Now I am not saying you should ignore acts of kindness to others, but hey, what about yourself? Let’s use this week of Thanksgiving to give ourselves a little kindness.  Kindness in an unexpected, random way will feel like a surprise to your inner child and help you add balance to your life during the holidays.

According to Lauren E.Miller, stress expert and a breast cancer survivor, scientific studies reveal a strong link between gratitude and random acts of kindness and overall good health, including stress reduction, inner peace and happiness. Some of the physiological benefits to this experience include:

• Increased immune system
• Improved cognitive performance
• Increase in energy
• Lower heart rate
• Balanced cortisol levels which result in less internal stress
• More likely to live a longer and more satisfied life
• Laughter and inner joy resulting in decreased stress hormones; lower blood pressure; diminished pain

Here are some ideas of Random Acts of Kindness to Yourself:

• Walking by a window and seeing your reflection say “I am more than my reflection” instead of going to negative body talk
• Get out of work one hour early this week and take yourself to a park or a beautiful street and notice the colors around you
• In the middle of a stressful day, watch a Youtube that makes you laugh
• Acknowledge a small success and celebrate by snuggling in with a good book for a 1/2 hour  or so

Treat yourself with kindness and remember all the positive physical benefits as well as fun it can offer.

What is a Random Act of Kindness you can do for yourself this week?