If you could time travel to the past, and tell a few things to your 18-year-old self what would it be?
I’ll start with one major thing I would like to tell her –
“Your Kindness makes you (K)OOL! There will be a time coming when the world needs it the most.”
And if I am not being very obvious, that time has come. I wish I could tell her the points I am about to make further in the blog. Well, it’s better late than never. No matter whether you are 18 or 84 years old, I hope you get to realize the need and the power of kindness today.
Now let’s ponder over what kindness is in reality and what is not.
Kindness is a choice and we, as humans have it in abundance, every day – The Choice!
You choose to intentionally make efforts to make someone else feel better. A hug, a word of appreciation, a loving smile, an encouraging text message, and kindness can be in any form, small or big, and even sometimes very random. Random acts of kindness bring in a sense of purpose and connection on a spiritual level without any need for reward or recognition in return. You give out the unconditional love that everyone needs out there.
Kindness is Contagious!
Have you heard about the Ripple Effect? Its literal meaning is, “the continuing and spreading results of an event or action.” That is exactly how kindness works. When someone does a kind gesture for you, the feeling remains there and urges you to do the same for someone else. The sense of achievement and the rush of feel-good hormones drive you to do it more often and
Boom!!!
Congratulations, you are found positive for… KINDNESS!
Kindness is Misunderstood
For being Weak
Often mistaken for weakness, a kind person is considered weak and courageless which makes kindness such an underrated virtue. Contrary to that belief, being kind today is one of the toughest jobs, and takes a lot of courage to be so. The strength takes to continue being kind in times of chaos when everyone around tickles the maddest side of yours is the sign of power…Your Super Power!
For being just Nice
“Sugar & Spice and everything nice”- giving the quote a new modern twist. Sugar(kindness) + Spice(assertiveness) = a perfect blend for the Kindness recipe. Kindness is not just being nice or being too nice. Anyone can be nice, pleasant, and inoffensive but being kind is a choice, a deliberate choice you make to offer a sense of comfort or support to someone unconditionally. However, you need to be aware of where to draw the boundaries.
I hope you never forget to also be kind to your own self while being so to others!
Kindness is a Package Deal!
A deal you wouldn’t want to miss. Kindness comes with a lot of other virtues to offer-
Empathy
When you feel empathetic towards others, you feel their pain as yours. The struggles seem like your own. Empathy is the emotion you feel, the spark that ignites Compassion.
Compassion
Compassion starts with empathy, you join in the suffering of the other person, and take deliberate actions of helping them out. It is the process of turning empathetic emotion into helpful action.
Honesty
Tell your friend to get out of that toxic relationship, tell your brother to take charge of his life and stop with the blame game, tell your colleague to stop the rant and give her best shot at the project. Does it all sound very Unkind, actually it’s not. A kind gesture can also take the form of harsh truth.
It’s more like serving Karela (bitter gourd) on the side of Gulab Jamun.
Isn’t it such a great deal?!
So, you must add this package to your cart, which costs you nothing but some intentional effort and a great amount of ROI (Rejoice on Investment)!
P.S.- 17th February is celebrated as Random Acts of Kindness Day!
Interview By – DEEBHA SITHTA