Acting Kindly benefits everyone

Kindness Explained 

* Written by Vijaya Jayaraman, with extensive editing by Lillian Brummet

You can act kindly only when you think positively; it's an expression of your thoughts and you cannot fake it. Kindness comes from the heart! The thought becomes your words. 

"If you cannot speak kind words, better to be silent". 

This quote from Bhagavad Gita {Ch 17, verse 15} emphasizes the importance of thinking before speaking.

Consider how easy it is to be kind to someone if you already have a preconceived positive notion about that person, but your kindness vanishes when you have a negative thought about the same person.

A mother's love is the ultimate kindness. She is the symbolic epitome of kindness and we all learn what kindness is through her. Kindness is expressing love without expecting anything in return.

If we can emulate that very same love to everyone around we would be in a wonderful world! Kindness is expressed in the same way whether it's directed towards an infant, toddler, adult or a senior, but we often choose to be different with different people based on our own prejudices. For instance: one can be kind to one's own child, but not to a neighbour's child. One might be kind to their family, when one needs something from them, but not feel kind when the family needs something from that them!

People often confuse being nice with kindness. Kindness is helping when needed with what you can, when you can, even if it's just a smile, hug or listening. Others might be able to express their kindness in other ways, and that's okay because it's neither a competition nor a standard. Kindness does not mean that you agree with others all the time. It means you agree to disagree, you agree to live and let live. While being nice is based on how people see you, being kind is how you see yourself. 

Kindness comes easily when you're contented and happy; if you feel deficient in your life, that'll be expressed too. Kindness is being gracious even in times of meanness or dissension. Being kind could be construed as a form of weakness and being easily taken advantage of, but a person of kindness forgives that too.

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. 

Every act creates a ripple with no logical end"

~ Scott Adams 

People will often focus on their unfortunate circumstances that add up and drain their energy from their lack of resources, to health issues, mental energy levels, and family complications. This state of mind will impede our ability to be kind and so we must learn to declutter the negative thoughts. First, we need to count our blessings. 

"I cried because I had no shoes

 until I saw a man with no legs". 

~ Helen Keller

...only then we feel the empathy and compassion towards others can our gratitude for what we have grow.

There are several ways to express kindness randomly throughout the day with small, easy actions.

-Choose to add an additional coin while parking than required, someone can get the benefit. 

-Drop some change in the charity jar at the till after shopping.

- Place a big jug of cold water or lemonade, or hot coffee in the winter, outside where walkers-by can help themselves and find a little reprieve from the weather. 

- Start gardening: water the plants, feed the birds and animals.

- When you see a hungry person at lunch time, purchase a to-go meal and drop it off to them as you pass by on your way back to work. 

Go ahead and do something good for others, what you can, when you can, with what you have, to bring a smile in that face. Do this with seniors, people in homes, terminally ill people, homeless and lonely people. You'll make a big difference in their life. They often need us to be silent and listen to them. (Did you notice these two words have the same letters?) There are many places looking for volunteers, perhaps this is something you could look into as well.

Kindness though starts at home, so be more mindful of your thoughts and speech patterns - be kind to your family members. You're where you are because of them. You parents, your siblings, relations, co-workers, subordinates and supervisors have all contributed in one way or the other.

One thing I learned from my mother is, "Learn to look into the positive aspects of each one in your life and remember them forever. If you come across negative memories about others forget them instantly, only then kindness, compassion & benevolence will pour out.". 

She also said, "Try not to judge anyone by their behavior, people are inherently kind and compassionate but the challenges that they have faced in their life, and on a specific day, makes them to be otherwise. You, by being kind, can make a big impact in their lives.".

Remember, kindness starts by de-cluttering the negativity in our mind, and looking for small, simple acts of kindness that you can do throughout the day, every day.  

~~

 

Visit the Brummet's @: http://BrummetMedia.ca

 

~~