10 Minutes of Kindness Every Day – Service365 (Sep’23)

HEAD

Tara Cousineau, author of The Kindness Cure, points out that we are wired for kindness—that it’s part of our biological heritage, designed to help us foster relationships, work together, and survive in groups. When we are kind to others, it releases neurochemicals in our bodies that increase trust and give us a warm feeling.

We are naturally conditioned to notice the negative things around us. Media headlines take advantage of that predisposition, leading with sensational stories bound to make us feel enraged, fearful, helpless, or all of them. And those emotions are antithetical to kindness.

We need to counter that by purposefully creating opportunities for positive emotion. That could mean something as simple as smiling at the people you pass on the street, or giving your child a warm hug when you walk in the door.

(Excerpts from How to Start a Kindness Revolution)

Therefore, 10 minutes each day.

HANDS

This month, allocate a minimum of 10 minutes for some act of kindness. You could start with a 10 minutes meditation as a kindness to yourself, prepping the muscles of kindness and courage, because acts of kindness often take courage when we start.

From there, take 10 minutes to observe the people in your home. What are their needs? What can you fulfil?

From there, move to friends, neighbours, workplace, community, online connections, flora, fauna and elements – the possibilities are infinite. What could you do for the joy, connection, or comfort of another?

So set an alarm and set aside those 10 minutes right now as a promise to yourself. Keep a journal if you can.

HEART

How does the intention to practice small acts of kindness affect your internal system? How did the acts of kindness you practised this month teach you? As you read your journal at the end of the month, what insights came up for you? Share your reflections and stories in the comments and the WhatsApp group.