Mindful Monday - Our Minds Are Full - Let Our Hearts Be Full Too..

For #MindfulMonday I imagined that many folk's minds these days are very full with all that is going on, so many changes happening at such a rapid pace!

I hope you all are taking some time to check in with yourself! Remembering to breath and stop for a moment to see how you are doing! That everything is okay.

At times like this self care and kindness is very important.

Take note of your self-talk. Are you encouraging or judging? Do you start from a position of ‘yes you can’ or ‘you’ll never do it’? Do you pay attention to that voice in your head? In these troubled times can you steer towards kindness?

Being kind to yourself and others.

Did you know that you can train your brain to make kindness almost automatic?

Kindness is all about mindset.

Have you ever notice when you've been kind to someone it makes you feel good? These acts of kindness or altruism will actually promote a chemical reaction in your brain, releasing serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. The feel good hormones which work to reinforce positive social behavior, which can lead to a more positive, kinder life.

Want some tips for engineering kindness into your brain?

Choose to be kind

Consciously put in your mindset to treat people with compassion and empathy. You may find that a kindness loop may be created. Have you notice the effect your kindness has on others? Like when you smile, it's most likely the person will smile back.
So if you choose to be kind, regardless of your mood, even those cranky days can turn into happier one.

Do more random acts of kindness

There has been studies on happiness that showed carrying out five random acts of kindness every week is one of the most effective way of increasing your happiness. And it can be something simple like dropping a short note letting someone know you care, offering to pick something up at the store for an elderly neighbor or putting rainbows and hearts in the window showing people you care.

Practice gratitude

Daily count your blessings. Take note of the good things in your life and practice being grateful. The research has shown that the outcome of this is an actual change to your brain structure! Brain scans have shown the effect of mindfulness and gratitude. The parts of the brain associated with stress shrinks, while the regions associated with self-awareness and compassion grow. How cool is that!

I'm so grateful to have this community on Hive where I have found many kind and caring people and I hope this post helps bring more kindness forward for there can never be too much!