Today (November 13, 2025) is World Kindness Day! 🌍❤️

This feels like the perfect moment to share something that happened last month that reminded me just how easily kindness can spread.

I was sitting in a cafe in Japan when a woman quietly asked if anyone knew where the nearest ATM was. She sounded a little panicked, and I stayed silent because I didn’t know how to help. But the man sitting behind me immediately stepped in. He spoke gently, gave her clear directions, and his kindness really struck me.

A few minutes later, the woman returned. The ATM hadn’t worked with her card. She looked even more stressed and asked if anyone at the cafe had Venmo or Zelle. The man didn’t. But because I had just watched him help, I suddenly felt inspired to help. I asked her how much she needed. She said the equivalent of twenty dollars. So I handed her the yen, she sent me the amount on Zelle, and she walked away relieved.

It was such an ordinary moment — nothing dramatic at all — but it really stayed with me. It reminded me that even the smallest kind action can create a ripple. When I think about the type of person I want to be, I think about moments like this. It still amazes me that every one of us has the power to start a positive chain reaction in the world.

The Psychology Behind Kindness Ripples

Research actually shows that this ripple effect is real.

Psychologists even have a name for what I felt. Jonathan Haidt describes an emotion called elevation: the warm, expanding feeling you get in your chest when you witness an act of kindness or moral beauty. Elevation makes people want to become better versions of themselves and increases the desire to help others and connect more deeply.

The Benefits of Kindness

Elevation is just the beginning. What we do with that feeling matters — and research shows that even small acts of kindness have real benefits for both the giver and the receiver.

Being kind boosts well-being

In one study, people who performed small, random acts of kindness felt happier and less stressed; and those receiving those acts lit up too. Many even reported that they intended to “pay it forward” afterward (Pressman et al., 2015).

Kindness strengthens connection

In another study, kids who performed three kind acts per week became more included and accepted by their classmates (Layous et al., 2012). A small shift in behavior reshaped their social world.

The Part We Forget: Self-Kindness

There’s one more part of the kindness story. And honestly, it’s the one I forget most often.

Self-kindness matters just as much.

Kristin Neff’s research shows this clearly: people who relate to their own mistakes with the same understanding they’d offer a friend tend to experience lower anxiety, lower depression, and greater emotional resilience.

Think about the last time you made a small mistake; the kind you’d instantly forgive in someone else. If you’re anything like me, before you’re even aware of it, you’re criticizing or shaming yourself. But research shows that when we choose to respond to ourselves the way we’d respond to a struggling friend, it makes a real difference.

We always have the choice to be kinder to ourselves, even if it’s just one moment at a time.

A Small Invitation for Today

I want to invite you to choose just one small way to be kind to yourself today. Just one. The same kindness you would offer a friend. Even a tiny act can make the rest of your day feel a little brighter.

That one act can be incredibly small: taking a slow breath before your next task (perhaps Breathing with Sunnie!), doing a short Loving-Kindness Meditation when you wake up, or choosing one tiny practice that helps you feel more grounded. These moments matter more than we think.

If you have a little kindness to share, you might try the Gifting a Compliment activity or writing a quick Gratitude Note to someone you care about. All of these are in the Flourish toolkit and take just a few minutes. And they’re often much more impactful than you’d expect. 

May whatever small act you choose today ripple outward. 

Happy World Kindness Day ❤️