Being kind means being tolerant, caring, and empathetic with yourself and with others. We invite you to discover all the advantages of this attitude.
Last update: February 18, 2022
Kindness is a quality we all appreciate. We love being with positive, understanding and sweet people who treat us with respect and consideration. However, it's also a rare and hard-to-find feature. Why is it so hard to be kind? Perhaps, because we don't often pause to reflect on its importance.
We rarely hear a parent say that one of their goals is for the child to be kind, nor do we adults make an effort to work on this trait.
We are more focused on success, wealth or status, actually it is the threads that intertwine human relationships that have the greatest impact on our lives. In light of this, we wish to remind you how wonderful it is to be kind.
What is kindness?
Kindness is one of the big five personality traits defined after in-depth psychological research. Different authors indicate that different personalities can be classified on the basis of five dimensions (openness to experience, extroversion, responsibility, kindness and neuroticism) and according to the degree to which each individual presents them.
Kindness it is defined as the person's tendency to be selfless, friendly, caring and trusting. Kind people are easy-going and calm, humble and simple; they have great empathy towards the feelings of others and are willing to help and make those around them feel at ease.
Like any personality trait, this one presents itself to different degrees in each of us. By genetic inheritance, environmental and educational factors, or a mixture of both, we are not all equally kind. However, we can work to improve in this regard and thus obtain all the benefits it offers.
Being kind is a balm for the heart
When we are kind, we soften and facilitate the lives of those around us. A sympathetic look, a word of comfort, or a knowing smile can brighten another person's gray day.
We have all experienced it: sadness, anger and disappointment are relieved by human warmth received from relatives or strangers. Since we are unaware of the battles others are fighting, always be polite - our attitude can make a difference in another person's day.
“Every person you meet is struggling with their own problems. Be nice to them. You won't be able to solve them for them, but your kindness could be the miracle I've been waiting for. "
-Anonymous-
Being kind brings you closer to the brighter side of life
One of the most positive aspects of exercising this quality is that it benefits everyone involved. Be kind to allow you to make it more enjoyable the experience of others, but at the same time we receive the same in return.
We are all more sensitive to those who approach us with warmth and respect, and we are more willing to help, smile back and have a positive interaction. So why not take the first step?
On the other hand, being kind contributes to psychological well-being. It helps us focus on the more pleasant and caring aspects of life. We expect the best of others, so we are better able to perceive and save their virtues.
We trust, understand and look with good eyes and in doing so we experience a much more positive experience. Those who turn away from kindness live in hostility and suspicion, and this hurts them more than anyone else.
"When you can choose between being right or being kind, you choose to be kind"
-RJ Palacio-
Start with yourself
If kindness has the power to transform a person's mood, it is our duty to start being kind to ourselves.
Be kind with our mistakes, with our fears, with our shortcomings it is a fundamental part of self-love.
We learn to look at ourselves with compassion, to welcome ourselves gently and to support us unconditionally; let's stop being our staunchest critics and become our main supporters, our best friends.
Being kind to those who deserve it deserves it is an act of nobility
Practicing kindness isn't always easy. Some people respond to our good gestures with harshness and ingratitude and this can lead us to want to return them with the same coin.
However, those who least seem to deserve our kindness are usually those who need it most. When someone is hostile, irritable or rude, you need to have the strength to respond politely. We must not let others decide how we will behave.
"Being nice to someone you don't like does not mean that you are a hypocrite, but that you are mature enough to tolerate it"
-Anonymous-
Being kind is a skill to be trained
Being kind can be difficult, especially under certain circumstances. Despite this, the benefits that derive from this attitude are such that it is worth making an effort to implement it on a daily basis.
Appeal to your tolerance and compassion e instead of taking something personally remember that we are all human and that we can have a bad day.
