seek out more of them, so long as you strengthen those receptors instead of allowing them to atrophy. Therefore, when you are kind, your brain rewards you, the other living thing rewards you, and the universe picks up that vibration and rewards you some more! Something simple like caring for houseplants can be a great way to keep those receptors open to receiving more goodness.
What does this have to do with entrepreneurship?
That’s a good question, and the previous two topics answer it, if only a little bit. The second part to kindness and its consequences, is that when you prove to be someone that leads with value, you attract people that like you. This is vital to being a successful entrepreneur.
So much so, that a mentor that I follow has something called “Wealth Wednesday” where he encourages those following him to do one random act of kindness. Some suggestions include leaving a $5 bill in a box of diapers at the supermarket or buying girl scout cookies from a friend. Simple things that don’t cost you much time or even effort, but could mean the world to someone else.
No, it’s not always about money, wealth can mean a wealth of different things. (See what I did there?) But it’s true! I am rich beyond measure, maybe not in the bank, but in the ability to spend time with my children and husband. It’s all relative.
Random acts of kindness can be anything, but they are always about leading with value. Be of service to your peers and you will be rewarded. Don’t be a doormat, and don’t mind people that don’t care about what you do, some people insist on hating you. But it’s not about the haters, it’s about those that appreciate you.
Now go out there and do something nice for someone else! A friend, relative, or a stranger. Make it a habit and see how your life changes for the better.
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