Benefits of Genuine Kindness

You know how you feel when you do something nice for someone—without an expectation of even a "thank you?” It feels nice, right? Well it’s not all in your head. Research shows it’s also in your brain and body. Today, Bob explains the power of kindness for your health—and happiness.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Stay Calm as a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome
to Stay Calm, your daily dose of calmness. I'm Bob Roth,
and I've been teaching people to meditate for fifty years,
helping them to stay calm under pressure, reboot and re
energize their lives, and basically be a happier, healthier version

(00:22):
of themselves. And now I want to help you do
the same. Ready, sit comfortably, take a few deep breaths,
and let's begin today's journey. I want to start our
time together today by reading this short, beautiful poem by
singer songwriter Morgan Harper Nichols. The poem is entitled Empathy.

(00:47):
Let me hold the door for you. I may have
never walked in your shoes, but I can see your
souls are worn. Your strength is torn under the weight
of a story I have never lived before. Let me
hold the door for you after all you have walked through.
It is the least I can do. You know how

(01:08):
you feel when you've done something really kind for someone
without any desire for anything in return. You feel warm,
You feel good will. That warm feeling isn't just in
your heart or your head. That good feeling is also
in your body and brain. It turns out that genuine
acts of kindness do something special. They release hormones in

(01:31):
your brain that contribute to an overall good mood in
an elevated sense of well being. For example, research shows
that doctors who feel compassion for their patients burn out
less often, Students who set compassionate goals for themselves suffer
less depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Business colleagues who support one

(01:53):
another at work perform more effectively and report being more
fulfilled personally, and seens who volunteer live longer and remain
healthier than those who don't. Again, this is just not imagination.
Research from the Mayo Clinic reveals that when we perform
genuine acts of kindness, the pleasure center in our brain

(02:15):
is activated, releasing the stress reducing hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is
also called the love hormone. It helps form social bonds
and enables us to trust others more deeply. Studies also
lind kindness to the release of dopamine, a chemical that
gives feelings of euphoria. It causes what is known as

(02:38):
helpers high. So that's the good news, But here's the problem. Helpers.
High doesn't last long, maybe three or four minutes. That
certainly isn't going to carry you through the day or
even a few hours. That's why everyone from doctors concerned
about our health two spiritual leaders concerned about our owl

(03:00):
remind us to cultivate genuine kindness and compassion. And as
we all know, true kindness starts from the fullness we
feel within ourselves. So how do we cultivate kindness? Well,
we meditate regularly to be our best self, and we
eat right, and we exercise. But I believe we need

(03:24):
to take time out of our busy schedule to be
of service to others, others who are in need, or
else we can support a cause we can believe in.
People often say, well, what could I do? How do
I start? Simple things? You can buy some toys online
and send them to a homeless shelter, Send flowers to

(03:47):
someone for no reason, read a book to an elderly
person even online. Donate to a friend's charity, reconnect with
an old friend, buy local products from a small ender,
text someone good night or good morning by lemonade from
a stand. These are just to start. Make your own

(04:09):
list and check off one or two or more a day.
You'll get that oxytocin flowing and keep it flowing, and
it won't just last a few minutes. Do it right,
and you can make it last to one degree or
another for your whole life. All right, Let's end this
time together doing something that I think should be a

(04:31):
feature of our everyday life, and that's appreciation and gratitude.
So let's take thirty seconds of quiet, thirty seconds to
take a break, just take a moment. It turns out
when we do that, it's good for our health as well.
I'll be right back, all right. Thank you for joining

(05:17):
me today. I hope you heard something that inspires, that
uplifts you and that you can incorporate into your own life.
This is Bob Roth. Stay calm, hey, all of you
out there. I'd love to hear from you. You can
send me your stories, your questions, or anything else on
your mind. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook or

(05:41):
Instagram at meditation Bob. You can also send me an
email at meditation Bob Roth at gmail dot com. I
look forward to hearing from you.