A DEFINITION of kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Kindness can mean empathy, acceptance, and thoughtfulness. It also means doing nice things to others without expecting nice things in return. Kindness is being selfless, caring, compassionate, and unconditionally kind to others (Kindness 101: What is Kindness and How Do You Teach It?).
Kindness is the decision to act something that helps others or yourself, motivated by genuine warm feelings. Being kind or doing right, often means putting other people’s needs before our own. It could be by giving up our seat on a bus to someone who might need it more or offering to make a cup of tea for someone at work. Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our mental health and well-being. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem, and happiness. The benefits of kindness are helping others feel good, it creates a sense of belonging and reducing isolation, it helps to keep things in perspective, it helps to make the world a happier place- one act of kindness can lead to more, and the more you do for others, the more you do for yourself (Kindness Matters Guide- Mental Health Foundation).
Based on ‘Seeking Kindness: 9 Ways to Show Kindness’, kindness is contagious and it has the potential to make the world a better place. Practicing kindness may also have many health benefits such as lowering pain levels, relieving stress and anxiety, and increasing life expectancy. When we show kindness, we are healing others and ourselves at the same time. There are nine ways to show kindness. Focusing on others, lending a hand, listening, staying in touch, sending care packages—no matter how small—being a positive light, smiling at people, complementing them, saying “Thank You” and “I’m Sorry,” and being kind to yourself are a few of these.
Let’s all keep in mind to always be kind to others. Let us help others if they need it without expecting anything in return. Let us lend our ears to them and heartily listen to what they are saying to us. Listening to them means that you are willing to offer to extend a helping hand. There are several easy ways to help others, so if you have the opportunity to help others, help them. Help others with all your heart and without expecting anything in return. If you are expecting something in return, it is not genuinely helping others and it is not kindness.
Smile at others. When you see someone, offer him or her a smile. Your smile can make someone happy and it can also make them delighted. Smiling is contagious and has a positive effect on our mental health. It makes us feel better and acknowledged. When somebody approaches you, you smile and you entertain him or her. Do not say harsh or offending words. You might hurt the person. Do not do that since you just know their name or names, but not their real story or stories.
When someone approaches you, smile and say kind words to them. Being kind to others is important because you never know what someone else is going through, what is going on in their head or heart, or whether they need someone to talk to. So, always remember to be kind to people. Some people seem to be smiling or they are looking good outside, but deep inside they have wounded hearts. That is why we must be kind and understanding to others.
Let us remember to be kind also to ourselves. Love, respect, and be good to ourselves. Do not abuse yourself. If you are not kind to yourself, it can affect you mentally and physically. It can make you in pain or you will be emotionally drained. Give yourself time to rest and relax from time to time. If you just let yourself be engaged in work at all times, it is not good for you. So, always remember to be kind to yourself. Be kind to others and yourself as well.
