Being Nice Helps Children and Adults Think Differently and Behave in Better Ways Towards Others

Being nice and kind is a quality that requires intentional action. Showing kindness is good for our physical and our emotional well-being. Kindness can reduce stress and anxiety.

Observing or practicing a nice act stimulates the vagus nerve, which literally warms up the heart. There are suggestions in scientific journals of the link between compassion and activity of the vagus nerve, a pathway that goes from our brain to our abdomen.

Helping others releases endorphins, the chemicals that produce the feelings of exhilaration known as the “runner’s high.”

Being kind and nice triggers the reward system in our brain and helps to release serotonin, the chemical that creates a feeling of satisfaction. Kindness also releases dopamine, the hormone that is associated with positive emotions.

Acts of kindness, according to researcher Paul Persall, causes our brain to release “Substance P,” a neurotransmitter chemical that blocks pain.”

The more children practice being nice to others, the better they get at it. When children practice kindness, they train their brains to get better at it. With the help of parents, teachers and others, children can learn to be mindfully aware to be nice.

When things don’t go the way you want them to, take a breath, observe what’s happening in and around you and practice responding in a nice way rather than reacting.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of “The Power of Intention,” says, “When we do acts of kindness for others it stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this! Kindness extended, received or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved.”

After a few intentional acts of being nice, the brain begins to understand that you now want to think about these better feelings and thoughts.

We get to choose how we want to be in the world.

Let’s practice being nice.