This Friday 17 February is Random Acts of Kindness Day. We should all try to imagine a world where we can succeed by being nice. Where we all pay it forward. Where people look out for each other. It all starts with one act – one smile, one nice word, one favour for a friend.

There are many benefits of being kind. Kindness can improve mental wellbeing – showing compassion and connecting with people provides joy and happiness and positive emotions. Being kind is good for you and everyone else – those who give kindness and those who receive it.

You don’t need to plan ahead to be kind, let it be spontaneous – it could be as simple as smiling at a stranger, offering to help carry someone’s groceries, giving someone an unexpected compliment, or a small token of appreciation. Random acts of kindness also extend to being kind to ourselves – forgive past mistakes, drink more water, laugh more, treat yourself, listen to your favourite music.

The best thing is that being kind does not need to cost anything – to ourselves or others. While 17 February may provide a prompt for a Random Act of Kindness, we should all try to make it the norm, each and every day.

Being kind is infectious – let’s help pass it around!

As published in The Advertiser's Boomer lift-out on 13 February 2023.