Are you aware that there is sound research to support the benefits of the act of kindness? Even given in the smallest gesture, it can mean a difference to those in need and our well-being. A kind relationship with our self-spreads to others, so our kindness to self can be contagious. 

Dr. Waguih William IsHak, a psychiatry professor at Cedars-Sinai, California, found that the reason we feel better when we receive and give kindness is because of oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone.” Her studies have linked random acts of kindness to the release of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that gives us a feeling of euphoria and a “helper high.” 

Kindness is a mood enhancer that should be a part of our daily lives. One way to incorporate this is to work on yourself so that you will help others. 

Working on the self can be achieved through the practice of Mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is the essential human ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we’re doing, not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re experiencing at that moment in time, you are mindful.

The reality is that many of us struggle with judgment for ourselves and others based on expectations. We listen to the voice inside, resulting in negative emotions, doubt, fear, feeling of worthlessness, and shame, leaving us disconnected from others. Mindfulness helps us cultivate an attitude of openness, unconditional friendlessness, sending messages of kindness, compassion, or loving intentions to oneself and others.  

I am the mindful Dr. E, and I’m so excited to share the benefits of Mindfulness with you during Mental Health Month. Having practiced meditation for years and carrying this passion into my doctoral dissertation and in my meditation book, I have developed better control of my emotions, creating a healthier mind, body, and spirit. I wish the same for you.