A Different Perspective on Kindness
It’s hard to practice kindness in an unkind world; a world where we are taught that it’s ok to be vulnerable when vulnerability is simply part of being human. Being kind is also our own ability to first have compassion for ourselves, and then for others.
When I found out that November 13th is World Kindness Day, I was curious. During the pandemic, I discovered The Kindness Diaries and was fascinated by following Leon Logothetis’ Radical Trek into kindness. And it was not surprising to uncover that the kindest people were the ones who didn’t have much like the homeless man who shared whatever he could with Leon.
And then when I went to explore further, I saw that the people organizing this day were mostly focused on being kind to others and it made me realize that there is an element that needs to be added to this mix: being kind and compassionate to ourselves. We learn to trust everyone else before we trust ourselves. There’s always an authority figure who deserves our trust and as our lives unfold, we realize they are not deserving of our trust as they never had our best interests at heart. It’s not surprising that we have also been conditioned to be kind to others first.
Being Kind to You
An act of kindness for yourself includes letting go of things, people and situations that deplete you. For me, it’s walking away from people who try to convince me that their viewpoint is right, and walking towards people who want to create together. Letting go, not getting stuck in limiting beliefs, and allowing others to have their own perspectives and journeys—and choosing to be joyous rather than right —serve us well in being kind.
On the Radical Trek to kindness, here are some questions to reflect on:
- What brings you joy and makes your heart sing?
- What do you need to do to practice living in authenticity, integrity, kindness, and compassion?
- What can you do to stay out of fear, anger, and judgment?
- Are you focused on what others think of you and let it influence the choices you are making?
- Can you focus on all that is healthy in your life rather than on what you don’t like or what is challenging?
- What can you do today, and every day, to be kind to yourself?
Practicing kindness, compassion and self-love help create harmony, joy and a healthy life. Always remember that you get back what you put out, and what you resist, persists.
Find and connect with people who are working from their hearts. You will identify them by their kindness. These are the people who are creating the emerging world.
