Do you feel like the world has forgotten to show kindness towards others? Do you see a lot of disrespect in the world? People fighting for their opinion and being rude and even violent towards others. This doesn’t have to be you!
As a kid, most of us were taught to be kind to other people. Our mother’s for the most part thought that showing kindness was the sign of a good person.
Unfortunately, we are living in a very stressful world these days. As a result, there is not a lot of kindness being shown. It doesn’t seem to be a priority for many people.
As well it seems like patience, sympathy and a calm attitude have been lost as well. These feelings are not easy to show when we have had a stressful day.
Yes, we are all human and yes we all have limitations. However, you can still choose to be kind as possible.
The following are some strategies you can adopt so that you show kindness towards others.
Adopt a Listening Attitude
Unfortunately, most people are not practicing the art of active listening. All you have to do is watch two people having a conversation.
For the most part, two people take turns saying what they want to say to each other. They are probably not listening to what the other person is saying.
They are just waiting for the other to finish their sentence so they can jump in with their own.
The best thing anyone can do is to really listen to someone if you are going to help them solve a problem or feel better about an issue.
In order to really listen you will need to pay attention to body language. You will also need to maintain eye contact.
Also, you should not rehearse what you will say to the other person. Just give them the gift of actually being heard!
Practice the Art of Being Empathic
When we really listen to someone, we will be able to hear how the other person is feeling.
You will be able to figure that out by the tone of their voice, their body language as well as their facial expression.
Also, pay attention to the words they say.
All of this will give you some clues so you can have a better understanding of how they are actually feeling.
When we are actually listening you will be able to figure out what they need from you.
By not trying to second-guess their feelings, by just observing you will be able to show empathy.
Learn How to Feel Compassion
When you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you are being kind. You are able to feel their hurt, pain, and confusion.
You will be able to not criticize or judge the other person. In fact, you will be able to just acknowledge where they are in their upset.
That is what it means to show compassion.
Learning to Give
One of the key elements of kindness is generosity.
It is up to you to decide what you want to provide, what you want to give to the other person.
It could be your time, the ability to listen, or some sort of practical help.
One thing you can do is to give your time by volunteering.
This is something constructive that you could do at a time when there is so much pain in the world.
Learn How to be Sincere
Another form of kindness is to be sincere. You won’t be able to be kind for very long if you don’t really mean it.
However, you can learn how to be sincere by looking for the good in people, or situations so you can show kindness to others.
Another way to show kindness in the world is to practice random acts of kindness.
Why It’s Important to Practice Random Acts of Kindness
Random acts of kindness or paying it forward is another way to show kindness to others.
When we do something kind for someone without looking for a reward, we make kindness a gift.
A random act of kindness doesn’t have to be a big gesture.
It can be as simple as buying coffee for the next person in line or buying groceries for an elderly neighbor.
When we show kindness to someone else, not only do they receive the gift, but we also get a lot out of the act of kindness.
Benefits of Practicing Random Acts of Kindness
First of all, you get to feel good about yourself. Being selfless will definitely make you feel good about yourself. How could it not?
Unfortunately, a lot of times, when we are kind there are strings attached. Giving flowers to your wife isn’t the same as giving some flowers anonymously to your elderly neighbor.
Often it is expected that we get something such as improving our image to others when we do something kind.
However, a random act of kindness is a different approach. The reason.
Your intention is completely pure. Why not try it out for yourself. I’m pretty sure you will feel so much better about yourself!
Secondly, the aspect of practicing random acts of kindness is that there is enough kindness to go around.
In fact, you are sending yourself a positive message when you give something away without looking to receive anything in return.
There is an abundance of positivity you can put out into the world. There is certainly no scarcity of kindness.
As well there is an abundance of what you can be grateful for in your life. There are also plenty of people who would be pleased by your kindness.
One more reason to practice random acts of kindness is that you will be able to strengthen your health.
There is plenty of research that shows that by practicing kindness, you will be able to reduce your anxiety as well as increase your happiness.
In fact, the subjects of the research reported feeling more positive, more energetic as well as feeling less depressed. The research also showed that kindness can reduce pain.
So if you want better mental and physical health, you might want to consider practicing more kindness.
Another reason for practicing random acts of kindness is that you can make other people happy. You will make them feel loved and important. That is a very good thing!
It is important to note that your simple act of kindness could start a chain reaction of more people being kind. This is all about paying it forward!
Lastly, practicing random acts of kindness could reach further than you might imagine. It means that you can improve your life and also improve someone else’s.
Studies have shown that when people witness kindness their blood pressure is reduced and even certain hormones are increased. This leads to people feeling more optimistic.
The Science of Kindness Video:
One thing to consider is that you have the ability to make a huge impact in the world when you show kindness. It doesn’t cost you anything thing to be kind, but the return on this investment is priceless.
Remember, you will have the opportunity countless times in a day to be kind. Just be kind without expecting anything in return.
Make this a daily habit and you just might find that you feel better about yourself and your life as you continue to show kindness to others.
