Nurturing well-being is one of my motivations for advocating for kindness. Articles and news, about how happiness levels are decreasing, need to be interpreted carefully. Still, regardless of how they are interpreted, focusing on kindness is a great way to improve happiness.
There are many reasons why kindness improves well-being such as:
- kindness helps nurture healthy relationships
- having high-quality connections can mitigate stress, combat loneliness, and increase enjoyment in life
- choosing to be kind (rather than being unkind) can cause fewer things that may be regretted later
Though kindness can promote happiness, happiness is more complex and subjective. The references listed below (also posted on my references page) showcase a need to promote kindness.
Though the US is one of the wealthiest places in the world, increasing inequality and political polarization are destructive trends.
Nurturing kindness can help us bridge the political divide, help us to recognize our shared humanity, and improve our relationships. The “measured” drop in happiness is an aggregate measurement so that happiness will vary individually. Committing to nurturing kindness is a great way to promote social well-being and increase personal happiness! 😊
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