In a society where people are overworked, underpaid, do not get enough sleep, but are still expected to be successful and content members of the upper classes of society, kindness is a rare commodity.
The rat race takes its toll. Social scientists are now gathering more and more evidence that human beings are hard-wired to be generous. How does it affect us when we go against nature by being selfish?
For businessmen, corporations, and small business owners, acts of kindness are known to have a positive impact on customer loyalty, employee retention, and word-of-mouth marketing efforts. All these contribute greatly to the bottom line.
Of course, cultivation of kindness as a strategy is a bit of an oxymoron. True kindness is kindness for its own sake. With society being what it is, some people would like to be more kind, but just don’t know where to start.
In the spirit of Random Acts of Kindness Week, here are some small tricks and hacks you can use to incorporate more kindness in your daily routine, just until it becomes as natural as breathing. International Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 10 – 16, 2014, was created by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation as an annual celebration of kindness across the globe.
1. Choose What You Expose Yourself To
After witnessing exceptionally altruistic acts, people are more likely to perform charitably themselves, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. What does this mean for you? No more “Breaking Bad” (or “Game of Thrones,” or actually, most shows on TV).
Jokes aside, make sure your daily reading list does not cover just the news and industry publications. Add to your RSS reader feeds that inspire you. Read at least one story a day about someone who helped others unconditionally or any other act of kindness.
Such publications include The Huffington Post’s The Third Metric, The Daily Good , Random Acts of Kindness, and many stories on Epoch Times.
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2. Meditate or Create a Positive Morning Routine
People can be trained in compassion. This has been shown in some recent scientific studies. A key aspect of such training is meditation and mindfulness. Start your day with a short meditation or a morning routine in which you actively evoke kind and compassionate thoughts towards others.
This can be done while you do your workout, walk the dog, or even ride the subway to work. Before reading the news, before opening your email, focus your thoughts on the wellbeing of other people. A great way to start the day!
A person practicing the Falun Dafa meditation. (Jeff Nenarella/The Epoch Times)
3. Start With Those Closest to You
The people who are closest to us, who care about us the most, are often those we take for granted. It is sometimes easier to launch a campaign to stop hunger than to notice your son is having a rough time at school. If you want to increase kindness in your life, you need to create an environment of kindness around you.
Small things go a long way here. Acts of Kindness do not have to be grandiose (actually, they are better humble). You just need to pay attention a bit and ask yourself: What can I do to make my spouse/child/sibling/best friend happier today?
It can even be as (seemingly) mundane as a phone call, but it would be a phone call full of kindness. If you are a person that needs structure, designate different weekdays to a different individuals from your immediate circle: Monday for your kids, Tuesday for your significant other, Wednesday for your parents.
4. Create a Routine of Kindness
In our daily life, there are many chances to be kind. When you see a co-worker absent minded or stressed, don’t get mad, ask if he has trouble at home, or if there is anything you can do to help. Just imagine if all workers did just that, what would your workplace look like?
Make a point of being helpful. Make sure you ask at least one person a day, “How are you doing?” And be open and genuine enough to get a real answer. Help at least one person a day accomplish his goals or tasks. As these ripples spread, you will find that your goals are being met more easily and that people around you have your back.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Act
After kindness had become part of your daily life, don’t be afraid to act on a larger scale. Take up a cause, any cause. Find something that troubles you in your community, in your country, or in the world, and work to change it.
You can write op-eds about it to the paper, start a petition, join a related organization, or even start one if the cause requires it. Once kindness is in your blood, you won’t be able to stop yourself from acting on the subjects you care about. Just let go of the fear to do so.
A student signs a petition at Columbia University, New York. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times)
Disclaimer: The Epoch Times is not related to the official Random Acts of Kindness Week or to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. This articles is not endorsed by them.
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