In this episode we discuss the incredible power of kindness, show how kindness triggers “the helpers high” and causes dopamine and oxytocin to flow through your brain, look at study data from 136 countries showing science behind why kindness is so powerful, we walk through several concrete examples you can use RIGHT NOW to take action and be kind to someone today, and much more with John Wang.

John Wang has spent the past several years researching the scientifically proven benefits that being kind to others has on our own lives. Making us not only happier, but healthier, and even more attractive! John is also the founder of The One Kindness Challenge which transformed a personal experience into a mission to spread the healing powers of kindness. Through unique accessories called kindness bands, The One Kindness Challenge seeks to remind us to commit at least one act of kindness each day and to help spread the message of kindness wherever we go. 

• How John’s personal challenge transformed into a mission

• John’s Lessons learned from taking homeless people out to lunch for a year

• How John’s visit to Nepal after the Nepalese earthquake changed his life

• The evolutionary purpose of Kindness

• Why people aren’t kind often enough

• Johns experience from practicing radical honesty for an entire year

• What is the one kindness challenge?

• We walk through the feelings and experiences of a moment of kindness

• Kindness is triggered by the Vagus Nerve

• How kindness triggers “the helpers high” and causes dopamine and oxytocin to flow through your brain

• Even the smallest acts can trigger the same effect as large acts of kindness

• Consistency in kindness it he MOST important thing

• 21 day challenge will transform your life

• Why kindness is more important now than ever

• How one Uber ride can change your life

• Its not about the words its about making a connection

• How social media has replaced real connection with fake connections

• How a single smile could transform someone’s life

• We dig deep into the science behind kindness

• How study data from 136 countries showcased the incredible power of kindness

• We walk through several concrete examples you can use RIGHT NOW to take action and be kind to someone TODAY

• John shares some incredibly inspiring stories from his own life about sharing and creating kindness

• Research data showing how kindness literally makes you live longer

Thank you so much for listening!

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SHOW NOTES, LINKS, & RESEARCH

• [Website] One Kindness Challenge

• [Website] One Kindness Challenge - Kindness Ideas

• [Book] Radical Honesty: How to Transform Your Life by Telling the Truth by Brad Blanton

• [Video] "Unsung Hero" (Official HD) : TVC Thai Life Insurance 2014

• [Video] Stealing Can Be Forgiven, Thai Commercial

• [Video] Free Hugs Campaign

• [Video] Denali

• [Book] Why Kindness is Good For You by Dr. David Hamilton PhD

Research Links

• Prosocial Spending and Happiness: Using Money To Benefit Others Pays Off - Students were given $5 or $20 and some told to spend it on themselves and others told to spend on others. Those who spent on others actually ended up being happier and the more they spent on others the happier they were. This research also held up across countries, even poor countries.

• From Chronic Pain Patient to Peer: Benefits and Risks of Volunteering - Study examines the effect volunteering had on chronic pain patients. They found after volunteering they reported less pain and also feelings of depression went down.

• Psychological Differences in Elderly Volunteers vs. Non-Volunteers - Volunteer workers over age sixty-five were compared to retired elderly who did not engage in any type of work activity. Volunteers were found to have significantly higher degree of life satisfaction, stronger will to live, and fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization.

• Reactions To Random Acts Of Kindness - We gave 122 people a flower. We did not find significant differences in reactions to kindness by age of the receiver. However, we did find that women responded more positively to kindness than did men. Also people tended to respond more positively to kindness when the giver was white regardless of the race of the receiver.

• Sex Differences in Mate Preferences: Evolutionary Hypothesis Tested in 37 Countries - Study shows that being kind actually does make you more attractive and this was found across cultures.

• Volunteer Work and Well-Being - This study shows that volunteers actually reported feeling more satisfied and have greater life satisfaction and self-esteem.

• Volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups - There are a number of reasons why volunteering might yield mental health benefits, especially to older people. Volunteer work improves access to social and psychological resources, which are known to counter negative moods such as depression and anxiety. Analysis of three waves of data from the Americans' Changing Lives data set (1986, 1989, 1994) reveals that volunteering does lower depression levels for those over 65, while prolonged exposure to volunteering benefits both populations.

• Volunteering Is Associated With Delayed Mortality In Older People

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT