Final answer:
Being kind promotes feelings of compassion, connection, positivity and gratitude, enhancing our emotional well-being. Acts of kindness foster social bonds and can contribute to our perception of the world in a more positive light, while also reinforcing a cycle of gratitude and contentment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Being kind can significantly improve how we feel and has various psychological benefits. Here are five reasons why acts of kindness make us feel good:
- Compassion: Acting with compassion towards others can enhance our own emotional well-being. When we understand and share the feelings of another, it creates a sense of fulfillment and joy.
- Connection: Kindness fosters a sense of social connection. When we are kind, we build bonds with others, which is a fundamental human need and can lead to a feeling of belonging.
- Positivity: Engaging in kind acts can increase our own levels of positivity. This boost in positive attitude can enhance our mood and our perception of the world around us.
- Gratitude: When we perform acts of kindness, we tend to feel more grateful. Gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness, creating a virtuous cycle of kindness and appreciation.
Research suggests that while some argue that all helping behavior is actually self-serving, citing the personal benefits we receive, others argue that we help out of genuine altruism, motivated by empathy towards others.