You may read this title and think, “Well of course you should always be nice, kind, caring, or whatever, but we want to do a lot of things we don’t actually do.” But I suggest you put this at the top of your list each and every day, so it becomes ingrained in you. You never know what someone else is going through AND your impact could be ten-fold without you ever knowing. Need some more reasons why? Let me show you why this matters from three distinct angles:
Ripple – Be more, do more
If you are reading this blog you have access to wi-fi, you are most likely reading it from a computer or phone, and something grabbed your attention to read. My point is, you have the opportunity to influence with knowledge and technology, and in the same breath you have the opportunity to be kind.
There never seems to be enough – enough time, enough money, enough, enough – but what if we tweak our mentality? What if we decide to be more and do more? We are capable of so much more than we can comprehend.
Why not push ourselves a little today to do something nice. Pay for the person behind you in line, hold the door and say hello, call a family member or friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. You never know the difference this could make for the person. You never know what someone else is going through, and just how good it can make someone feel. There’s a great opportunity for them to pass on the kindness too.
Just Because – We are Human
Believe it or not – it’s good for your health. According to a study conducted at Emory, beginner students were given a brief course in compassion meditation. The subjects were then placed in stressful situations in the lab, including having a TV camera pointed at them. The scientists found the meditators released significantly lower doses of a stress hormone called cortisol. Practicing compassion appeared to help their bodies handle stress in a better more effective way. This is substantial because frequent release of cortisol can lead to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, cancer, and depression.
As humans, we crave connection. And I don’t know about you, but a connection is not one associated with negative feelings. When someone does something nice for you, you feel connected. You feel connected to the person and to the feeling the interaction produces.
Two Way Street – It is Beneficial to YOU
According to ABC News, compassionate people typically have the ability to read the emotions of others better, and communicate their own emotions more clearly and effectively. The benefit here is not only that you are healthier and happier, but there is the potential to be even more successful. According to Professor Dacher Keltner, a scientist at the University of California-Berkeley, “People trust you more, they have better interactions with you, and you even get paid better.”
I would venture a guess that many people say they strive to be kind every day, but sometimes it just isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you need a little extra bump in the right direction, watch this video. It’s proof that you never really know what someone else is going through. (Oh, I might suggest you grab some tissues).
Don't underestimate the power of kindness, it can change a life...maybe even yours.
