A few days ago, a video in which a US school teacher explained the “30-second” rule of kindness caught the attention of netizens. In the video, fourth-grade teacher Natalie Ringgold explains to her students that if someone can’t change something about themselves in 30 seconds, then you shouldn’t talk to them about it. Citing examples such as “Hey, your shoelaces are undone” or “Your shirt is a little fuzzy,” she said, “If you say something like that to someone, they can change it in 30 seconds. But if you comment on someone’s hair color, texture, style, or figure, they can’t change it in 30 seconds.” The teacher, whose advice is widely praised, added, “Your words have power. Even if you apologize and try to retract or take back what you said, you can’t.” Many who took her words enthusiastically added famous observations on kindness, such as Mother Teresa’s “kind words are short and easy to speak, but their repercussions are truly endless.” Psychologists also repeatedly explain that practicing kindness in this way has many mental health benefits, including:
1) Reduces cortisol and stimulates dopamine
Kindness stimulates dopamine in the brain. Renowned American psychologist Martin Seligman once said that practicing kindness creates a positive feedback loop in your brain that makes you feel good. Kindness can also stimulate a relaxation response in the brain, reducing the stress hormone cortisol.
2) Improve your emotional intelligence
Practicing kindness helps improve your interpersonal skills. It also helps build the emotional resources you need to deal with tough situations, like bullying. According to spiritual leader and Nobel Prize winner the Dalai Lama, kindness is also key to developing emotional intelligence and resourcefulness. “Kindness, compassion and generosity are not signs of weakness but symbols of strength,” he once said.
3) Creating Habits
If you make the 30-second kindness rule a habit, it can have a lasting impact on your mental health. Start with small acts of kindness and increase them by practicing gratitude. If you feel like it, you can even try bigger acts of kindness from time to time. Over time, you’ll find that it will increase your emotional resilience and self-esteem, and maybe even have a ripple effect and inspire others.
