Every day is a good day to be kind, but just in case you need to mark your calendar: February 17 is National Random Acts of Kindness Day!

Ready or not, there’s never a bad time to be kind. Aesop said it best more than 2,000 years ago: “No act of kindness no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Whatever kindness you start—even something simple—has a way of moving from one person to the next. Whether it’s a smile, a wave, or going the extra by reaching out to someone in need, the benefits of expressing kindness can do a world of good.

Being kind is good for the mind, body, and heart

Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. Scientifically speaking, acts of kindness boost endorphin levels. And upping endorphin levels means reducing the things that can hurt us. For example, kindness:

  • Reduces blood pressure—acts of kindness create emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. This helps to lower blood pressure and improve overall heart health.
  • Reduces pain—kindness produces endorphins, the brain’s natural pain killer.
  • Reduces isolation—it can encourages others to make human contact.
  • Reduces anxiety—good deeds can lift our mood because they stimulate the production of serotonin. This feel-good chemical heals your wounds, calms you down, and makes you happy!
  • Reduces stress—kind people have 23% less cortisol (known as the stress hormone).

Being kind in the workplace creates a ripple effect

Kindness impacts the general level of positivity, boosts your mood and—as mentioned above—it’s contagious. Good feelings get passed along and paid forward. When it comes to the workplace environment, kindness creates trust, which builds teams and strengthens organizations.

Well functioning teams emphasize trust

According to workplace expert Patrick Lencioni, the trust formed through kindness forms the bedrock for healthy dialog, commitment, accountability, and—ultimately—results. With that, here are three ways to promote kindness in the workplace for a culture of support:

  1. Just be nice. Promote the simple mantra we’ve been told countless times: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The idea is to act on this simple message—and repeat it—so it takes center stage as a workplace priority.
  2. Start a “habit bank.” Consider setting up an online portal through which employees can select behaviors that promote well-being (and possibly track their progress). Employees can also list resources for podcasts or blogs on well-being podcasts or a favorite guided meditation app.
  3. Post positive messages in the workplace. This can include formal signage or random stickers, but the idea is set up happy surprises to spark joy and promote random acts of kindness. As a campaign, you can set up a way for employees to post a story, whether it’s buying a lunch for a service worker, offering help to the houseless in your community, or shoveling snow for a neighbor.

Because kindness is known to spread, not only can the whole organization elevate its well-being; you’ll also see how kindness inspires and brings people together.

And finally—one more kernel of inspiration and reminder to make National Random Acts of Kindness Day every day—a few words from the Dalai Lama: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”