Daily Intention of Kindness

Setting an intention is like drawing a map of where you wish to go—it becomes the driving force behind your goals and visions. Without an intention, there is no map, and you’re just driving down a road with no destination in mind.

Below, just in time for Christmas, the month of giving, we unpack the Intention of Kindness and how it can support you during your yoga or meditation practice and throughout your day-to-day life. When you set this intention and bring it into practice you will experience life with more balance and ease. Allow your meditation to be led by this intention or use it as a gentle prompt throughout your day to reflect on and come back to the present moment.

Kindness

Kindness can be defined as being helpful, generous, compassionate, and considerate. When we practice kindness to ourselves or others, we can experience positive psychological effects such as lower stress levels and increasing our happy hormones such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin.

In this new age of technology, kindness and compassion can take a back seat, to expendable human interactions, selfies and self-serving intentions. Perhaps after reading this, one of your New Year’s resolutions might be to put kindness first.
Kindness can create a ripple effect, one that we can all ride.

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” – Amelia Earhart

The Myall Wellbeing Team have shared some of their favourite resources on Kindness below. As you listen, read and watch, our hope is that you will feel inspired. Pay it forward to a loved one, share with us what resonated with you or share with us your own resources in return!

Jamil Zaki on Kindness

Psychologist and professor, Jamil Zaki shine’s an alarming spotlight on society’s growing lack of empathy, where it comes from and where it has gone.

In his book, War for Kindness – Building Empathy in a Fractured World, Jamil challenges out of date views on the brain and human behaviour, he finds the sweet spot between research and empathetic responses.
A relevant quote from the book:

“We struggle to understand people who aren’t like us, but find it easy to hate them. Studies show that we are less caring than we were even thirty years ago”.

― Jamil Zaki , The War for Kindness

Self-Compassion practice

Not only is kindness about the things we do for others, but it can also be the way we act and think towards ourselves. So often, people can get caught up with giving and taking care of other people that self-care and kindness towards ourselves are forgotten or pushed to the side.

Taking time for yourself to recharge, doing meditation or yoga, being compassionate towards yourself, not falling into the trap of comparisons or even indulging in self-care activities are all ways we can show ourselves kindness.

When we practice kindness towards ourselves, we are giving ourselves life force to give to others, without this, you could say we are going through life without our safety life vest on. Just like the aeroplane attendant tells us, put your own on first, then take care of others.

Read the full article here

Random acts of Kindness

If you’re looking for ideas to inspire kindness in yourself and others, take a look at this list of 100 random acts of kindness. These small gestures and good deeds can change someone’s day. So next time you’re out and about, stop, take a breath and send someone a smile or two.

Here are some random acts of kindness ideas that can brighten someone’s day:

• • Donate flowers to a nursing home
  • Stop to assist someone who looks like they need it
  • Give up your seat on a crowded bus or train
  • Give an Unexpected Compliment
  • Deliver Coffee to an Unexpected

Read the full list and download the resources here.

How being kind Changes Your Brain

The warm fuzzy feeling that washes over your body after being kind is not just in your head, it is physical too. Being kind can send a response to the brain to produce our feel-good hormones such as oxycontin (the love hormone), dopamine (feel-good), serotonin(well-being).  Kindness plays a role in various forms of cognitive-based therapies, which is a positive sign we should consciously choose kindness and compassion in our day-to-day lives.

In this link, you’ll find a fact sheet on the health impacts of kindness.

The business impacts of Kindness

Kindness in the workplace is critical to induce a collective feeling of togetherness. Being recognised and praised can improve a sense of meaning at work, leaving individuals feeling empowered and valued while boosting self-esteem and positive emotions.

Not only is being kind to employees beneficial, leading by example will create a trickle-on effect throughout the workplace. Harvard Business Review discusses in detail how kindness at work can transform the workplace.

Read the full article here.

Continue setting an intention of kindness at our classes in-studio or virtually. Download the Myall App on Google Play (Android) or the App Store (Apple) and view our Studio Timetable.