Choose To Be Kind Whenever You Can
It doesn’t take much, but it can change the other person’s life.
To be honest, I don’t think that we speak enough about kindness. Such personal traits and values as determination, focus, positivity, leadership, and others get a lot more time in the spotlight. And it is for a reason — such assertive qualities are helpful in life and in achieving your goals.
Kindness as a virtue, on the other hand, is often overlooked because of its association with softness. What good can it do for you in this pushy world? I beg to differ.
As humans, we are wired to empathize with each other. Kindness creates a foundation for compassion. Together they define the quality of our relationships with other people, whether it is personal or professional.
As social beings, we can’t deny the importance of lasting healthy relationships. The times when we could survive solely by being aggressive and assertive have sunk into oblivion. The new reality supports those who know the value of interpersonal connections and are genuinely ready to help others.
The greatest thing about it is that it doesn’t wane when you share it with others. On the contrary, you get a great deal back. Call me naive, but I believe gratuitous deeds return to us. Maybe it’s Karma, maybe it’s just the way life is. Every positive action creates a positive reaction.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. — Aesop.
It doesn’t take much to be kind. Sometimes being kind just means to listen without interruption, help without asking questions, be there for another person when they don’t know how to ask for it.
People still need to outgrow the belief that kindness equals weakness. There always will be others who would take advantage of you, judge you, discourage you no matter what you do. You still can hold your guard, but occasional smile here and there is unlikely to hurt you.
Everyone needs kindness — you too. In the society where busyness is worn like a badge of honor and lack of proactivity is frowned upon, ask yourself when were you kind to yourself the last time.
Do you accept yourself the way you are? Did you choose rest over pushing through? Did you support yourself through anxiety and guilt rather than feeling shame for your emotions? Being kind to yourself comes in different ways.
Kindness is not weakness. It’s a choice that we make to see ourselves as others as imperfect beings still worthy of love, let failure be part of life and a teacher rather than a verdict, do things that we love and not apologize for it.
