A Message from Your Council President: The ripple effects of kindness

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By Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, CPSA Council President

Hang one of CPSA’s kindness posters in your office to keep the kindness effect going

There is a movement gaining momentum, and that’s trying to make the world a kinder place. This is your chance to get involved and join this important initiative.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Kindness is contagious,” but did you know it is actually a scientific fact? Researchers have coined the term “moral elevation” to describe the high we feel from witnessing an act of kindness.

In his book Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well lived, social psychologist Jonathan D. Haidt talks about his study of moral elevation and defined it as, “A warm, uplifting feeling that people experience when they see unexpected acts of human good­ness, kindness, courage, or compassion. It makes a person want to help others and to become a better person himself or herself.”

While the feeling of demonstrating or experiencing an act of kindness undeniably makes us feel good, the power of positive change truly lies within the ripple effect it creates.

The most important thing worth repeating is that you can start being kind today. It really costs nothing and it has an immediate impact on both yourself and the recipient. You can do it in so many ways and each and every time you are kind, it is noticed and appreciated.

While it’s important to be kind to others, be especially kind to yourself. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed out all of us in ways we could have never imagined. We are all in need of more kindness in our lives, whether we are giving it or receiving it.

My fellow Councillors and CPSA team members have been blown away by the stories of kindness already shared by both physicians and patients in our province. In an effort to keep that ripple effect going, CPSA has created kindness posters, linked below, as a resource for physicians to use in their offices and healthcare worker spaces.

In addition, we encourage you to continue sharing your stories of kindness using the hashtag #AlbertaKindness on your favourite social media channels, or by making a submission on cpsa.ca. For more information on the Kindness Initiative, watch my video below.

Download and print kindness posters for your clinic:

• Healthcare worker kindness poster: colour | black & white
• Albertan kindness poster: colour | black & white