KINDNESS
This is an act of having and showing benevolence.
HOW YOU CAN CHOOSE KINDNESS
- CARE FOR OTHERS GENUINELY: At its most basic, kindness is about caring genuinely for others around you. Wanting the best for them, and recognizing in them the same wants needs, aspirations, and even fears that you have too. Kindness is warm, resilient, patient, trusting, loyal, and grateful. Kindness is deep caring for all beings
- DON’T BE KIND FOR THE SAKE OF GETTING WHAT YOU WANT: Beware of deluded kindness. Kindness is not about “self – interested politeness, calculated generosity and superficial etiquette”. Simply being nice to other people because you believe that this will manipulate them into giving you what you want in life, or as a means of controlling them. Nor is kindness about pretending to care for someone while repressing anger or contempt; hiding our rage or frustration behind false pleasantries.
- BE KIND TO YOURSELF: Many people make the error of trying to be kind to others while forgetting to be kind to themselves. Some of this can stem from not liking aspects of yourself, but more often than not, it originates from the inability to know yourself better
- LEARN KINDNESS FROM OTHERS: Think about the truly kind people in your life and how they make you feel. Do you carry their warm glow around in your heart every time you think of them? It is likely that you do because kindness lingers, warming you even when the hardest challenges face you. When other people find a way to love you for who you are, it’s impossible to forget such trust and confirmation of worthiness, and their kindness lives on forever
- CULTIVATE KINDNESS FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR HEALTH: Improved psychological health and happiness comes from thinking more positively, and kindness is a positive mental state. While kindness is about giving and being open to others, giving kindness returns a sense of well – being and connection that improves our mental state and health
- MAKE A HABIT OF FOCUSING ON KINDNESS: Leo Babauta says that kindness is a habit and is one that everyone can cultivate. He suggests focusing on kindness every day for a month. At the end of this directed focus, you‘ll be aware of profound changes in your life, you’ll feel better about yourself as a person, and you’ll find that people react to you differently, including treating you better
- BE KIND TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST PEOPLE “IN NEED”: Expand your circle of kindness. It can be very easy to be kind to those people we feel are truly in need (the sick, the poor, the vulnerable, and those who align with our ideals). It can be more difficult to be kind to people we may consider our equals, but it will be worth it.
Mr Adelakun James
Daystar Nursery and Primary School