“Pay it forward.” is a commonly used phrase after someone was willing to execute a random act of kindness to another individual or a group without adding benefits of their own. How can we practice kindness either to other people or even ourselves? There are numerous ways to be compassionate, generous, and considerate to another or self. Granted, we all have bad moments that generate us to be sour or feel down. Sometimes, we tend to forget or disregard our kind nature for others or ourselves.

Have you ever been bullied for being ‘different’? I know, it might be a tough pill to swallow that someone disrespected or excluded you. Whether it may be in the hallways at school or inside a sociable platform connected from an Internet-accessible device. Did you know that an organization developed a day to pause all negativity for us to reflect the importance of kindness? In 1998, World Kindness Day was established as an international observance formed to be celebrated yearly on every 13th day of the month of November. As the founding organization, World Kindness Movement defines the purpose is “to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us.”

Proven studies, promoting kindness releases dopamine (a biochemical messenger in the brain that can give us a feeling of euphoria) and boosts other hormones that nourish our mind, body and spirit. Acts of kindness lower levels of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. “We all seek a path to happiness,” says Dr. Waguih William Ishak, a professor of psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai. “Practicing kindness toward others is one we know works. ... The trick you need to know: Acts of kindness needs to be repeated.”

We do not need to celebrate kindness on just one day of the year. Share understanding and kindness to others who seem to be different from you. After all, we are all the same. Be genuine toward others and yourself for bringing light in certain matters. We need to celebrate kindness every day of the year. Kindness has a contagious effect — it is what makes the world round. Together, we can call Earth the perfect circle embodying diversity and promoting unity that we all live in such a beautiful place.