I believe that performing acts of kindness will improve our overall health and happiness. Currently, our overall health and happiness is in jeopardy. Technology and the way we communicate with others is making us lonely and putting stress on our hearts. In an issue of Time Magazine, an article explains that technology that involves some form of written communication has made it more convenient to avoid the strenuous work it takes to form precious "substantive" relationships in the flesh and blood ("Debate"). When we are putting less work into a relationship, the result is cheap. Technology has also made it more convenient to cyberbully, since the screen is in between the victim and the cyberbully. Cyberbullying often leads to lower self- esteem, depressive thoughts, and anxiety. This makes victims feels isolated and targeted ("Cyberbullying"). When a victim feels isolated, this leads to loneliness. Loneliness is associated with a twenty nine percent increase in risk of heart disease and a thirty two percent increase in stroke ("Loneliness"). When I spend time texting or scrolling through social media and I come across something funny, I don't laugh out loud the way I would if someone were to make me laugh in person. This has always bothered me, as if technology allows me to ignore my emotions and natural instincts. When someone says something hurtful to me over social media, I look at it over and over. It is so much easier to say whatever I want and be whoever I want when it's over social media or text. These sensations often make me feel lonely, disconnected from my own feelings, and others. I even feel an empty pain in my chest. Once I had set my phone down, I walked down to my room to see my little sister sitting on her bed in our room. She asks about my day and shows genuine interest. I look over at my neatly made bed, which I didn't have time to make this morning. On my made bed, there is a sweet note placed next to the pillows. The note is from my mom. She made my bed and wrote a "thinking of you" note. A smile comes across my face as I read the note and crawl into my bed. I began to do a body scan, and I noticed the pain in my chest went away and my whole body felt light, fluffy, warm, and regulated. These small acts of kindness helped relieve and fulfill me, as they have time and time again. The next morning when I woke up, I began writing a few generic, kind notes to give to random people at school. After reflecting on these mini personal experiences and researching what I was feeling, I believe that kindness is the first step to fulfilling the hole in our hearts. You can perform acts of kindness in so many ways. Make it a goal to share something or say something kind at least once a day. When the going gets tough, and you don't feel like doing anything for these inconsiderate people, ask yourself why you don't feel like doing anything, why are they inconsiderate, how will this affect your health, and how will this affect other's health. This will remind you why it's important to perform acts of kindness. If you are looking for ways to be kind, there are plenty of acts of kindness listed on the Random Acts of Kindness website. Some acts of kindness I have performed myself include baking cookies for others, big giant bear hugs with consent, babysit without accepting money in return, reminding others you love them and why randomly, nominate teacher for the Buffet Award, give positive observations, offer to shovel a neighbor's driveway, stand up for someone, share advice when it is desired, smile at strangers, write a thoughtful note to a teacher or friend, and volunteer at the Food Bank. Although some may argue that being kind to others is not important, and that taking care of yourself is more important, I disagree. When you care for others, you will begin to appreciate yourself even more than you did originally! People that only take care of themselves are less happy. Being kind to others will make taking care of themselves easier, simply because they are happier. A 2010 Harvard Business School survey studied happiness in one hundred thirty-six countries and found that people who contribute to charitable donations or serve others are happiest. When we see a kind act being done and we are around kindness regularly, a love hormone called oxytocin is produced. Oxytocin works to lower blood pressure and maintain a healthier heart. This hormone also increases our self-esteem, optimism, and makes us less anxious in a social situation ("The"). Kindness positively reversed these negative health and happiness facts. Since we cannot change loneliness overnight, kindness has proved to be a positive way to start fixing this problem. Compassion is a muscle. Just like in weight training, you build your compassion muscle by reaching out to other's regularly ("The"). If everyone took the time to observe and be kind, I believe it'd have a big impacts on our health and view of others.

“Am I beautiful enough?” “I hate to see the way how fat I am” “Your dark skin looks like you have been burnt right down in the sun seriously” “Go to this XXX Dermatologist, she will brighten your skin so it can boost your confidence just like mine, and voilá!” “Hands down. No wonder why her instagram-story worth hundred viewers, I kinda sceptic how pricey that beauty spa and salon maintenance might cost” “Look at this Hollywood Goddess, Scarlett Johansson, I absolutely about to dye my mediocre black hair to brunette-ish like her.” Have you ever heard at a very least one of these statements amongst our society on a day-to-day basis for certain circumstances? For me, yes. Kind of ironic yet realistically pathetic. This essay is written to digging deeper about how millennials in Indonesia for having ‘Beauty is White' sort of mentality, as in term of their measurement standard for beauty. The writer will encourage readers why it's important to start treating our own selves in a very respective way in aim to see ourselves as a whole genuine beauty without questioning the diversity. Living in the era of upgrades, it's not a secret that in the age of technological development like today, everything has become accessible. People have the ability to browse all various topic that might catch their interest in certain facets; from brand-new fashion updates in America until issue about chronic famine in Africa. This is because of the role of mass media for spreading information not only in local-based, but worldwide based. Fortunately, by only having a gadget, it let us gain information as quick as possible, as transparent as a simple click from our fingertip, emerge on various platforms, thus all being wrapped up called social media. Furthermore, the existence of social media is inevitable for millennials to not maximize the essence of social media functionality itself to different uses depending on the users' intention. Millennials in Jakarta, especially young grown-up girls are very obsessed with the nature of fashion industry. Media is over-emphasis on certain point for attractiveness to some extent. This phenomenon is, of course, cannot be separated from what so-called as advertising strategy realms. Longman defined advertising as an act of showing people publicly about a product or service in order to persuade them to buy it. Brand owners are often recruited models based on certain physical requirements suited on their products that are being sold, because truth to be told, it's important to employ model who also has physical attractiveness in order to maintain and escalate the level of elegance for brand itself because of some common physical traits model own i.e: pale skin, lean legs, slim waist, and wide hips. The latest research showed that Asian women are obsessed with having flawless white skin. From Indonesian millennials perspective, in contrast, these physical traits you see on social media are often to be considered as the ideal beauty that needs to be internalized. As (Botta 1999, Irving 1990) stated, people tend to compare themselves to other people that represent idealistic goals. These are definite signs that you are trapped in a zone called “Euro-American Centric” beauty mentality. Beauty is a complex issue. Saltzberg & Chisel defined beauty cannot be quantified or objectively measured, it is only the result of the judgement from others. The reasons Why do Indonesian Millennials are obsessed with ‘Euro-American Centric' beauty ideal can be stated below: 1) External Validation Seeker * Hyper-focus of physical appearance. Their time is wasted only dedicated to browse whitening beauty products as in hope to be ‘white or have lighter skin'. * Thirsty upon external validation for a serious amount of duration. 2) Having “White People are Better” Mentality *Narrow-mindedness due to not wanting to broaden their mindset in concrete opinion caused by cultural norm rooted in some of Indonesian Millennial's head: dark skin is associated with poverty, thus not being able to have buying power and afford beauty maintenance, such as whitening beauty products. While white skin is associated with wealth and high socio-economical status, more likeable, successful in jobs, marriage etc. 3) Poor Level of Appreciation *Lack of Self-Awareness: not aware that sometimes there is certain factor that cannot be changed due to the biological nature we have by genetics. * High Level of Self-Judgement: easy to judge people based on external appearance only. Wake up, fellas! We all have no time to judge other people as more important as ourselves. Why would you perceive yourself as ugly because of our nature DNA of healthy tan skin? It's time to start wake up and feel blessed because of the fact you are standing for who you are, you obligate your happiness. Never let society defines your level of beautifulness. Start treating yourself in a very respective way and stop seeing yourself as a total failure, because you are not.