A reflection on how simple acts of connection, encouragement, and empathy can have a lasting impact on others.
We have all had those moments where our day (or week or, let’s be honest, year) has been going horribly and we think “one more thing is going to make me explode.” While we are not responsible for other people’s happiness, we can be a positive influence on their days. Even if the moment is small. Practicing mindful awareness of those around us can allow us to notice opportunities for empathy and connection. Taking a deep breath and letting someone merge in front of us in traffic, waving at a passerby when walking or biking, and thanking your barista with a smile can go a long way in reminding the other person (and ourselves) of their inherent value and humanity.
And these small acts of kindness, connection, and empathy benefit us, too. Research shows that connecting with others and offering compassion to ourselves promotes our own happiness (Kıyak, Arslan, & Hamarta, 2025). Empathy is reciprocal by nature. Helping others makes us more empathetic (Chaturvedi, 2025) as does having a pet whom we love (Chen, Liao, & Qin, 2025). Giving truly brings goodness back into our lives.
Observing kindness in the world can make us feel more hopeful and happy. When we see the people around us as empathetic people, we are more satisfied with our lives (Pei, et al, 2025). Even when we are not doing anything differently, knowing that other people are acting with compassion boosts our mood.
So, not only does practicing kindness benefit whoever is the recipient of our good deed, we feel better after offering kindness and those around us who observe our empathy feel more hopeful. A true win-win-win.
Chaturvedi, R. D. (2025). Sowing the Seeds of Empathy, Altruism and Life Satisfaction in Emerging Adults of India: An Intervention-based Study. IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review, 13(5).
Chen, Y., Liao, W., & Qin, Y. (2025). The effect of pet attachment on social support among young adult cat owners: The chain mediating roles of emotion regulation and empathy. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1-9.
Kıyak, S., Arslan, C., & Hamarta, E. (2025). Examination of the Relationships between Happiness, Self-Compassion, and Personality Traits in Young Adults. Journal of Teacher Education and Lifelong Learning, 7(1), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.51535/tell.1648312
Pei, R., Grayson, S. J., Appel, R. E., Soh, S., Garcia, S. B., Bouwer, A., … & Zaki, J. (2025). Bridging the empathy perception gap fosters social connection. Nature Human Behaviour, 1-14.
