Performing Spontaneous Acts of Kindness

‘Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.’ – Annie Lennox

Kindness is related to compassion. With compassion, the focus is on the alleviation of suffering. Kindness, on the other hand, is simply concerned with people being considerate and showing goodwill towards others. Acts of kindness are selfless acts that either assist or lift the spirits of someone else. There need be no reason to be kind other than to make people smile, or be happier.

Kindness is mindful. It takes you out of yourself. You have to be aware, to actively look for opportunities in the present moment to be kind. Kind gestures free you from focusing on yourself and enable you to reach out to someone else.

You may feel you have little to offer, but whether it is a smile, a cup of tea, an invitation to dinner or an offer to help carry something, it is the act of giving itself that is important. As Gandhi said, ‘Almost anything we do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that we do it.’

Of course, some people are easy to be kind to. If they show gratitude or if they have been kind to you first, it's easier to be kind back.

It's not, though, easy to be kind when you're wound up or stressed. It's not easy to be kind to people who are rude. But keep in mind that although they may not be nice, you are. And if you can show a kindness it can make you both feel better.